Chuck's Groove of the Moment Page

Chuck's Favorite Albums/CD's of All Time!

Chuck's Groove of the Moment

Note: This page is updated monthly (or more if I feel like it, less if I am busy) so check back often!

I have been a fan of Incognito for quite some time, and each of their releases continues to build upon the previous. While Eleven is not their latest release (released in 2005), recently, I find myself marking this album as my favorite Incognito release to date. As one of the premier "acid jazz" bands, Incognito continues to elevate their music.

According to their website, this album was inspired by their tour in support of the previous release, "Adventures in Black Sunshine." Indeed, there are elements of his album which definitely have a "live" feel and features the touring band as the albums musicians.

I believe the entire album can be summed up with the second song on the album, "We Got Music." This song is a mix of old 70's funk/R&B with the current horn heavy sound of the current acid jazz movement. My only complaint with this song is it is not long enough!! (*smile*)

The truth strength of Incognito, I believe, is the production. While some have in the past accused Incognito founder Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick, of over production, I find the production crisp and clean, and at times, elegant. There is an energy present and this album, like many of Incognito's albums, that is almost infectious and you can't help but to nod your head or pat your feet while listening.

Incognito also benefits from a revolving members who will appear on one album but perhaps not the next. On this release, some of the vocalists which helped Incognito get on the map with there 1993 release "Positivity", are present here, with former Brand New Heavies vocalist Carleen Anderson, along with house music legend Jocelyn Brown, a recurring member of Incognito. While I miss the vocals of Maysa Leak on this release, Anderson and Brown more than make up for it.

Other stand outs on this album include, Let The Mystery Be, Will I Ever Learn, It's Just One of Those Things, and the instrumental Jacaranda.

In short, Incognito rarely disappoints, and this release (along with the follow-up, Bees + Things + Flowers) continues to uphold their high traditional of enjoyable and meaningful music. My only wish is that American audiences were as familiar with them as European audiences, so Incognito would have more of a touring schedule here in the States. But alas, one can dream, right?

I first came up with my list sometime in 1997 or so. Since that time, I have listened to a lot of music, been exposed to new music (some "new" and some just new to me), and I realize that my tastes have changed a bit since I originally did this list. I had been thinking about updating this list for some time, but just never got around to it. Then I saw The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Definitive List of 200 albums, and well, I gagged a bit, because I found their list to be garbage. Then I really decided to do my own list. But instead of 25, this time I am doing my top 200 albums. Now, I don't think these are the 200 "best" albums, but they are my favorites. I do also think every album on this list is worth a listen at least once, some more than once. And I bet I have forgotten a few here and there.

