| Sebbene il nome si riferisca alla band
di musica funky, in realtà il pilastro del gruppo e
"detentore" dello pseudonimo, è Jason
Cheetham, nato il 30 dicembre 1969 a Stretford, vicino a
Manchester. Sua madre, Karen Kay, era una cantate jazz
conosciuta negli '60 mentre il padre non è mai riuscito
a conoscerlo. Jason se ne andò ancora adolescente dalla
casa londinese della madre e, per sopravvivere, dovette
adattarsi a fare svariati lavori, tra cui lo spacciatore
di droghe leggere. Grazie alla sua vita randagia, ebbe
modo di assorbire e di lasciarsi influenzare dalla
cultura di strada, dall'hip-hop, dall'arte dei graffiti,
e dalla break-dance. In seguito, conobbe Wallis Buchanan,
originario dell'Australia ed eccellente suonatore di uno
strano strumento originario della sua terra: il
Didjeridoo. Con lui ed altri amici musicisti Jay creò la
sua prima band e diede vita al primo demo "When you
gonna learn". I dirigenti della Acid Jazz
ascoltarono la canzone, che piacque talmente da mettere
sotto contratto il gruppo. Mancava solo il nome ma Jason
si decise per Jamiroquai: il significato è da ricercare
nella radice Jam, da jamsession, improvvisazione
musicale, e iroquai, dalla tribù indiana degli Irochesi.
Il grande successo del primo pezzo consentì al gruppo di
produrre il primo album: "Emergency on planeth earth"
del 1993. Già sulla copertina del primo disco emerge
l'elemento grafico distintivo del gruppo, il "medicine
man", logo disegnato dallo stesso Jay che
rappresenta un uomo con pantaloni a zampa di elefante e
delle vistose corna in testa. Anche Jay porta quasi
sempre dei vistosi copricapo pelosi. In quel periodo Jay
si fece conoscere, oltre che per il suo talento musicale,
per gli ideali di rispetto della natura e delle persone.
Nel 1994 Jay e il gruppo produssero un disco molto
intenso e a tratti intimista, "The return of the
space cowboy" ; nel 1996 "Travelling without
moving", porta alla luce la grande passione di Jay
per le automobili veloci. Possiede infatti numerose auto
prestigiose: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, BMW,
Mercedes, McLaren. Con la pubblicazione del quarto album
nel 1999 "Synkronized" i Jamiroquai hanno
raggiunto la considerevole cifra di 16 milioni di copie
di album vendute. E' ora uscito il quinto e probabilmente
più maturo e vario lp: "A funk odissey". Poco
più che trentenne, il leader del gruppo può ritenersi
molto soddisfatto. Thanks to
www.sonymusic.com.au
JAMIROQUAI
Feels Just Like It Should
'Feels Just Like It Should' is the first single from Jamiroquai's album
'Dynamite' - a ramped-up, high-octane snarl; Jamiroquai's organic funk
put through a digital grinder and pinned to a filthy groove. Jay Kay
agrees his latest track is at the dirtier end of the spectrum "Yeah,
it's really filthy. And that bass groove came from me pissing about as a
human beatbox. You hear it and think what the fuck's this? If you
haven't had an album out in four years you want to have an impact, and
this says it, I'm back with a vengeance."
'Dynamite' is Jamiroquai's sixth album and was written and recorded over
two years. "You've always got something to prove in this game. But the
bottom line is I still love it. I love the thrill of seeing a track come
together, and with this album we've been sitting with tracks,
meticulously going through them, changing things, getting it right," Jay
Kay says.
Written and recorded in Spain, Italy, Costa Rica, Scotland, New York,
Los Angeles and his own purpose built Buckinghamshire studio, 'Dynamite'
is both a consolidation of thirteen years of Jamiroquai's trademarked
sci-fi sound and a cocky, two fingers to anyone who thinks that at 35,
Kay might be resting on his country pile.
CD Maxi Single
Feels Just Like It Should (Album Version)
Feels Just Like It Should (Mark Ronson Remix 2)
Feels Just Like It Should (Timo Maas Remix)
Release Date: 06.06.05
Catalogue: 675968.2
JAMIROQUAI 2005: "DYNAMITE" It's thirteen years since Jamiroquai main
man Jay Kay signed his unprecedented eight album deal with Sony's S2
label. While much is made of the short-sightedness of British record
companies, it's only fair to credit Sony (now Sony/BMG) for the gamble.
