![]() ![]() “I wanted to stretch my ability as a writer and producer,” says Bluey, “and I remember keeping a diary that inspired the lyrics. Bluey brought in Joy Malcolm and Pam Anderson for some edge on vocals, and recorded at Abbey Road with a full orchestra, using Clare Fischer’s incredible string arrangements for Rufus as inspiration and the then-undiscovered, BAFTA-winning, British composer-arranger Simon Hale (Jamiroquai, Björk) to write the score. ![]() If Positivity sealed it, then 100 Degrees & Rising super-sealed it. “People identified with the songs, and that album sealed it.” It really struck a chord with American audiences,” Bluey recalls. It was a simple tribute to Miles Davis, but that and ‘Deep Waters’ from our Positivity album were huge. “We had a hit with an instrumental called ‘L’Arc en Ciel de Miles’. The album sold almost a million units worldwide. Positivity (1993) was among their best, crammed full of slick productions with universal hits like “Still a Friend of Mine” and “Givin’ It Up”. The albums that followed Tribes cemented Incognito’s place among the in-demand bands on the international stage. Around that time, Gilles Peterson had just started his Talkin’ Loud label, and was looking for acts to sign. In the late ’80s, samplers and sequencers were standard and, using a BBC computer, Bluey started creating tracks at home, including what would become the main body of Incognito’s third album, Inside Life. It all helped me to develop as a songwriter.” “I did anything to keep my love for music alive. He discovered 14-year-old vocalist Steven Dennis (later re-named Steven Dante) in Hackney, and he also met and worked with Marcus Miller, producer Steve Harvey, artists Maxi Priest, George Duke, Caroll Thompson, Total Contrast, and many others. Although Bluey had a day job at the time, he continued writing and producing, and always kept his ears to the ground for new talent. Soon after that, Paul and Bluey went their separate ways. Those sessions took a more Jazz-Rock-Fusion-influenced direction, which the record company deemed too much of a stylistic departure to be released as Incognito, so they put it out as a one-off called Behind the Mask under the band name The Warriors. In 1983, Incognito went back into the studio to record their second album. This exchange is the basis for the Incognito sound and the ideology of the band. I try to get the best from them and in turn they give their best for my songs and productions. I have them in mind, considering their styles and allowing them the space to shine. “When I write and produce, I respect the musician and singer’s spirits 100%. The debut Incognito set, Jazz Funk, was an instrumental tour de force, with guests including Hugh Masekela hornsmen Peter Segona and Claude Deppa, and legendary Jamaican trombonist Vin Gordon. Dues, then, to Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and Incognito, formed in 1979 and celebrating almost 40 years of positive vibes and undiluted Jazz-Funk. Narrow it down to those that have created a uniquely British sound and have endured as a global phenomenon on their own terms, and the list becomes short. Look at the recent history of soulful UK artists and you will find any number of short-lived acts that have achieved pop success. The enduring success of Incognito is one of the great stories of UK music during the last four decades. ![]()
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