That show had many great tunes including Paul Murphy’s ‘Mr. Cosmic’ (much more on Paul’s debut album soon), Elizabeth Shepherd’s ‘George’s Dilemma’ (Do Right Music), Low Budget Soul’s ‘Mystery Rose’ (Futuristica Music) and a hot off the press track by Aaron Jerome.

‘Desert Fairy Princess’ was a Horace Tapscott’s Pan-African People’s Arkestra tune and we know that over on the West Coast, there are a couple of big Horace Tapscott fans in Dwight Trible and Carlos Niño of The Life Force Trio, Build An Ark — check their version of ‘The Blessing Song’ — and AmmonContact). Now if you’re into your spiritual jazz, for those that missed it, last January I suggested the compilation called African Spirits (Soul Brother Records) was one of the albums of the year. As it contains a version of ‘Desert Fairy Princess’ and many more classics, I stand by that.

Even if, ‘Desert Fairy Princess’ is a spiritual jazz classic, it’s the title track that takes up the whole of side one at over 22 minutes that is going to be hard to get off turntable No. 1. Ben has got all these musicians to put their best Sun Ra helmets on and let them fly off into The Impossible Equation. The Octet are Graham Fox (Drums), Riaan Vosloo (Bass), Ross Stanley (Piano), Tom Allan (Trumpet), Trevor Mires (Trombone), Jonny Spall (Alto), Mark Hanslip (Tenor) and, of course, Benedic Lamdin (Guitar).

This live band seems a natural progression from the release of ‘The Hope Suite’, the ‘experimental’ release of the Octets’ album last year (Sevens & Eights - Live At The Jazz Café) and now the new LP.

A track called ‘Well-Being’ closes side 2. It comprises mainly of an unstructured drum solo with a sax blast towards the end. It’s the equivalent of a live modal dub if you like, even if there aren’t any Studio 1 EFX — if you get my meaning. It’s not for everyone but that’s what you get if you trust to improvisation.

The Nostalgia 77 Octet locked themselves away in a Welsh cottage to record the album. Apart from Daedelus, we’ve all recorded our free-jazz albums in Wales (mine was in a caravan park at Porthmadog near where they filmed the 60s TV series “The Prisoner”) but some are better than others. The Impossible Equation is certainly a great one and it’s worth noting that I’ve seen on a certain web site that it isn’t out yet and when it is, it will be a ‘strictly limited vinyl only’; my advice is to get your orders in sharpish.

If we’re lucky, we might get another interview with Ben soon.

Reviewed: The Nostalgia 77 Octet - The Impossible Equation (Tru Thoughts) Cat. No. TRU LP 107 Released: September 2006
Tracklisting:
A1. The Impossible Equation (22:23)
B1. Desert Fairy Princess (10:47) (written by Jesse Sharpes)
B2. Well Being (6:32)

Links:
www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
Nostalgia 77 Octet - The Impossible Equation Pre-order now www.soulseduction.com
EL RA Records www.elrarecords.com “Home of the Sun Ra Arkestra under the Direction of Marshall Allen”.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - AFRICAN SPIRITS “A Spiritual Jazz Journey Looking back to Africa” www.soulbrother.co.uk
Various - Rebtuz Presents EP 4 www.playderecord.com
www.plugresearch.com
Gilles Peterson : Tracklisting Sunday 20 August :
1. Nostalgia 77 Octect - ‘Desert Fairy Princess’ (Tru Thoughts)
2. Paul Murphy - ‘Mr Cosmic’ (Afro Art)
3. Elizabeth Shepherd - ‘George’s Dilemma’ (Do Right Music)
9. Low Budget Soul - ‘Mystery Rose’ (Futuristica Records)
10. Aaron Jerome - ‘Dancing Girl’ (White Label)
17. Ray Barretto - ‘Soul Drummer’s (Mr Bongo)
26. Part Time Heroes’ - ‘Shadow Lands’ (Mum’s the Word)
28. Tunng - ‘I Saw the Sun’ (Live at the Green Man Festival)
29. Michael White - ‘The Blessing Song’ (Impulse)