Feel the rhythm: Incognito set to ignite the Cape Town International Jazz Festival with soulful vibes

When Incognito hits the stage at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival this weekend, there's one song that nearly everyone in the audience will be waiting to hear.

Still a Friend of Mine, says bandleader Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick, with a knowing smile.

"People have memories tied to our music. Their moms and dads played it. When we perform, it is like someone has opened a photo album. 

"We cannot visit Cape Town and not play that song."

The song, originally released in 1993, and many other global hits, such as their legendary rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing - have become a classic for South African fans, making the British acid jazz group one of the festival's most anticipated acts.

With over four decades of music behind them and their 20th album on the way, Incognito has long been a fixture on international stages.

Formed in 1979, the only original band member left, Bluey, emphasises that his group is not a band, but a collective.

Over the years, more than 1 500 musicians have passed through its ever-evolving lineup.

One of the newest voices is gospel singer Zebulon Ellis, 42, from Atlanta, Georgia, who Bluey discovered during a performance on the Capital Jazz Supercruise.

"I heard his voice," says Bluey, "It was that sound that united us, and everything else just followed ...  And strangers became friends."

"And friends became family," says Ellis, adding that Bluey has become somewhat of a big brother to him.

"Bluey has the purest heart, sometimes that can become a jaded thing in any industry, but especially in the performance industry. I hope when I turn 68, after I have gone through so many experiences in the industry, that I still have my big heart for the people, for the children, and for anyone I can touch."

Bluey refers to the band as "a united nations type of collective" highlighting the rich cultural diversity that defines Incognito.

"On this trip alone, we've got two Italians, one Sicilian, an American, people from Jamaica, Mauritius, and folks from England and Scotland. It is a real example of unification - of what happens when you embrace soul. And the soul in soul music doesn't really have to come from any one place."

But at the heart of it all is Bluey, who discovered the healing power of music at a young age on the beaches of Mauritius.

"My earliest memories on this planet were music," Bluey recalls. "I used to sit with my grandmother, who had a bad leg, waiting for the musicians to arrive after working in the sugarcane fields. People would be tired, broken ...

"But the magic happened when the musicians appeared. Somebody with a drum, a guitar, someone with a fork hitting against a bowl. Suddenly, a party would start, and people would get up and start dancing and singing songs.

"And, I thought, this is what I would like to be doing for the rest of my life. I want to fix people."

It wasn't until later that Bluey realised music was more than just a magical trick.

"I didn't realise music was something that you could have as a career, I just thought I wanted to learn this trick. Just like when my grandfather would make a coin disappear. I realised later it was his sleeve, I didn't realise or see the 'sleeve' in music, that hidden element.

"I just thought if you learn to do this, you can fix somebody. And I am still trying to fix people - myself included, at 68 years old."

Incognito's genre-defying sound - jazz-funk, soul, house music and beyond - has always been rooted in community.

"When you embrace jazz and soul, you embrace history," Bluey says. "It started in Africa, went to America, became the blues, and then jazz - a celebration of life. Then came soul music: speaking your heart in song."

"I had a shot at sport when I was 14 or 15," he says. "But I didn't want to compete. I wanted to unite." 

He uses the same principle to run his team.

"When I chose the musical path, I realised that i didn't want the competition. I wanted to be part of a greater cause, which is uniting people."

At the time of growing technology and fading human connection, Bluey believes music is the much-needed bridge.

"Technology can separate us. We're moving fast, too fast. People are using tech against us. Giving music away for free, making it hard for artists to survive."

But he has not given up.

"I’ve been writing songs since I was five. By the time I was six, I was singing at birthdays, climbing onto tables to perform. When I wasn't doing that, I was at the harbour, greeting sailors with songs about my country, hoping to get a little tip to take home."

Music taught him early about passion and survival.

"You learn to feed your passion and at the same time, be a business person. And you learn that you have a gift to give."

That gift will take the stage again this weekend, where Incognito will blend past and present.

"We'll play the songs that people remember," says Bluey. "But also the ones that make them dance. Our music has transcended into the dance scene. From jazz-funk to DJ remixes ..."

For Ellis, the goal is simple: "Smiles, laughter, people singing together. One vibration."

And for Bluey, the stakes couldn't be higher.

"More than ever, we realise the importance of the music that we make. Our leaders are not doing right by us, and people are holding onto hope. And hope is all we've got."