July 22, 2010

 Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick continues leading his perennial hit-making powerhouse British acid jazz ensemble, Incognito, deeper into the 21st century after three decades of quality music, this time bringing in such luminaries as Chaka Khan, band mainstay and feature vocalist Maysa, Motown’s Leon Ware, Italian vocalist Mario Biondi, and spoken word personality Ursula Rucker, on the group’s latest offering, Transatlantic RPM.  The album is a celebration of the commonalities and beautiful uniqueness of styles from sides of the big “pond.”
 
The stomping and funky opening tribute to Boz Scaggs and “Lowdown” is so apropos for getting this party started, with sterling and stirring vocals by Mario Biondi who floored everyone (including Chaka Khan who shares the track with him) with his knockout performance, nailing the nuances right off the bat.  That track’s followed by the soulful, mid-tempo, Earth, Wind and Fire-style “Everything We Are” with Lucky I Am providing some powerful rap moments.
 
That frenzied funky Incognito signature acid jazz style then steps forward on “1975,” teasing the memory with visions of Cannonball, Watergate, Herbie Hancock, Santana, and Stevie Wonder, among others.  Very deep and complete lyrics and vibe here.  Those telling horns—oh, those telling horns.

A seriously major component of the fabric, the soul, the spirit of Incognito– the wonderful songstress Maysa–strolls into the spotlight with “Your Sun My Sky,” a swaying soul-drenched piece that she simply owns, as she does with every piece she touches.

The entire album has major moments throughout, including, but certainly not limited to,  the sweetness of “All Of My Life” with Joy Rose,  those “Whew!” tracks like the driving “Expresso Madureira” with its rich horns and “Life Ain’t Nothing But A Good Thing” (featuring Vanessa Haynes, who sings it like she was humming it in the womb), the entrancingly soulful vocals of Tony Momrelle on “Make Room For Love,” as well as his own vocal performance on the finale, “Tell Me What to Do.”

As usual, Bluey has kept Incognito more than relevant. He has kept the group potent, formidable, and a beacon for those searching for stability in the world of contemporary and acid jazz.  Make no mistake, the man is never at a loss for ideas, as is evidenced here with Transatlantic RPM –  Ronald Jackson