Bearing in mind that your reviewer would usually be happy to join the angry mob who'd call JAMIROQUAI'S Jay Kay 'The Twat In The Hat' and give him a bloody good public stoning, he finds himself in the strange position of wanting to shower the self same cat with praise for this "Late Night Tales" selection.
W&H brought you a rave review of George Evelyn's NIGHTMARES ON WAX "Late Night Tales" selection, and if you've read that you'll know this series is basically an excuse to get a litany of 'in the know' celebrities (usually with a dancefloor-filling capacity themselves) to rifle their record racks and put together killer collections which will bring you da funk in no uncertain terms.
And, however much your correspondent has previously disliked Jamiroquai's trendy stoner outings, it's word-scoffing time here, as his "Late Night Tales" is as damn near an exemplary collection of veteran 70's funk and soul as you're likely to hear this or any other year.
One peerless groove segues into another, with the likes of Johnny Hammond's sure-footed "Fantasy" taking up the baton as Rufus & Chaka Khan think of laying it down. Sure, some of it's as smooth as hell (try on Ramsey Lewis's "Whisper Zone" for size), but in this land of busy hi-hats, rock-solid rhythms, rubber thumb basslines, skinny funk guitar and superb, Earth, Wind & Fire-style horn sections who's complaining? These are tunes to put a smile on the most jaded of faces.
Besides, there are surprises galore. It's a matter of context, I guess, but I never thought I'd be praising the likes of the Pointer Sisters and the bloody Commodores for God's sake, but both sound ineffably funky here. Even better, though, are Jose Feliciano's epic, show-stopping take of "California Dreaming" (arguably the album's finest moment) with proto-Spanish toasting of all things in the fade; Marvin Gaye's unimpeachable "Here, My Dear" and huge disco hi-rollers like Dexter Wansel's "Life On Mars" (no, not the Bowie one) and Skyy's "Here's To You". Oh, and for the gritty, cinematic entry we get Lalo Schifrin's brilliant "Theme From Enter The Dragon", which even rivals his work on the "Bullitt" soundtrack. Blimey.
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Oh, and it's no good: I have another secret to divulge - I always had a soft spot for token Liverpudlian funkers The Real Thing and their "Rainin' Through My Sunshine", which sounds as fat and badass as ever here. No, I'm not consulting professional help and don't intend to either. You'll just have to get over it.
So there you have it: Jamiroquai's personal selections on "Late Night Tales" are the tops and however much you're wringing your hands at my verdict, you're in need of a prejudice check as - for the duration of this album at least - The Man In The Hat deserves your respect without reservation. Would you Adam and Eve it?
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