Formed in 1979 by Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick – who, aged nine, had arrived in the UK from his native Mauritius with a head full of music and dreams – multicultural collective Incognito were pioneers of the 80s London acid jazz scene. Signed to Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud label, they achieved their biggest commercial success in the 1990s with hit covers of Ronnie Laws’ Always There (featuring Jocelyn Brown), and Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing, which helped propel fi ve consecutive albums into the US jazz chart Top Five. Now 62, the “elder statesman of acid jazz” is as busy as ever.
You’re marking 40 years of Incognito with a new album, Tomorrow’s New Dream. How did it come about? What’s the vibe?