Back in 1992 Kay was a skinny white kid with a skateboard, a passion for
vintage rare groove and a bizarre 'Buffalo' hat. Over twenty million
albums, four world tours and 141 weeks on the UK singles chart later,
it's safe to say the gamble paid off. From poster boy of the early
nineties acid jazz revolution to international music icon, a lot has
changed for Kay in those thirteen years. Thanks to five albums of
consistently on-point, danceable grooves and mercilessly unshakable
melodies - not to mention an undisputed reputation as an electrifying
live act - Kay's as recognisable in France, Spain, Italy, South America,
South Africa, Australia and Japan as he is to anyone who's ever picked
up a UK tabloid. While in America his status as one of the UK's most
respected exports is backed by an ever growing grass roots following,
five MTV awards and a Grammy. Much to his amusement, of late Kay's also
become something of a style icon, as confirmed by his collection of Elle
and GQ style awards. With all that and a genuine rockstar lifestyle -
the Buckinghamshire Manor; the garage full of fast cars - it would be
understandable if the singer who signed his historic record deal while
living in a squat in Ealing, west London, had spent the four years since
Jamiroquai's last album, 2001's chart-topping 'A Funk Odyssey', enjoying
the fruits of his success. But then complacency is one thing Kay will
never be accused of. "I've still got so much to prove," he says of why
he's spent the best part of two years writing, recording and honing
sixth album, 'Dynamite'. "You've always got something to prove in this
game. But the bottom line is I still love it. I love the thrill of
seeing a track come together, and with this album we've been sitting
with tracks, meticulously going through them, changing things, getting
it right." Written and recorded in Spain, Italy, Costa Rica, Scotland,
New York, Los Angeles and his own purpose built Buckinghamshire studio,
'Dynamite' is both a consolidation of thirteen years of Jamiroquai's
trademarked sci-fi sound and a cocky, two fingers to anyone who thinks
that at 35, Kay might be resting on his country pile. Single 'Feels Just
Like It Should' for one is a ramped-up, high-octane snarl; Jamiroquai's
organic funk put through a digital grinder and pinned to a filthy
groove. "Yeah, it's really filthy. And that bass groove came from me
pissing about as a human beatbox. You hear it and think what the fuck's
this? If you haven't had an album out in four years you want to have an
impact, and this says it, I'm back with a vengeance." 'Black Devil Car'
- 'Cosmic Girl' with guitars and a dirty mind - and the title track's
chic disco reinforce the larger than life, feelgood vibe, while the
sweetly swaying 'Seven Days In Sunny June' is pure Jamiroquai romance,
only with extra sunshine. "It's bigger," says Kay of the new album's
frenetic pulse. "We recorded the whole album live, then digitally edged
it, tightened it up, gave it a harder sound. But I also wanted to
maximise the groove, to keep the verses sparse and the choruses big.
'Dynamite''s a groove and I wanted to nail it." As for inspiration, much
of it came from time spent recording in America. "We went over there to
get the best backing singers, best strings, best horns. And you know,
just being in LA, watching life go by, all the beautiful ladies who
lunch, that's what 'Dynamite''s about. And mixing in New York, it just
made me feel like I was back in the game." Yet while 'Dynamite' is
undoubtedly an album of free-single-and-lovin'-it high-times, the
presence of some of Kay's most barbed lyrics to date, confirm it as a
shot of much needed positivity for what he describes as "a really
funked-up time for the world". It's fitting that, in the year that the
British government assumes the presidency of the G8 - with the promise
of putting third world poverty and climate change at the top of the
agenda - and with war raging on the nightly news, one of Britain's
biggest stars should be back, prodding the collective conscience. From
day one Kay's had an opinion and he hasn't been afraid to share it.
Sadly his impassioned sleeve notes to Jamiroquai's aptly titled 1993
No.1 debut, 'Emergency On Planet Earth' still ring true. Third world
poverty; climate change; wars initiated by power hungry dictators; it's
all there. Likewise, 1994's 'Return Of The Space Cowboy', with its dark,
inner-city social commentary is as raw as ever. Meanwhile, the album
which took Jamiroquai global, 1997's 'Travelling Without Moving', came
with a worryingly prophetic warning of the dangers of biogenetic
engineering. Not only was Grammy winning single 'Virtual Insanity'
released on the day Dolly the Sheep was born, its concerns mirror those
currently consuming the debate on human cloning and 'donor' babies.
After two deeply personal albums, 1999's 'Synkronized' and 2001's
multi-platinum 'A Funk Odyssey', 'Dynamite' sees Kay re-entering the
fray in typically forthright style. 'The World He Wants' is a half-time
reflection on where the 'leader' of the free world is taking it; 'Star
Child' questions the mindset of a world where TV evangelists are seen as
moral guardians and thumping floor-filler 'Give Hate A Chance' is "an
anthemic, DJ ready, sign of our times." "As the human race we aim to do
nothing but kill and maim each other," says Kay. "All we do is hate,
hate, hate. And a lot of it seems to be done in the name of religion,
which is what 'Give Hate A Chance' and 'Star Child' are about. We hate
each other for all sorts of reasons: different religion, different
colour, different way of thinking. It's hate, hate, hate and I just
think when is it going to end?" For all the tabloid headlines, rockstar
trappings and hats, it'd be a mistake to ever dismiss or underestimate
Jay Kay. As his indisputable track record shows, he's many things, but
he's no fool. And while his opinions, and fearless attitude when
expressing them, might regularly set him up as a easy target for jaded
cynics, even they will freely admit that music, and life, would be a
good deal duller without him. So prepare yourself for a vintage
Jamiroquai year. With a string of turbo charged future hits, a meaner,
leaner sound and Kay's social conscience spoiling for a fight,
'Dynamite' time and again affirms his assertion: Jamiroquai is indeed,
"back with a vengeance".
Live In Verona
Program Start
Twenty Zero One (Video Version)
Canned Heat (Video Version)
Bad Girls (Video Version)
Singing In The Rain (Video Version)
Corner Of The Earth (Video Version)
Virtual Insanity (Video Version)
Little L (Video Version)
High Times (Video Version)
Cosmic Girl (Video Version)
Main Vein (Video Version)
Deeper Underground (Video Version)
Alright (Video Version)
Love Foolosophy (Video Version)
Multi-angle Tracks
Bad Girls
Corner Of The Earth
Virtual Insanity
Little L
Main Vein
Love Foolosophy
Release Date: 18.11.02
Catalogue: 201779.9
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