(December 22, 2025) Incognito is the ideal group to remake a classic from the musical library of the late, great Roy Ayers. Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick’s band consistently moves between jazz, funk, and R&B just as Roy Ayers and his band Ubiquity did in their 1970s and 80s heyday when they were mainstays on R&B and jazz fusion radio.
So, Incognito’s decision to honor Ayers’ memory with a remake of the funky “Running Away,” featured in this First Listen, just feels right. Bluey his his group of topflight musicians and vocalists put some thought into this rendition – fusing the original’s memorable drum opening, bass line and vibraphone solo that pay homage to Ayers with the lush strings, tight horn section and jazzy improvisation that stand as Incognito signatures.
That merging of the original with the latest version can be heard in the way that Incognito inserts brass and violin to the vocal give-and-take between the two vocalists, and a bridge that features and instrumental discussion between the horns and vibe. The violin outro serves to augment the cinematic drama that I always heard in this song. I always felt “Running Away” in a movie scene where someone is throwing an armful of clothes into a suitcase because they must make a quick getaway. Check out Incognito’s great rendition of “Running Away” here.
By Howard Dukes
