For those who enjoy kicking back and listening to jazzy alternative every once in a while, I would recommend checking out Michael Bellar. Composer and keyboardist Bellar works with drummer Brad Wentworth and bassist Robert Jost to form the AS-IS Ensemble, an alt-jazz group based out of New York City.

With their smooth, enticing melodies, the group has performed on numerous television shows. Have you ever wondered who that snazzy band was that played before commercial breaks on Ellen DeGeneres? Well, look no further. The trio is fronted by Bellar, who alongside acts like Amos Lee and Art Garfunkel has been featured on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, the Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, TRL, Good Morning America, and the CBS Early Show.

With the release of its third studio album, Turned On Turned Up, last September, the AS-IS Ensemble played a string of shows (many of which were in the local New York area) in support. Bellar and Co. opened for the bands Medeski, Martin & Wood, and Tea Leaf Green for a portion of these shows, as well as headlined several of their own.

“Squashing Pollyanna”, the first song on the new LP, grasps the listener’s attention from the get-go with its catchy, staccato rhythm and promises that a satisfying album will ensue. Following the upbeat opener, “Fred Jones, Pt. 2”, a softer song mainly formulated of piano and percussion, soothes the mood with a calming melody. “Heavyweight Love Match”, another well-composed piece, carries a similarly tranquil tune. The entire album is full of jazzy tempos that are ideal to jam out to. Each piece is precisely constructed and fits well into the album as a whole.

The AS-IS Ensemble’s other two full-lengths include the band’s 1998 debut, React!, and Like It Is, which was released in 2006. “Big ‘Ole Yummy”, from the ’06 offering, starts off with a simple percussion pulse, easing its way into piano which becomes more prominent throughout the song before eventually bursting into an instrumental outbreak. This stands in stark contrast to the following song, “The Gringo Shake”, which sounds like a hymn taken from a foreign film with the noteworthy use of keyboards.

What makes the music of Michael Bellar and the AS-IS Ensemble interesting is that while some songs have a distinct peppy tune to them, others are more relaxing; it is this variety that holds the listener’s interest. When it comes to jazz, Michael Bellar, with his southern influence, sets a model for budding musicians.

TAGGED AS: Michael Bellar, the AS-IS Ensemble