Incognito: Transatlantic RPM
Album Review by Daryle Lockhart

Incognito continues to let fads pass them by and stay focused on good, solid, jazzy soul music, and good songwriting. That’s what’s made them one of the best bands to catch on tour. Another thing that makes Incognito special is Bluey’s ability to keep great vocalists and excellent musicians in the band. “Transatlantic RPM” is an album that marks the band’s 30th anniversary, and, in an era where bands barely survive their 3rd anniversary without breaking up or changing direction, Incognito shows no sign of slowing down.

Incognito has added Mario Biondi to the lineup for this record. Mario’s signature deep voice take songs like “Can’t Get Enough”, which is already funky, to a whole other level. It wouldn’t be an Incognito record without a great cover tune, and Mario also adds a new dimension to the Boz Scaggs classic “Lowdown”, the song that starts the album off. Mario is joined by none other than the incomparable Chaka Khan on this tune, and so you know you’re in for a good time from the moment you press play. West Coast favorite Luckyiam comes on board to become the first emcee on an Incognito track (that I can recall), and “Everything That We Are” is good because of it. “1975″ is a solid soul track featuring Joy Rose on vocals. I’m hoping to hear the band play this out in concert. Next up, Maysa – the band’s most famous voice – takes the stage with another classic entitled “Your Sun, My Sky”. Maysa always shows up to do the “strange relationship” songs on these albums and she never, ever fails to turn the most ordinary chord progression into a soul tune you want to rewind and play again.

At this point, most bands would phone it in and fill the album with instrumental jams. After all, this album started with the core musicians: Matt Cooper, Pete Biggin, Francis Hilton, Thomas Dyani and Bluey jamming and laying tracks sitting in a circle at Oxton Square in London in 2009.

But what we get is a lot more. World renowned vocalist Leon Ware makes a great appearance on “Line In The Sand”, a song marked with another set of great string arrangements and solid grooves. Ursula Rucker also represents, singing AND reciting her classic style of poetry, on “Gotta”.

“Transatlantic RPM” then turns up the BPM with a GREAT dance tune: “Let’s Fall In Love Again”, featuring Tortured Soul’s Christian Urich on vocals. I know every producer in the world wants a crack at a remix of this, but it’s really a great tune as is.

“The Song” is the solo Chaka Khan number, and by the end, it’s clear that Chaka has found her best backing group of musicians since Rufus.

Maysa and Chaka Khan could have easily tried to “out-soul” each other on this album, but instead…we get the best of both great talents, on songs that stand on their own.

Tony Momrelle balances the album out with “Put a Little Lovin’ In Your Heart”, another dance number with just enough ol’ school to keep the OG ‘Cog fans happy.

The one surprise that trumped them all for me on this album was Bluey’s lead vocal debut on “Tell Me What To Do”. I’m sure he does guide vocals on songs for vocalists to get the gist of the songs, but we’ve never been privy to those recordings, so this is a treat that I’m sure all fans will appreciate.

These performances, along with the fantastic musicianship shown throughout the album (don’t miss the instrumental “Expresso Madureira”) make this album an absolute must-have.

“Transatlantic RPM” has everything an Incognito fan could want – the best of Incognito, plus Chaka Khan!

Here’s to another great 30 years!