Incognito | |
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Background information | |
Origin | London, England |
Genres | House, acid jazz, soul |
Years active | 1979–present |
Labels | P-Vine, Splash Blue, Dôme, Edel, Shanachie, Heads Up Int', Handcuts, Pony Canyon, Narada, Universal, Verve, Talkin' Loud, Mercury, Ensign |
Members | Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick Chicco Allotta Vanessa Haynes Mo Brandis Natalie Williams Francis Hylton Francesco Mendolia João Caetano Sid Gauld Jamie Anderson Trevor Mires Maysa Leak Tony Momrelle Imaani Charlie Allen Katie Leone Natalie Duncan |
Past members | Chris Botti Jocelyn Brown Joy Rose Pete Ray Biggin Nick Doobay Carleen Anderson Pamela Anderson Graham Harvey Dominic 'Ski' Oakenfull Julian Crampton Richard Bailey Christopher Ballin Marc Anthoni Liam Spencer Xavier Barnett Bud Beadle Kelli Sae Karen Bernod Max Beesley Richard Bull Matt Cooper Simon Cotsworth Sarah Brown Ray Carless Patrick Clahar Matt Coleman Chris DeMargary Thomas Dyani-Akuru Gail Evans Adrian Fry Andy Gangadeen Gavin Harrison Peter Hinds Randy Hope-Taylor Ed Jones Joy Malcolm Noel McKoy Linda Muriel Quinton Caruthers Kevin Robinson Winston Rollins Gary Sanctuary Snowboy Karl Vandenbossche Fayyaz Virji Tyrone Henry Tony Remy Andy Ross Nichol Thomson Francisco Sales |
Website | www |
Incognito is a British acid jazz band. [1] Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981. [2]
Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick is the band's leader, singer, guitarist, composer, and record producer. [3] The band has included Linda Muriel, Jocelyn Brown, Maysa Leak, Tony Momrelle, Imaani, Vanessa Haynes, Mo Brandis, Natalie Williams, Carleen Anderson, Pamela (PY) Anderson, Kelli Sae, and Joy Malcolm.
Incognito was founded by Paul "Tubbs" Williams & Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick in 1979, as an offshoot from Light of the World. [2] Light of the World was a substantially sized group and following various changes to the lineup, the founding members Breeze Mckrieth, Kenny Wellington & David Baptiste – inspired by American funk bands such as Funkadelic forming offshoot bands like Parliament – formed Beggar & Co. Bluey & Tubbs went on to form Incognito. However, there has seen a re-connection over the years in Light of the World with various former members, alongside their other commitments. [4]
Incognito has had intermittent success in the UK Singles Chart, with their breakthrough 1991 hit a cover version of the Ronnie Laws tune "Always There", featuring Jocelyn Brown, [2] which made No. 6 in the UK. [1] The group's 1992 single, "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" saw similar success, reaching No. 19 in the UK. [1] They have also been a favourite of various re-mixers, including Masters at Work, David Morales, Roger Sanchez and Jazzanova, and have released several albums consisting almost entirely of remixes.
In 1994, Incognito appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool . The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as 'Album of the Year' by Time magazine. In 1996, the band contributed "Water to Drink" to the AIDS-benefit album Red Hot + Rio , also produced by the Red Hot Organization.
Their song "Need to Know" is the theme song for progressive radio and television news program Democracy Now!
In 2021, the band reissued a celebratory, 40th anniversary, 106 track retrospective of their debut album, Jazz Funk. The Brit funk pioneers have released a music video for the track "You Are in My System." The deluxe reissue features a 52 page booklet with liner notes written by Charles Waring and a selection of the band's archive photos. [5]
In October 2022, the band was the first group to be honored as part of Universal Music Recording's "Black Story" series which honours black British artists as part of the UK's Black History Month. [6]
Brit funk is a musical style that has its origins in the British music scene of the late 1970s and which remained popular into the 1980s. It mixes elements from jazz, funk, soul, urban dance rhythms and pop hooks. The scene originated in southern England and spread with support from DJs including DJ Froggy, Greg Edwards, Robbie Vincent, Chris Hill and Colin Curtis. Major funk acts included Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, Average White Band, Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Carl Douglas, Hot Chocolate, the Delegation, Hi-Tension, Light of the World, Level 42, Central Line, the Pasadenas, Beggar and Co and Soul II Soul. The genre also influenced 1980s new wave/pop groups such as Culture Club, Bow Wow Wow, Pigbag, Dexys Midnight Runners and Haircut 100.
Osibisa is a British-Ghanaian-Caribbean Afro-rock band founded in London in the late 1960s by four expatriate West African and three London based Caribbean musicians.
Freeez were an English electronic music group, initially known as one of the UK's main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s before transitioning to an electro style. Initiated by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally with Rocca and others such as Andy Stennett (keyboards), Peter Maas and Paul Morgan or Everton McCalla (drums). They had an international hit with "IOU", and a UK top 10 with "Southern Freeez".
Jazz-funk is a subgenre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat, electrified sounds, and analog synthesizers. The integration of funk, soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre that ranges from pure jazz improvisation to soul, funk or disco with jazz arrangements, jazz riffs, jazz solos, and sometimes soul vocals. Similar genre of jazz funk include acid jazz.
Jean-Paul Maunick, known by his stage name Bluey is a British guitarist, bandleader, composer and record producer. He has led the British acid jazz band Incognito since its formation in 1979. With Incognito, he has released fifteen studio albums as well as a number of live albums, remix albums and compilation albums. Prior to forming Incognito, Bluey was an original member of the group Light of the World.
Young Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson, Marco Nelson and Femi Williams.
Jim Mullen is a Scottish, Glasgow-born jazz guitarist with a distinctive style, like Wes Montgomery before him, picking with the thumb rather than a plectrum.
Tony Momrelle is a British R&B and jazz singer and is one of the current lead vocalists of the band Incognito.
"Keep in Touch" is the debut single by British jazz-funk/dance band Freeez. Self-funded and released, the idea for the song came from lead artist John Rocca, while playing with another informal group led by Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick, who was then in between UK brit funk projects Light of the World and Incognito. Derived from the group, the personnel performing on the recording were Maunick (guitar), Peter Maas (bass), Paul Morgan (drums), Jason Wright (keyboards), and Rocca (percussion).
Urban Species is a British hip-hop band, best known for several hit singles during the 1990s. The band's music draws on a diverse range of influences and combines live playing with samples and programming, resulting in an organic sound that has sometimes been compared to a British version of Arrested Development. The band's music is frequently associated with the acid jazz movement of the mid-1990s.
Carl Hudson is a British pianist and keyboardist who has performed with numerous acts including Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, Professor Green, Emeli Sande, Beth Rowley, Jocelyn Brown, Tina Arena and Boy George / Culture Club
The Steve McQueens is a Singapore-based band formed in 2013.
Sulene Fleming is a British singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the band the Brand New Heavies from 2016 to 2018.
"Always There" is a 1975 song by Ronnie Laws and William Jeffrey from Laws' album Pressure Sensitive. After producer Wayne Henderson of The Crusaders enlisted lyricist Paul B Allen III to create a vocal version of the tune, officially making Allen a co-writer, it was re-recorded in 1976 by American R&B group Side Effect for their third album, What You Need. It was a minor hit, reaching the top 5 on the US Dance chart; however it was a larger hit for Incognito and Jocelyn Brown in 1991, whose version reached no. 6 in the UK.
Positivity is an album by the British band Incognito, released in 1993. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
Jazz Funk is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, released in 1981. The album peaked at No. 28 on the UK Pop Albums Chart.
Tribes, Vibes + Scribes is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, released in 1992 on Talkin' Loud Records. The album peaked at No. 41 on the UK Pop Albums Chart.
100° and Rising is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, released in 1995 on Talkin' Loud Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the UK R&B Albums Chart and No. 11 on the UK Pop Albums Chart.
Beneath the Surface is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, released in 1996 on Talkin' Loud Records. The album peaked at No. 11 on the UK R&B Albums Chart.
No Time Like The Future is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, released in 1999 on Talkin' Loud Records. The album peaked at No. 9 on the UK R&B Albums Chart.