Incognito Positivity CD

Incognito: Maysa Leak, Mark Anthoni (vocals); J.P. "Bluey" Maunick (various instruments, guitar); Patrick Clahar (soprano & tenor saxophones); Kevin Robinson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Fayyaz Virji (trombone); Graham Harvey (keyboards, vocoder, bass synthesizer); Peter Hinds (keyboards); Randy Hope Taylor (bass); Richard Bailey (drums); Thomas Dyani (percussion); Sarah Brown (background vocals).
Additional personnel: Bud Beadle (baritone saxophone, flute); Richard Bull (keyboards, programming, guitar); Max Beesley (keyboards); Paul "Tubbs" Williams (bass); Ray Hayden (drums, programming, background vocals); Tyrrell (programming).
Engineers include: Simon Cotsworth, Ray Hayden, Richard Bull.
Recorded at Parkgate, Swanyard, Metropolis, The Hit Factory, Opaz and Bump City Studios.
Personnel: Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick (vocals, guitar, keyboards, vocoder, drum programming, percussion programming); Mark Anthoni, Maysa (vocals, background vocals); Richard Bull (guitar, keyboards, bass programming, drum programming, percussion programming); Bud Beadle (flute, baritone saxophone); Patrick Clahar (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kevin Robinson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Fayyaz Virji (trombone); Graham Harvey (keyboards, synthesizer, vocoder); Peter Hinds, Maxton G. Beesley, Jr. (keyboards); Richard Bailey (drums); Thomas Dyani (percussion); Ray Hayden (bass programming, drum programming, percussion programming, background vocals); Sarah Brown (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Ray Hayden; Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick; Richard Bull; Ron Aslan; Simon Cotsworth.
Recording information: Bump City Studios; HIt Factory; Metropolis; Opaz; Park Gate Studio; Swanyard.
Photographer: Richard Croft.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Graham Harvey; Ray Hayden; Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick; Richard Bull.
This is an excellent collection of jazz and fusion numbers featuring the wholesome, peerless vocals of Maysa Leak and group newcomer Mark Anthoni. With gritty, urban rhythms and painstaking arrangements, Leak's radiant vocals ring with invitation. The lyrical content is upright and substantive. All the songs have an aggressive backbeat regardless of their tempo, providing an unobstructed platform for these artistic musicians to express their chic brand of music. Group leader Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick's vision of intertwine various genres of music (bebop, soul, classical, dance, etc.) into one incomparable sound is exemplary. ~ Craig Lytle
Since the glory days of Earth, Wind & Fire, many groups have tried to extend upon Maurice White's classic synthesis of ethnic rhythms, salsa, soul, jazz and funk. Now, along comes Incognito, with their own suave brand of contemporary jazz/R&B. Rising from the ashes of the early 1980s British funk-jazz scene (which produced chart-toppers such as Level 42, Shakatak and Sade), Incognito is a hard grooving 12-piece ensemble featuring soaring horns, a dynamic vocal trio and a pulsing rhythm section. Taking off on the success of their two previous Verve/Forecast releases (INSIDE LIFE and TRIBES, VIBES AND SCRIBES), Incognito really gelled as a live band during their triumphant 1992 American tour, when their opening act often upstaged headliners Lee Ritenour and The Yellowjackets.
Guitarist Jean Paul "Bluesy" Maunick is the creative force behind Incognito, and it was his strength of vision which kept the idea of British funk-jazz alive after the scene more or less collapsed in the mid-1980s. Maunick's writing/arranging skills were showcased on a pair of tunes he conceived for Maxi Priest's 1989 hit album, BONAFIDE, enabling him to re-tool Incognito in its present form.
"Bluesy" Maunick's arranging skills are heard to particular advantage on the acid jazz groove "Deep Waters," where he sets up a lean, infectious pulse for his tale of sensual surrender, as the vocalists and rhythm players trade figures back and forth in wave after wave of warm harmonies. The resulting music is smooth, sumptuous funk. Lead