Jamiroquai – Live At Montreux, Blu-ray (2003/2009)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment EVBRD 33328-9
Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 color, 1080i HD
Audio: English DTS Master Audio 5.1, Dolby 5.1, PCM Stereo
Extras: Bonus Track from 1995
Feature Length: 150 minutes
Rating: ****
Jamiroquai are probably the greatest proponents of that intoxicating mix of London-based, blue-eyed-soul-influenced acid jazz. Lead singer Jay Kay is a truly dynamic and charismatic stage performer, and he’s often jokingly called the “mad hatter” due to his frequent onstage wearing of oversized and often extravagant headgear – he wears a full Indian headdress throughout this Montreux performance. And although Jay Kay and his irrepressible antics is the undeniable focus of the proceedings here, Jamiroquai is one talented group of musicians who laid down an almost irresistible groove with each successive song. Real highlights for me included really jamming renditions of “Canned Heat,” “Cosmic Girl,” “Little L” and “Blow Your Mind.” The group also achieved extremely soulful grooves with the tunes “Butterfly” and “Shoot The Moon.” The extended synth, guitar and percussion intro to “Alright” is so heavily jazz influenced (and totally ear candy), that when the song explodes into an almost totally disco vibe, it’s incredibly surprising, yet irresistibly appropriate. Jay Kay works these songs with soulful precision, and he must lose about five pounds with each show – he never stops moving and dancing throughout each number and sweats buckets of perspiration.
The DTS HD Master Audio track was very dynamic, although the mix seemed somewhat front-heavy, and I had to fiddle around with the knobs to get a reasonably good surround balance. The image quality was superb, with excellent contrast, highly detailed images and really deep blacks. The color palette was exceptionally vivid, and although many of the shots were bathed in an excess of blue light, everything still looked extremely natural, and most of the close-ups of the individual performers showed very natural-looking skin tones. The sole bonus feature was the track “Space Cowboy,” taken from the group’s 1995 appearance at Montreux, and while it’s another superb example of Jamiroquai’s artistry, the onscreen image is only in standard definition and a 4:3 aspect ratio, and Jay Kay and company sport an almost grunge look in very stark contrast to the stylish 2003 appearance. As the song nears its close, Jay (who’s apparently a fairly vocal proponent of the legalization of pot) pulls out a joint, lights it, and begins sharing it with the members of his band, a stunt which apparently caused quite a sensation and nearly landed him in some serious hot water with the authorities.
I have to admit that during the mid to late nineties, when these guys were at the real commercial peak of their popularity, I had very little awareness of them other than the occasional catchy tune on the radio. After watching this excellent and entertaining Blu-ray from Eagle Rock, I’ve had to rethink my attitude towards Jamiroquai – these guys are the bomb! And the disc is very generously proportioned, with the performance clocking in at two and a half hours, so the party goes on almost indefinitely. Highly recommended!
TrackList: Use The Force; Canned Heat; Cosmic Girl; Little L; Blow Your Mind; High Times; Traveling Without Moving; Butterfly; Shoot The Moon; Soul Education; Just Another Story; Mr. Moon; Alright; Love Foolosophy; Deeper Underground; Space Cowboy. – Tom Gibbs
