1999 - May

The following is a Sony Music mini-biography written shortly before the release of Synkronized in 1999.

Jamiroquai

Jamiroquai have been funking up our lives for much of the 1990's. In that time they have become a unique and genre-defying global force, selling in excess of 11 million albums and becoming one of the most sought after live acts in the world. Their brand of funk, jazz and disco-inspired music is not easily categorized by trainspotting industry pundits but by the time their last album, 'Travelling Without Moving', was released in 1996 it became clear that the real people didn't seem to care.

In fact more than 7 million people from all over the world, fans of music traditionally defined as both 'black' and 'white', proved the point by buying the album. 'Travelling Without Moving' also garnered Jamiroquai several awards including a Grammy and a handful of MTV awards, including best video. 1998 saw Jay Kay and the crew strike gold again with UK No. 1 hit 'Deeper Underground' bringing their tally of top 30 hits to a dozen. 1999 sees the advent of their fourth and finest album: Synkronized.

Jamiroquai formed in 1992. Creating a massive underground buzz with their instant classic, 'When You Gonna Learn?'. Jason Kay, 29 year old creator of Jamiroquai - was loud, opinionated and controversial, but also passionate and honest, at times a little too much so for his own good. A burst of blanket coverage in the UK media was followed by the release of the debut album 'Emergency On Planet Earth' which crashed into the charts at number one in June 1993, soon making Jamiroquai the top selling British debut act of that year. 'Emergency' sold over half a million copies in the UK alone.

The second album, 1994's 'Return Of The Space Cowboy', confirmed that their music had the strength to transcend boundaries of language and culture, outselling the first in territories such as Europe and Japan and going platinum in the UK. Jamiroquai was probably the first band to rise from the club/dance scene and have now developed an eclectic following of many ages, lifestyles and musical preferences. Early Top 10's like 'Too Young To Die' and 'Blow Your Mind' followed by the long running single success of Kiss FM's most played tune ever, 'Return Of The Space Cowboy', established Jamiroquai's place in the 90's musical pantheon but mega success was just around the corner.

1996's third album 'Travelling Without Moving' and the raft of global Top 10 hits it produced - 'Cosmic Girl', 'Alright' and 'Virtual Insanity', propelled Jamiroquai even further into the musical stratosphere. This album saw them them burst from the American underground onto the mainstream US music scene and by 1997 Jay had collected four US MTV awards and a Grammy and numbered artists from Gil Scott Heron to Busta Rhymes among his fans. The following year he was commissioned to write a track for the 'Godzilla' movie and while the film foundered Jamiroquai shot straight to No. 1 with 'Deeper Underground'.

14th June 1999 sees the release of 'Synkronized', Jamiroquai's fourth and most accomplished album - this one takes them to another level. Launched with the white hot pre-millennial disco stomp of the first single, 'Canned Heat', on May 24th, it will be followed by a world tour and, no doubt, world domination, way into the next millennium.