CD Review

Hats Off to Jamiroquai
From Young Star Magazine

It seems that the 10-year odyssey through the galaxy of funk didn’t slow Jay Kay down. I witnessed it myself! I was lucky enough to snag a front-row ticket to the Jamiroquai concert in Hong Kong. And boy, this front man can move! Wearing one of the outrageous hats he is famous for, the Space Cowboy and his amazing band proved their mastery of sublime dance music and kept everyone on their feet the entire night.

If the name Jay Kay rings no bells, think beautiful girlfriends, a fleet of ridiculously expensive sports cars, and a country manor complete with a moat. It’s hard to believe he was once upon a time a "skinny white skate kid" from West London, who dropped out of school at 16, and sold everything from kilts to weed in an attempt to survive on the streets.

Sob story, sure, but the man has far from endeared himself to the media. Rumor has it his dogs are trained to attack tabloid journalists. Heck, I’m not from the tabloids, but wouldn’t you be nervous at a Jamiroquai press conference?

I must say though, Jay Kay is certainly friendlier than write-ups paint him to be. In fact, he started joking around about our seeing the final video for "Love Foolosophy" before he did, as it was shown prior to his entrance. As cheap thrills would have it, it turned out to be true! He proceeded to tell us about his being a control freak, the perils of doing his own stunts, and how all the flying and floating in the video was actually scary stuff. Forgive me for saying this, but all along, I was thinking about how he so resembled Keanu Reeves. Sue me.

As one of the peskier few able to slip through the bodyguards to get an autograph, I was dying to ask if he really did find Filipina and Brazilian women most attractive. He claimed this in an article I once read. Instead, I hear myself raving about the Funk Odyssey CD he is signing. Of course, I do find this a fantastic, state-of-the-art attack on the ass piece of music, but I can’t help but wonder, did I have a shot at riding his Mercedes 1963 300 SL Roadster if I had told him I was Filipina? Damn, I’m so chicken maybe I do deserve a canine attack . .