As part of “Reissue: Classic Recordings live”, Belden took Animation to New York City’s Merkin Hall in December 2006. This was a rare show that was performed by his very haphazard, inconspicuous aggregate. There they “re-imagined Bitches Brew” and the BBC recorded the music for posterity. You won’t hear Bitches Brew performed verbatim by this group. Animation, on the other hand, shows that musicians can take the essence of an album and create a unique musical signature to make it a “new” original. Asiento is a showcase of musicians taking liberties and reinventing art from 40 years back and adapting the context and parameters of the 21st-century. These now-classic tracks, such as “Miles Runs The Voodoo Down,” and “Spanish Key,” as well as others from the original album are heard in a new context with new, often radical perspectives. Bob Belden is the best person to “reimagine” Miles Davis’ and Bitches Brew. He produced The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions in 1998, a four-CD set that included six tracks from the 1969 double-LP and 15 songs by the exact same Davis ensemble. Belden was able to benefit from a strong relationship with Davis’ legendary producer TeoMacero while working on the reissue. Macero, who was the producer of the Bitches Brew sessions’ original session, provided invaluable guidance to Belden on the work that he did over the years with Davis. The limited space in the room does not allow for Belden to go into detail about his personal catalog. It’s enough to say that he tracks the history of Animation back to the 1980s, when he started Treasure Island, and continues with material that has had all of Animation’s main members on board until today. His critically acclaimed albums – Black Dahlia. Strawberry Fields. Tapestry. Straight To My Heart. The Music Of Sting. When Doves Cry. The Music Of Prince. and Puccini’s Turandot. – explored the 1990s musical landscape and helped to establish his musical vision. And who, other than Belden, was that musician who contributed so much to the musical proceedings. Scott Kinsey and Matt Garrison, Guy Licata, and DJ Logic played key roles in the musical creation process. Kinsey is like an alter ego for Belden and Hagans. He’s now making a name with Human Element, and has also worked with Joe Zawinul. (Kinsey was Zawinul’s only keyboardist who would let him sub on gigs or share the bandstand). Tribal Tech with Scott Henderson and Bill Evans. Kinsey also has soundtrack gigs with David Holmes, such as for Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Thirteen. Garrison is the son of Jimmy Garrison and has worked with Joni Mitchell, Jack DeJohnette and Herbie Hancock. He currently plays in Human Element with Kinsey. Garrison also recorded and toured with John McLaughlin’s The Heart of Things (Verve, 1997). Licata’s credits also include work with Bill Laswell and Bernie Worrell, as well as The Collective. DJ Logic’s credits include work with Bill Laswell’s Method of Defiance, John Mayer and Bob Weir’s Ratdog.
