Led by the flamboyant Jason "Jay" Kay, Jamiroquai is a U.K.-based funk group that emerged from London in the early 1990s. By combining bouncy soul rhythms with acid jazz, hip-hop, and world music, the group created a distinctive sound that elevates Jay Kay's Stevie Wonder-like voice to higher ground. Though initial media coverage focused on Kay's Wonder-isms and his car collection, Jamiroquai's mid-'90s albums countered most criticism with a set of serious grooves.