Review: JJ Whitefield & Forced Meditation - The Infinity Of Nothingness (Jazzman Records)

New JJ Whitefield on Jazzman Records as he investigates the 'The Infinity Of Nothingness' with Forced Meditation; that's enough recommendation in itself.

My first memory of the "Whitefield" name was in the basement of Record & Tape Exchange in the basement in the locked glass display cabinets so if you were interested, you had to approach the grumpy staff to unlocked the cabinets to check it out.  And in truth, I was more interested in the Madlib/Stones Throw releases it was next to but in for a penny etc. But I noticed that 10 years earlier JJ was remixing cover versions of Andy Bey's classic, 'Celestial Blues' (by Space Clique) and then as a member of Karl Hector & The Malcouns (Now-Again's anwers to Jazzman's The Heliocentrics). And it's taken all these years to fall in that the other Whitefield Brother is ex-Heliocentric/Philophon top man and Jimi Tenor's best mate, Max Weissenfeldt!

So, this album by multi-instrumentalist JJ continues his explorations into the relms of spiritual jazz with Ethio-Afro-psychedelic-free-avante-garde space beats that is more Ra in contemplation than dancefloor.

The B-side is mostly taken by the 3-Part 'Infinity Suite' (Time, Space, Energy) that's very Carlos Niño/Coltrane 'Om'/Sanders without going for the obvious gong bath stereotype.

Whilst at the ther extreme the opener 'Nothingness' is a Fleetwood Mac 'Albatros' on the beach jazz lounger and that's followed by the equally beatiful but more Keith Jarrett/Coltrane in a temple with sax, flutes and gongs, 'Solar Breeze From The East' - did someone say where's Andy Bey?

For more flutey spirit to get lost in for 9 minutes, 'Spectral Realms' that's closer to Ben Lamdin/Nostalgia 77's 'The Loneliest Flower In The Village' (also on Jazzman Records, see review HERE). 

If you are a fan of Jazzman's Spiritual Jazz compilation series, (and No. 16 is coming out soon, 'Spiritual Jazz: Riverside etc.'), his is perfect warm-up for jazz yogi's and anyone else.

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Artist: JJ Whitefield & Forced Meditation
Title: The Infinity Of Nothingness
Release date: 31st May, 2023
Label : Jazzman Records
Catalog Number : JMAN 144 180g LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp