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

Review: Nostalgia 77 – The Loneliest Flower In The Village (Jazzman Records)

It was only a couple of weeks ago I was reminiscing with Glyn "Bigga" Bush about the original remix of 'This River" back in 2005.

Ben Lamdin's remix of Bigga's 'IOTK' that was on that 12" all those years ago so what Ben (aka Nostalgia 77) was up to these days? 

Little did we know that 'up to' would shortly come to light with a whole new album called 'The Loneliest Flower In The Village' out on Jazzman Records.

It seems like this album has been in the making for the past 20 years since teaming up again with fellow jazz nut, composer and arranger Riaan Vosloo as they get deep and spiritual with cover versions of  South African legent Abudallah Ibrahim's 'Ismael' (brilliant), 'Love In Outer Space' (even more brillianter) by Sun Ra and the title track written by another South African, Johnny Dyani.

They're all pretty long tracks so if you get the CD/Download, there's 3 extra tracks compared to the vinyl - but don't you just need that incredible artwork in all its 12" glory - is there a hint of the Dave Brubeck's Quartet's 'Time Out' classic cover?

The opener is by yet another South African jazzer, Chris McGregor 'Dakar' - you may recall that Jazzman re-issued the 1963 album by Chris McGregor & The Castle Lager Big Band's album 'Jazz / The African Sound' in 2005 and it's well worth digging out.

'The Sun Is Big' (written by the band's James Allsop and 4 tracks by Riaan (b); with James Allsop (ts), Gareth Lockrane (flute), Alex Bonney (tr), Ross Stanley (piano, organ) and Tim Giles (d).  Vosloo's 'The Hooper' is 8 minutes of pure South African inspired blues walk spiritual jazz - it's like Leon Thomas could join in at any time.  

The title track has been a favourite with the band since their 'Allsopp Stanley, Vosloo' Giles' Impossible Ark' days and looking  back to my interview with Ben in 2005, he told me, "some things seem to work time and time again, stuff like Leon Thomas, John and Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra just keeps on inspiring" [see full FlyGlobalMusic interview HERE and the non-feedback about the BU student/Jazz Chronicles' staple, 'Seven Nation Army' cover].

Many jazz heads are saying that this is the standout release of 2023.  Whilst it's early days, they are wrong!

PS. January saw the Jazz Cafe host Emanative & The Mutual Appreciation Society join us to commemorate the life and music of Sun Ra for the 50th Anniversary of 'Space Is The Place' so if there's any sun festival organisers out there, Emanative & Nostalgia 77 on the bill would be a great line-up; just saying.

PPS. (Original Biggabush interview HERE)

Artist: Nostalgia 77
Title: The Loneliest Flower In The Village 
Release date: 23 January, 2023
Label : Jazzman Records
Catalog Number : JMAN 133 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp