Scarcely six months after the release of Incognito’s last album Tomorrow’s New Dream there is word that the UK funk-jazz band’s founder and leader is about to drop a solo album of his own.
Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick has guided Incognito into its fifth decade staying true to a formula of jazz-inflected RnB, fusion, disco and related styles, doing it with the sophistication and accomplishment of primary influences like Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire and Curtis Mayfield, just to name a few. But occasionally, Bluey likes to step out and create music outside of the band, and as a guitarist, composer, producer and vocalist, he’s got a lot to offer by himself.
Tinted Sky — out June 26, 2020 from Shanachie — is Bluey’s first solo foray since 2015’s solid offering Life Between The Notes. But for now, we get a taste of what’s coming on that day, as a new single for this album just released.
In the stream at the top of this page, Bluey’s “Back Here Again” is a chance for the Incognito linchpin to show off his lead and rhythm guitar chops, owing much of his mannerisms to George Benson, but Bluey’s main stock-in-trade has always been his grooves. This one has that smooth-as-glass ripple that’s sunny and buoyant, enough so to make you forget about, say, a pandemic or some other worries over its four-and-half minute running time.
Oh yeah, the pandemic. Think I need to cue up this song again!
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