The attainment of happiness is well anchored in all human beings.
Happiness can be understood as the moral goal of life, as an aspect
of chance or as unquenchable thirst. This pursuit of happiness is
also the fundamental mood of Incognito's new album In Search of
Better Days.
The presence with its manifold problems gives us plenty of opportunity
to develop this desire. Music seems to be a proven escapement
capability from this dilemma. But music should not be overloaded
with more ideology.
Bluey’s 17th studio album features his crew: Singers Imaani, Vanessa
Haynes, Tony Momrelle, Katie Leone, Vula Malinga and of course
Maysa, pianist Avery Sunshine, drummer Richard Spaven,
percussionist Jody Linscott, and Japanese guitar legend Tomoyasu
Hotei of Kill Bill fame. It's the sound of London, acid
jazz as only Bluey can create.
Love Born in Flames doesn't come in plain harmony. It takes a
little empathy to interpret the dissonance as a style element.
Just Say Nothing keeps it raw and funky. Vanessa Haynes has
that special husky voice that sometimes reminds of Chaka Khan.
Everyday Grind features soul queen Maysa who frees us with her
exquisite voice of everyday life's burdens.
The stomping Racing Through the Bends offers another soulful
appearance of Maysa who has meanwhile achieved the virtuoso status
of a legend. On Love's Revival singer Tony Momrelle and the
brass unit of Incognito melt to a perfect pairing. Selfishly
is laid down with flying colors by soul star Maysa. Love Be the
Messenger kicks off with
Vanessa Haynes. The arrangement is overall funky with raw snare beats,
a punchy horn arrangement and then merging into a marching
direction.
I See the Light connects to the style of Bluey's earlier
group "Light Of The World" featuring “feel-good” Avery*Sunshine on
grand piano and Bluey as singer showing the flag. One of the rare
instrumentals on this album is Echoes of Utopia. In the
center of musical perfection stand Andy Ross on flute and Trevor
Mires on trombone. With an extra dose of percussion and horn
arrangement this is the music why I love Incognito.
Move It Up gives the torch to Vanessa Haynes. Acid jazz,
in a lively performance. UK based white soul singer Katie Leone is
another integral part of Incognito. Crystal Walls is her
song. London based Japanese guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei is a star in
Japan, in Europe and America rather unknown. The powerful
Bridges of Fire is his platform. A song on the borderline
between contemporary jazz and rock.
All I Ever Wanted shows anew the magnificent blessed phrasing
of Maysa, which makes this love ballad to a passionate confession.
An undiscovered talent, singer Vula Malinga, gets the chance of her
life with Better Days. The result is stunning. She will
certainly be soon a household name in the music scene.
Incognito's new album In Search of Better Days
underlines again that this formation of top notch musicians is the
powerhouse of the British acid jazz movement. A further testimony to
Bluey’s own legend.
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