ANIMATION — Asiento (review)

ANIMATION — Asiento album cover Live album · 2011 · Eclectic Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
“Asiento” is a live concert recording on which saxophonist Bob Belden leads an all-star cast in a recreation of the classic “Bitches Brew” album, but with the intention of adding drumnbass and Weather Report influences to Miles' original concept. The combination of Miles’ open-ended jams with drumnbass flavored rhythms and a Weather Report interactive ensemble mentality was a risky endeavor, but Belden and his crew pull off this experiment successfully and produce some great music in the process. The idea of a “Weather Report approach” could have gone many different ways, but Belden and the others wisely chose Weather Report’s hyper-syncopated years with Alphonso Johnson, as well as WR’s earliest experimental years, for their influence, and eschewed the more heavy-handed WR of later years. Likewise, the drumnbass rhythms supplied by drummer Guy Licata fit the original Brew bass lines like a glove and nothing sounds forced or contrived. Interestingly enough, the combination of Matt Garrison’s Alphonso influenced bass playing with the Miles style jam sessions often recalls similarly styled bassist Marcus Miller’s work with Miles in the early 80s. Also, the way the Brew tunes are strung together in a live concert also recalls Miles’ classic Fillmore concerts and albums.

These jams/songs are fortunately lengthy and quite free in structure and thus give a lot of room for the musicians to stretch out. Of special interest are the many quiet sections in which the musicians supply minute floating elements, it is in these sections that DJ Logic's subtle noise contributions are able to shine. Every musician is given plenty of room to play long line solos that meander in and out of the mix. The wide open nature of this music makes it hold up well to repeat listens as there is always some new ideas to hear that you may have missed during previous listens. If you liked the original "Bitches Brew" album, or Miles' 70s jam sessions in general, then there is a good chance you will enjoy "Asiento" too. Also, if you enjoy "Asiento", then you may want to check out Animation's follow-up album, "Agemo", on which "Asiento" is given a special 360D headphone mix as well as bonus re-mixes by top named DJs and producers.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
js wrote:
more than 2 years ago
You're welcome, what a great band!
gbruzzo wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Thank You!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Izumi Kimura / Barry Guy / Gerry Hemingway : Six Hands Open As One Avant-Garde Jazz
IZUMI KIMURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Raging Bulgakov Avant-Garde Jazz
SIMON NABATOV
Buy this album from MMA partners
New Start Fusion
TOM KENNEDY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Love Songs Live Avant-Garde Jazz
JOHN ZORN
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Data 21st Century Modern
MATTHEW SHIPP
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 19 minutes ago
??·??·?·???·?·????
SADAO WATANABE
snobb· 20 hours ago
"Miles Between" // by Shawn Schlogel & Nancy Erickson Lamont
NANCY ERICKSON LAMONT
js· 1 day ago
Mature Hybird Talking
FRANK GRATKOWSKI
js· 3 days ago
Perspective (Peace & Love)
ISAIAH COLLIER
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed