Before joining Jamiroquai, Stuart met Jason Kay through Archaos’ ex-drummer Nick Van Gelder (the first drummer in Jamiroquai), and went to an audition for Jamiroquai. They really liked his stuff, and that was the beginning of the Jamiroquai odyssey. The original band consisted of Jay Kay on vocals, Stuart Zender on bass, Nick Van Gelder on drums, and Toby Smith on keyboards. That was in the beginning of 1993. Stuart would become one of the most respected and influential players of the 20th century and beyond. As Jamiroquai progressed, SZ became one of the most recognisable members of the band. But after falling for former All Saint singer Melanie Blatt and the pending birth of their child Lily, Stuart decided to leave Jamiroquai in 1998 before the release of the band's 4th album “Synkronized”. They won numerous awards, including MTV Awards, an Ivor Novello writing award and even a Grammy. SZ’s work with the band can be heard on the first three albums, “Emergency on Planet Earth”, “The Return of the Space Cowboy” and “Travelling Without Moving”.