Review: JMMR - Resistance Is Fertile (Nublu Records)

JMMR has all the Vitamin C you need in cans, Nublu Records we salute you for planting this seed!

 

It was only a month ago we were introduced to Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions (see reveiw HERE) on New York's NUBLU label that followed The Phenomenal Handclap Band's 'We Are Worlds Away' (see review HERE) but nothing prepared us for JMMR that's even more jazz-rock-fusion of Acoustic Ladyland with cross-genre influences!

This 11 track album is amazing!  The cover version of CAN's 'hit' 'Vitamin C' has already made this album the 'must have' this month but jazz-funk electronica with sophisticated punk has never been as pure as this; there's even a spiriutal flute gang track 'Igor Stravinsky' featuring  Cochemea Gastelum (The DapKings) and Morgan Price (Ikebe Shakedown)

So who is/are JMMR who knows who's who in the New York underground jazz and funk scenes?   Founded in 2019 by trumpeter and long time Antibalas member, Jordan McLean is the leader/arranger of Jordan McLean's Musical Resistance (aka JMMR).

Antibalas themselves were Brooklyn's own agit Afrobeat band whose name translates as 'anti-bullets' in Spanish.  And JMMR is clearly dance/experimental: like a electronic Shrine?.  We're told that the album, "was recorded using layered first take performances. All tracks were recorded to “dance music” tempo markings (between 120-172 beats per minute, or BPM) beginning with voice memo beatboxes, layered on top by drums, synths and finally horns." 

However it was recorded, it sounds different as this proves to be a bed for reedman guests like Gastelum and Price plus Stuart Bogie ('Right To Die 162 BPM', Virtue Signaling 139 BPM', 'Dancing On The Precipice 144 BPM') and Ricky ('Uptown Swing 148 BPM) to improvise to the tracks.  

There's quite a bit of dubby experimentation going on so it'd be interesting to see if an Industrial Dub 12" is released but 'Climate Wars 172BPM' coinciding with the COP30 in Brazil is just what Miles would be up to in a post-Panthalassa dub-step big band?

I think it's pointless to put this in a genre bag as it's a crazy re-cylcled bag of it's own that would have fitted into any Jazz Chronicles playlists; let's all move to New York (new Mayor'n' all) if not physically, JMMR-ly as 'Resistance Is Fertile'.

BUY LINK: https://ffm.to/resistanceisfertile

Artist: JMMR 
Title:   Resistance Is Fertile
Release date: 14th November, 2025
Label : Nublu Records
Catalog Number :TBC
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp