CD Review: Animation Agemo

Miles Davis’ electric period masterpiece Bitches Brew won the legendary trumpeter a new, predominately younger audience. It did, however, signal the desertion of many a   life-long fan of the Prince of Darkness. The fusing of the amplified power of rock and   the modal jazz improvisations of Davis’ heavyweight band stimulates debate to today some forty years on from its release. 

Rare Noise Records contributes to the on-going discussion with the issue of Animation’s Agemo. A double CD release, the emphasis is on the technology of today changing, if not transforming, the sound of  the original work. Indeed it is a re-working of Asiento, the band’s earlier take on Bitches Brew.     

‘To be listened to with headphones’ suggests the promotional literature. 

A virtue, apparently, is the ‘3D60 mix’. Track one: Pharoah’s Dance (3D60 Headphones Mix) is a twenty first century re-working of  Pharoah’s Dance. Track two: Bitches Brew (3D60 Headphones Mix), track three: John McLaughlin (3D60 Headphones Mix). 

The track listing goes on. The musicianship is exemplary and to be expected with the presence of saxophonist Bob Belden (a noted musician/producer and key to this release, a dedicated interpreter of the music of Miles Davis), Tim Hagans (trumpet) and bassist Matt Garrison to name but three. Long before the end of disc one there was the temptation to crank-up the turntable and listen to the vinyl album. 

Temptation resisted, it was on to disc two. Track one: Pharoah’s Dance (Bill Laswell Son of Panthalassa Remix). Track two…Miles’ voice sampled and was that a siren New York cop car (thanks to DJ Logic’s Remix)? Imagine that Miles Davis never went into the studio to record Bitches Brew. Imagine that this new release was the first time you had heard anything like this. It could be that it would feature in your list of the best CDs of the year. 

Well, of course Miles did record one of the seminal albums of his long career and the rest, as they say, is history. Agemo is of interest and if it does one thing it will encourage the listener to check out the source. Animation’s Agemo Rare Noise Records (RNR08).  

Russell.