Re: "Jamiroquai-esque"

Jordan Feinman (jordanf@globalone.net)
Tue, 16 Apr 1996 15:21:07 -0400 (EDT)


> The font I'm referring to is Stevie Wonder, and particularly the stuff on
> "Songs in the Key of Life" and "Talking Book". In England he's got a live
> album out with some of the songs from those days on it, which I haven't
> heard, but is reputed to be funky, and not too infected with the later
> pop-pap.
>
> I don't like to slag off any musicians, but you may have guessed that I'm
> not a big fan of the adventurously hatted one and his band. It's not only
> the hats that get me down. I'm just not convinced that they have anything
> inspiring to play or to say. Stevie Wonder's grooves and arrangements, on
> the other hand, are enormous, and perfectly complement some spiritual lyrics.

Well, different strokes for different folks. As a musician for 15 years,
I can see some serious talent in Jamiroquai's music--particularly in the
bass player and drummer. I purchased Stevie's "Musiquarium" double, and
I wasn't impressed. There are a couple of groovy tunes on there, but
nothing compared to the absolute raw funkiness of Jamiroquai.

> It also bugs me that Jamiroquai gets an international career, while other,
> IMO better, bands from London flicker brightly on the scene and then die. I
> take as my example The Young Disciples, whose Road to Freedom from 1991 (on
> Talking Loud) is also a good place to look for the real groove. It's one of
> those albums that repays close and repeated listening (it's also brilliant
> the first time you hear it).
>
> One last thing about Jamiroquai; I once saw the main man given a ten-minute
> slot on TV to rant about the one thing that pissed him off about modern
> life. He chose cars as his subject, but not the fact that we're all choking
> on fume, but that there are too many traffic lights, one-way streets and
> parking restrictions for his liking.

That's his prerogative. I don't listen to the stuff for the lyrics. But
again, different strokes for different folks.

Jordan Feinman System Operator
Global One, Inc. (518) 452-1465 v
jordanf@global1.net (518) 452-1234 d