Citrus Sun

Citrus Sun is a smooth jazz group created by Incognito leader/producer Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick. Maunick brought in one-time Average White Band guitarist Jim Mullen and two Incognito members: drummer Richard Bailey, bassist Julian Crampton, horn players Ed Jones, Fayazz Virgi, Dominic Glover, and pianist Tim Vine. Their tight Heads Up debut Another Time Another Space was issued February 27, 2001. Citrus Sun’s music is more contemporary jazz-based than the acid jazz leanings of Maunick’s other productions with Incognito and Maysa Leak. There’s also a looser feel to their music, due in part to Maunick’s wish to have more live recording with Citrus Sun as opposed to the more piecemeal method of overdubbing. He also took a more hands-off approach to the album, letting the musicians add their own ideas and putting aside his own perfectionism. Citrus Sun’s name was derived from the tonal color of the sun around brunchtime. Several of the tracks have a light breezy feel to them: “Make Me Smile,” “Tanya’s Song,” “Somewhere, Nowhere,” and the title track. For good measure, there’s the low-toned sax-lead tracks “Buddapest,” “Blue Orchid,” and the strutting jams “So What Do I Do” and “What It Is.” ~ Ed Hogan