Origin London, United Kingdom | Years active 1979–present | |
 | ||
Past members Chris BottiJocelyn BrownJoy Rose: vocalsPete Ray BigginNick DoobayCarleen AndersonPamela AndersonGraham Harvey: keyboardsDominic 'Ski' Oakenfull: production/keyboardsJulian Crampton: bassRichard Bailey: drumsChristopher BallinMarc AnthoniXavier BarnettBud BeadleKelli SaeKaren BernodMax BeesleyRichard Bull: production/guitarSimon Cotsworth: production/programmingSarah BrownRay CarlessPatrick ClaharMatt ColemanChris DeMargaryThomas Dyani-AkuruGail EvansAdrian FryAndy GangadeenGavin HarrisonPeter HindsRandy Hope-TaylorEd JonesJoy MalcolmLinda MurielQuinton CaruthersKevin RobinsonWinston RollinsGary SanctuarySnowboyKarl VandenbosscheFayyaz VirjiTyrone HenryTony RemyAndy RossNichol ThomsonPaul Weller Albums In Search of Better Days, Amplified Soul, Tribes - Vibes And Scribes, Positivity, Transatlantic RPM Profiles | ||
Incognito is a British acid jazz band. Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981, with 16 more albums following, the latest of which, In Search of Better Days, was released in June 2016.
Contents
The band's frontman, composer, record producer, guitarist and singer is Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick. Other notable band members include or have included the singers Linda Muriel, Jocelyn Brown, Maysa Leak, Tony Momrelle, Imaani, Vanessa Haynes, Mo Brandis, Natalie Williams, Carleen Anderson, Pamela (PY) Anderson Kelli Sae (of Count Basic) and Joy Malcom.
History
Incognito was founded by Paul "Tubbs" Williams & Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick in 1979 as an offshoot from Light of the World. LotW was a substantially sized group and following various changes to the line up, the founding members Breeze Mckrieth, Kenny Wellington & David Baptiste, inspired by American Funk bands such as Funkadelic forming offshoot bands (Parliament), formed Beggar & Co. Bluey & Tubbs went on to form Incognito. However, there has seen a re-connection over the years in LotW with various former members, alongside their other commitments.
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, which made No. 6 in the UK. The group's 1992 single, "Don't you worry 'bout a thing" saw similar success, reaching No. 19 in the UK. 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!.
Songs
Always ThereInside Life · 1991
Still a Friend of MinePositivity · 1993
Don't You Worry 'Bout a ThingTribes - Vibes And Scribes · 1992