Incognito Release 19th Studio Album 'Into You'

Iconic jazz collective Incognito have returned with their 19th studio album, Into You, via Splash Blue. 

Always bringing a captivating mix of addictive jazz, funk and soul energy, Into You is another expertly crafted project from Incognito, suited for jazz aficionados and casual listeners alike. 

Jean-Paul ‘Bluey' Maunick, the driving force of Incognito, aspired for Into You to bring the band into a new space, keeping the band's music relevant and forward-looking, taking inspiration from the likes of Silk Sonic – finding the balance between tapping into classic funk, soul and jazz, but doing so without losing their own identity. 

On the album, Jean-Paul ‘Bluey' Maunick said: "Taking into consideration the two years of forced isolation from our precious line of communication with our fans world-wide, I decided to make Into You a double album as a special treat to those loyal music loving supporters. One for each year missed! 

I cut no corners, and with the help of some of the finest musicians and singers on the UK and European scene, we packed in as much creativity and heartfelt performances the album could muster. If ever you needed an example of a labour of love, well… This is it!”

Into You is Incognito's first album release in four years and a pivotal release for the collective, as their first double-album, and the first to be released on Bluey's very own label, Splash Blue.

Incognito's 19th studio album features the band's signature silky smooth vibes throughout, while bringing the effortless versatility stamped into every release. Bringing something for everyone, from the smooth, soulful sonics of title track ‘Into You', to masterful saxophone solos in ‘The Lowrider', and the uplifting closing track ‘Back On The Beach', the album is surely one to go down in Incognito history. 

Experiencing a difficult upbringing, experiencing abuse and violence as a child, discovering music at the age of four took away Bluey's pain and inspired him. Writing music has been his way of healing, documenting his life and communicating, reflecting the light, darkness, joy and pain that life has exposed him to. 

Bluey created Incognito as the UK's first musical jazz, funk and soul collective, with an ever-changing line-up focusing on championing exciting young talent, giving them the platform to work with legendary musicians, opening up opportunities beyond the framework of the band. 

Over 1500 talented individuals have played in Incognito over the years, launching many careers — seeing the changing line-up as a key strength of the band. With long-standing relationships with key tastemakers in the music industry such as Gilles Peterson (launching their own project, STR4TA together), Jools Holland and playing with icons such as Chaka Khan, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Paul Weller and more, Bluey and Incognito's stamp on the scene is undeniable. 

About Incognito:

An acid jazz project rooted in the Brit-funk scene, Incognito is led by Jean-Paul ‘Bluey' Maunick, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and arranger, who has guided an ever-changing lineup since 1979. 

Incognito appeared to be a ‘one-and-done' deal after their debut Jazz Funk in 1981, but returned in 1991 to record and perform at a steady rate, continually refining their feel-good hybrid sound. Maunick and company have placed 15 singles on the UK pop charts, including a Top Ten version of Ronnie Laws' ‘Always There', and Top 20 cover of Stevie Wonder's ‘Don't You Worry ‘Bout A Thing'. 

Since then, the collective has produced an enormous back catalogue of music, seeing them play countless venues across the globe. In October 2022, Incognito were also the first to be honoured as part of Universal Music Recording's ‘Black Story' series, which honours Black UK artists as part of UK Black History Month.

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