Citrus Sun

One highlight of the album is the assured vocal debut of the band’s percussionist João Caetano singing in Portuguese on the 1981 Marcos Valle-Leon Ware song "Vontade de Rever Voce”.  Joao also shot a wonderful video which will accompany the song. With footage taken whist Incognito toured Brazil earlier in the year, moments of beautiful intimacy are captured in a meeting with Marcos Valle. The most moving moment is at the end of the video when you see the late Leon Ware (Legendary Soul artist and song writer) and his wife Carol whilst on tour with the band in Japan. It is heart wrenching!

The other two vocal cuts include Imaani who’s voice soars on "Ride Like The Wind" – A mash up  of the Christopher Cross worldwide hit and the Freddie Hubbard version. UK’s leading Soul Jazz songstress Natalie Williams sings lead on "Send Me Your Feelings”, originally recorded by New York-based Japanese jazz trumpeter Terumasa Hino.

Here is more about the band’s past activities and structure as told by Bluey himself...

The first album was released in Japan in the late 90’s and globally in 2000. The first Citrus Sun album Another Time, Another Place featured the Incognito rhythm section and UK virtuoso’s Jim Mullen on guitar and Dominic Glover on trumpet. This second Citrus Sun album People Of Tomorrow is a renewal of that relationship. Citrus Sun is a project born of my love of guitarist Jim Mullen’s playing and the desire to be part of a band with him.playing and the desire to be a part of a band with him. We have collaborated on several projects including Terry Callier and Mario Biondi. As a teenager I was just a fan.  I avidly followed his career with Pete Brown, Kokomo, Brian Auger and the Morrissey/Mullen Band. I get great pleasure from playing with such an amazing musician.

​The obvious differences between Incognito and this project is that though it features vocalists such as Valerie Etienne, Natalie Williams and Imaani on some tracks, it is mostly instrumental.

​Citrus Sun features the sole trumpet reminiscent of the late Donald Byrd as opposed to Incognito’s full section sound. There is a cool Latin Jazz flavour on some of the cuts. The distinctive sound of Jim Mullen’s thumbing guitar brings a tonal quality that is very different to Incognito, but at times it is obvious that this is the Incognito rhythm section and for that we make no excuses, but rather celebrate the fact that this is an extended project by the same band.

The title track of the album People of Tomorrow is a groovy tune that carries a positive message about the future.​

​The lyrics of the song carry a sentiment we all believe. “Children are the future, plant the seeds of greatness. Love must be a river through their wilderness. Fill their minds with wonder, a love so true and fearless. People of tomorrow, we owe them nothing less”!​

Most the members of this band have been friends for decades. Valerie and I are from the same neighbourhood. I am an admirer of her style and she has appeared on several Incognito tracks in the past. Her Soul/Jazz and Folk sensibilities are a perfect fit for this projects. Her work with Galliano and Two Banks Of Four and Jamiroquai live and in the studio is a testament to her talent, and like the rest of the band, she is a joy to work with!

​I was fortunate to produce several tracks for the late Terry Callier on his Speak Your Peace album. “What Color Is Love” is the classic we chose to cover. Valerie’s rendition carries a wonderful emotion that pays tribute to Terry’s original.

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I had recorded “What’s going on” as part of the Red Bull Music Academy/Rai Radio jam session with Thundercat, Nate Smith & Jason Lindner over the original recording of Marvin Gaye‘s voice. This inspired me to do this version!​

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There are some tracks that are more connected with the Incognito sound. “You’re So Far Away” & “Cooking With Walter” (A title inspired by the incredible series Breaking Bad) began their lives as jams with the Incognito rhythm sections, and People of Tomorrow was co written with Incognito’s Bass player Francis Hylton.

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A friend of mine gave me the Herbie Mann album Latin Mann (Afro To Bossa To Blues) prior to the recording of the album which turned out to be inspirational. “Tonight We Dance” and “Mais Uma Vez” are groovy, Latin Jazz tunes that resulted from listening to that album.

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Matt Cooper, Francis Hylton, João Caetano, and Francesco Mendolia are current Incognito members, and they were vital to the sound of Citrus Sun. When we are not on the road then we are in the studio together. It’s not a gathering of session players, it’s a band!

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My friends and production partners Mo Hausler and Richard Bull complete the team. In the studio Richard has played a strong part on several Incognito songs over the years, having collaborated with me on several albums as a writer, producer and musician. There is a magic between Richard and I that is always productive and special! Mo is a technical genius whose whose technicality is surpassed by his knowledge of music, he is that guy who can keep his head when all about him are losing theirs… A very important role in producing music with this crazy bunch.