Incognito were originally formed by Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and Paul “Tubbs” Williams in 1979. Both were the original members of the late-’70s disco-funk group Light of the World.

Whist Tubbs had been a contributing member of another L.O.T.W. off shot Beggar & Co, Bluey had formed Freeez with Jonny Rocca and Peter Maas, but throughout the time that they worked on other projects they would meet at Bluey’s house in North London to play music in a makeshift bedroom studio, for they both had a musical affinity and an undying love for funky jazz. They decided to take a couple of their home made jams into the studio, and so it is that Incognito debuted with the single “Parisienne Girl” (which also featured another L.O.T.W member Peter Hinds) and released the 1981 LP Jazz Funk. The planned second album “Behind the mask” in 1983 went into a jazz rock fusion direction and came out under another name (The Warriors). Throughout the 80’s Bluey continued to write material for his group, even while working with Maxi Priest, Total Contrast, Steven Dante and others. Tubbs went on to work with George Michael and Rosie Gaines and later moved to the Netherlands. By the beginning of the 1990s, DJ legend and early Incognito fan Gilles Peterson had founded the Talkin’ Loud label and he made Incognito one of his first signings.