Songs In The Key Of Life -- Stevie Wonder
Sign O The Times -- Prince
Innervisions -- Stevie Wonder
What's Going On? -- Marvin Gaye
Sounds...And Stuff Like That!!! -- Quincy Jones
The Flat Earth -- Thomas Dolby
Peace Beyond Passion -- Me'shell Ndegeocello
Exodus -- New Power Generation
Breezin' -- George Benson
No Time Like The Future -- Incognito
Kamasutra -- NPG Orchestra
Kamakiriad -- Donald Fagen
A Love Supreme -- John Coltrane
The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel -- Me'shell Ndegeocello
To Live and Die in L.A. (soundtrack) -- Wang Chung
So -- Peter Gabriel
A Charlie Brown Christmas -- Vince Guaraldi Trio
Caliente! -- Gato Barbieri
Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 -- George Michael
One Nation Under A Groove -- Funkadelic
Offramp -- Pat Metheny Group
Brother Sister -- Brand New Heavies
The Black Album -- Prince
Aja -- Steely Dan
Body Heat -- Quincy Jones
MCMXC a.D. -- Enigma
My Favorite Things -- John Coltrane
Letter From Home -- Pat Metheny Group
Xpectation -- Prince
Spellbound -- Joe Sample
Love Jones: The Music -- Various Artists
The Dude -- Quincy Jones
The Nightfly -- Donald Fagen
Zipless -- Vanessa Daou
Compositions -- Anita Baker
"When Harry Met Sally", Music From The Motion Picture -- Harry Connick, Jr.
Here, My Dear -- Marvin Gaye
Bitter -- Me'shell Ndegeocello
Fourplay -- Fourplay
Still Life Talking -- Pat Metheny Group
Mothership Connection -- Parliament
First Meditations -- John Coltrane
Genesis -- Genesis
It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back -- Public Enemy
The Joshua Tree -- U2
1999 -- Prince
Hotter Than July -- Stevie Wonder
Gaucho -- Steely Dan
The Wall -- Pink Floyd
I Want You -- Marvin Gaye
Time and Tide -- Basia
Look To The Rainbow -- Al Jarreau
Synchronicity -- The Police
Seal (1995) -- Seal
Slowhand -- Eric Clapton
Let's Get It On -- Marvin Gaye
The Gold Experience -- Prince
Seeds of Love -- Tears For Fears
Walking Wounded -- Everything But The Girl
What Time Is It? -- The Time
The Dream of the Blue Turtles -- Sting
All N All -- Earth, Wind & Fire
Talking Book -- Stevie Wonder
Kind of Blue -- Miles Davis
Stronger Than Pride -- Sade
Music from the Motion Picture "Sharky's Machine" -- Various Artists
Dianne Reeves -- Dianne Reeves
Postivity -- Incognito
Chocolate City -- Parliament
Get Lifted -- John Legend
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite -- Maxwell
A Chorus Line -- Original Cast Recording
Welcome to the Pleasuredome -- Frankie Goes To Hollywood
All Day Music -- War
Miles & Quincy Live At Montreux -- Miles Davis & Quincy Jones
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars -- David Bowie
The Symbol Album -- Prince
Sweetback -- Sweetback
Seal (1991) -- Seal
Fulfillingness' First Finale -- Stevie Wonder
Emancipation -- Prince
...Nothing Like The Sun -- Sting
Tapestry -- Carole King
Are You Experienced? -- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Winelight -- Grover Washington, Jr.
Songs From The Big Chair -- Tears For Fears
The Family -- The Family
Rumors -- Fleetwood Mac
Questionnaire -- Chas Jankel
Minute By Minute -- The Doobie Brothers
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You -- Aretha Franklin
Dirty Mind -- Prince
Risky Business (soundtrack) -- Various Artists
Rahsaan Patterson -- Rahsaan Patterson
Tenderness -- Al Jarreau
Touchdown -- Bob James
Traveling Without Moving -- Jamiroquai
All About The Funk -- Brand New Heavies
The Night I Fell In Love -- Luther Vandross
I Just Can't Stop It -- The English Beat
Off The Wall -- Michael Jackson
Love Deluxe -- Sade
Crystal Ball -- Prince
Once Upon A Time -- Simple Minds
The Time -- The Time
London Warsaw New York -- Basia
Double Vision -- Bob James and David Sandborn
Light Up The Night -- The Brothers Johnson
Q's Jook Joint -- Quincy Jones
Fruit At The Bottom -- Wendy & Lisa
Brasil -- Manhattan Transfer
It Must Be Magic -- Teena Marie
Ten Summoners Tales -- Sting
So Much 2 Say -- Take 6
Magic Lady -- Lonnie Liston Smith
Adventures in Paradise -- Minnie Riperton
Tonight -- David Bowie
Spirit -- Earth, Wind & Fire
The Low End Theory -- A Tribe Called Quest
Message In Our Music -- The O'Jays
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band -- The Beatles
The Glow of Love -- Change
Fear of a Black Planet -- Public Enemy
Tower of Power -- Tower of Power
Tidal -- Fiona Apple
Fame (soundtrack) -- Various Artists
What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits -- The Doobie Brothers
It's Better To Travel -- Swing Out Sister
Chicago Transit Authority -- Chicago Transit Authority
Midnight Marauders -- A Tribe Called Quest
Strange Kind of Love -- Love and Money
Prince Charming -- Adam and the Ants
License to Ill -- The Beastie Boys
On The Radio -- Donna Summer
Vocalese -- Manhattan Transfer
Ready To Die -- Notorious B.I.G.
Whiplash Smile -- Billy Idol
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane -- Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
Temperamental -- Everything But The Girl
Let's Dance -- David Bowie
Come -- Prince
Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown! -- Various Artists
Lucy Pearl -- Lucy Pearl
The Bridge -- Billy Joel
By All Means Necessary -- Boogie Down Productions
The Return of the Space Cowboy -- Jamiroquai
The Heat Is On -- The Isley Brothers
Christopher Cross -- Christopher Cross
Hello! I Must Be Going -- Phil Collins
janet -- Janet Jackson
Running In The Family -- Level 42
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway -- Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
Everybody Got Their Something -- Nikka Costa
Pizzazz -- Patrice Rushen
One Night In Birdland -- Charlie Parker
Upstairs At Eric's -- Yazoo
Boys and Girls -- Bryan Ferry
Piano Man -- Billy Joel
Sho Is Funky Down Here -- James Brown
Paul's Boutique -- The Beastie Boys
Rhythm of Love -- Anita Baker
Sylvester -- Sylvester
The Motor Booty Affair -- Parliament
Nature of a Sista -- Queen Latifah
The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale -- Prince
Donny Hathaway -- Donny Hathaway
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) -- David Bowie
The Downward Spiral -- Nine Inch Nails
Reggatta de Blanc -- The Police
Avalon -- Roxy Music
New Moon Daughter -- Cassandra Wilson
Pearl -- Janis Joplin
All Hail The Queen -- Queen Latifah
Avenue Q (soundtrack) -- Original Cast Recording
Some Girls -- The Rolling Stones
My Life -- Mary J Blige
Raw Like Sushi -- Neneh Cherry
Very Necessary -- Salt-N-Pepa
Like Water For Chocolate -- Common
I'm Still In Love With You -- Al Green
Busy Body -- Luther Vandross
Natty Dred -- Bob Marley
A Fantasy Love Affair -- Peter Brown
The Doors -- The Doors
N.E.W.S. -- Prince
Paid In Full -- Eric B. and Rakim
Electric Ladyland -- Jimi Hendrix Experience
Keep On Movin' -- Soul II Soul
Heaven 17 -- Heaven 17
Sleeping Gypsy -- Michael Franks
Young, Gifted and Black -- Aretha Franklin
Blood Sugar Sex Magik -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Combat Rock -- The Clash
Learning To Crawl -- The Pretenders
3 Feet High and Rising -- De La Soul
Revolver -- The Beatles
The Way I Feel -- Remy Shand
Sergio Mendes -- Sergio Mendes
Erotica -- Madonna
Substance -- Joy Division

