Jamiroquai
Created | Updated Dec 16, 2002
(first draft)
Jamiroquai (pronounced JAM-EAR-OH-KWAI) is a band of musicians. More specifically, the band currently contains five permanent members:
JK (b.Jason Kay, 30 Sep 1969, Stretford, Lancashire, England) - vocals, songwriting, wearing silly hats, attracting media attention
Toby Grafftey Smith (b. 29 Oct 1970) - keyboards, songwriting
Derrick McKenzie (b. 27 Mar 1962, Islington, London) - Drums
Nick Fyffe - bass, occasional songwriting
Rob Harris - guitar, occasional songwriting
plus a number of other contributors:
Sola Akingbola - Percussion
Simon Hale - arrangements
Johnny Thirkel - arrangements
Dee Lewis - Backing vocals
Paul Stoney - Programming
History
The band were formed in Ealing, London in early 1991, by Jason Kay, and derived their name from a tribe of Native Americans (the Iroquois). London at the time was the focus of the growing 'Acid Jazz' scene, a genre springing from the Acid House dance style of the late 1980's. Following their debut single 'When you gonna learn?' on Eddie Pillar's Acid Jazz label, which reached a respectable 52 in the UK charts, the band were snapped up by 'Sony Soho Square'. In this new environment, Jamiroquai successfully promoted the Acid Jazz style, previously confined almost exclusively to London, to the rest of the country, along with other acts such as The Brand New Heavies, Mother Earth, and The James Taylor Quartet. The mix of dance, jazz, funk, Stevie Wonder-esque vocals, political and ecological commentary and daft hats that were the trademark of early Jamiroquai appealed well to the '90's public. As a result their debut album, 'Emergency on Planet Earth', reached No.1 in the summer of 1993.
to be continued....
Comments/suggestions to Go stick your head in a pig
