‘When music becomes mathematics, it’s not for me’: Bluey

The second edition of the Colombo Jazz festival was held in Colombo last month and along with all the rest of the challenges that come along with organising a music festival on a grand scale, this one saw another — unseasonal rains! The open lawns of the scenic Galle Face Hotel with the Indian Ocean in front was the perfect location for the two-day festival, which despite the rain gods’ intervention, turned out to be a fabulous celebration of music and life.

Jazz, blues, R&B, funk, ballads and more dominated the music scene at the festival and one got to see performers such as Mud Morganfield (son of the blues great Muddy Waters), who along with a couple of originals, also sang some of his father’s notable songs, Hoochie Coochie Man being one such classic. The superb line-up extended to El Trio from Los Angeles with Marco Mendosa’s electrifying bass and vocals, British trumpet player Kevin Davy who played Miles Davis’ music and South African band Major Minor who got the crowd dancing to their music along with many others.

For many jazz connoisseurs, however, it was British jazz band Incognito’s headlining act on the first day that was probably the highlight of the festival. The band that has been around for 38 years, led by guitarist/vocalist Jean Paul Maunick (aka Bluey), has imbibed all the goodness of acid jazz, funk, R&B and blues to create a sound that’s uniquely their own. Post the show, we caught up with Bluey. Excerpts from the conversation…

Thirty-eight years is a milestone for any group. How do you look back upon your journey?

With pride, but also realising that luck worked in equal parts with hard work. The fact that our first single in 1979 was selected by the BBC as a stop-gap to the news — luck. The fact that we recorded our first album with the budget of a second single — hard work. Having Jocelyn Brown coming in to sing Always There (our first world-wide hit) at the last minute because our vocalist got sick — luck. Touring relentlessly to support the releases on shoestring budgets — hard work. Finding Maysa – luck. Turning out hit albums back to back for over a decade — hard work. All of it ultimately possible because we created our own sound, put talent above gimmicks and did it all with great love and passion for music. Also, we never got jaded by the ups and down of the industry.

Your last album, In Search of Better Days, featured guest artistes. Earlier too, you have worked with legends. How does collaborating with such artists add to your sound?

Collaborating with folks who have their own sound is always going to add to your own established sound. There is always going to be an excitement in that creative union. Suddenly you can tap into your record collection and connect without sampling or imitating, you are finally on the same playing field and you raise your game to a level that you’ve never been before.

Your energetic live acts are a highlight of your band. How do you feel about performing live?

Live is where it’s at for us. It takes me back to my childhood watching and listening to bands playing at hotels on the beach in Mauritius and wishing that I could do that. Now I live the dream! I’ve never been a musician who tries to dazzle you with notes and technique. For me, it’s always been the conversation between performer and audience. It’s about uplifting people and playing for their smiles. Dance music is a big part of what we do. That’s what jazz music was created for, to get rid of your blues and to make you feel free. There is no greater expression of freedom than dance! When music becomes mathematics, it’s not for me, I want to feel it in my soul!

Who are the Indian jazz musicians who you are familiar with? Anyone you would like to collaborate with?

I’ve admired Ravi Shankar and been a huge fan of RD Burman’s compositions and arrangements in film music. I’m hoping to be introduced to AR Rahman and who knows, maybe a collaboration will follow!

Where do you think jazz music stands in relation to other genres of music?

Jazz will always influence the mainstream because it embraces history, it tells a story, it is unpredictable and free of restraints. It has blues but it’s a freedom dance, it is cool but it also swings! It’s alive and thriving!