Previous "Grooves"

Songs In The Key Of Life -- Stevie Wonder

Xpectation -- Prince

Cookie: The Anthropological Mix Tape -- MeShell NdgeOcello

Everybody Got Their Something -- Nikka Costa

Music From The Motion Picture "To Live And Die in L.A." -- Wang Chung

Songs In The Key Of Life -- Stevie Wonder

Innervisions -- Stevie Wonder

Emancipation -- Prince

Love Jones Soundtrack -- Various Artists

Seal (1991) -- Seal

Seal (1995) -- Seal

Exodus -- New Power Generation

Light Up The Night -- The Brothers Johnson

Dance Your Ass Off: The Original Salsoul Classics -- The Salsoul Orchestra

Love Jones: The Music -- Various Artists

N'Dea Davenport -- N'Dea Davenport

Zipless -- Vanessa Daou

Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings -- The Police

Let's Get It On -- Marvin Gaye

Live At Montreux -- Miles Davis and Quincy Jones

Brother Sister -- The Brand New Heavies

What Time Is It? -- The Time

Here, My Dear -- Marvin Gaye

The Best of... -- Minnie Riperton

Ten Summoners Tales -- Sting

Rare Grooves, Remixes and Excursions -- Brand New Heavies

No Time Like The Future -- Incognito

Lucy Pearl -- Lucy Pearl

Donald Fagen -- Kamakiriad

The Vault - Old Friends 4 Sale -- Prince

All About The Funk -- The Brand New Heavies

The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel -- MeShell NdgeOcello

Once Again -- John Legend

Let me know what you think. E-mail me with your comments, positive or negative.

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