Song Examples

Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai

Here is a brief analysis of Jamiroquai’s song, “Virtual Insanity”.
“Virtual Insanity” is a clever piece, with a simple, attractive sounding groove and structure, but still incorporating quite complex musical content and arrangement.

In musical terms:

• Very strong repetitive hip-hop drum rhythm - common syncopated/triplet “stab” fills
• Light percussion - congas/ “cow bell” like sound
• Melodic bass line, with many octave intervals (mainly played straight fingered)
• Syncopated piano accompaniment (no melody or lead)
• Electric guitar - wah wah
• Acoustic Guitar - lead
• String section - melodic figures (syncopated/triplet counter-melody) as well as some accompanying progressions.
• Also some backing vocal accompaniment (“ooh/aah” sound in some choruses)

The basic harmony is as follows:

Introduction: Ebm7   Fm7b5 (Db9/F)   E/Gb   Gb   Badd9   Cm7b5   Ebm/B   Bb7#5

Verse: Ebm7   Ab7   Db9   GbMaj7   Cm7   CbMaj7   Bb7#5

Chorus: BMaj7   Bb7/F   Ebm7   Abm7   Bb7

The characteristics of this song are typical of a jazz piece, with its syncopated rhythms and frequent 7th/9th/#5/b5 chords.  This reinforces the point that acid jazz is really a continuation of jazz.  The hip-hop rhythm, melodic bass and wah wah guitar give the music its acid jazz groove and feel.

So What! - Ronny Jordan

"So What!” was originally written and arranged by Miles Davis in 1959. Ronny Jordan reworked this song and gave it a modern acid jazz groove. Ronny Jordan has released two versions of the song: one in 1992 and again in 2002. This analysis looks at the 2002 version.

The song’s structure and harmony is very similar to the original by Miles Davis, with eight bars of Dm7, four bars of Ebm7 and another four bars of Dm7 (repeated). However, the sense of timing in Ronny Jordan’s version is very different.  This is due to a strong hip-hop drum beat and bass line.  The song still has authentic features, even with this new groove, as it uses an acoustic bass and has several improvisation breaks (on piano and then again on jazz guitar).

This song definitely shows the relationship between ‘normal’ jazz and acid jazz, and a movement into a more traditional “bop” sounding section.  In the piano improvisation, the drums change to a typical bebop jazz feel and the bass takes on a ‘walking bass’ style, which also adds to authenticity and vintage flavour.  The way the song flows in and out of this section is a very good example of how closely related acid jazz can be to previous styles of jazz.