Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble profile picture

Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble

songs white girls can sing along to.....

About Me


Along with creating music and performing live with his group, the AS-IS Ensemble, Michael currently tours with Amos Lee.
Michael has toured and or recorded with Amos Lee, Art Garfunkel, Howie Day, Wheatus, Jump Little Children, Brooklyn Qawwali Party, Teddy Geiger, Phillip Hamilton, Italian pop superstar Giorgia and Jay Clifford's Rosebud. In the spring of 2003, Michael began his first season as resident composer of Terpsicorps Theater of Dance; a contemporary/multi-media dance and performance company based in western N.C. His national TV appearances include Late Night with David Letterman, the Ellen Degeneres Show, TRL, Good Morning America, Regis and Kelly and the CBS Morning Show.
Michael is the founder, composer and keyboardist of the AS-IS Ensemble, which along with being the former house band at the world-famous Blue Note jazz club in New York City has performed at such venues as Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and the Bell Atlantic and JVC Jazz Festivals in NYC. In a review of their first ever concert held in New York, they were touted "GENERATION NEXT," by Billboard Magazine. Michael and the group were named the UNSIGNED ARTIST OF THE MONTH in the 3/06 edition of KEYBOARD Magazine and were the focus of a special feature produced by the BBC Radio network in London, England. His recordings with the AS-IS Ensemble include: "Like It Is" (Left Three Lanes) and REACT! (Athena Jazz).
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 12/28/2005
Band Website: michaelbellar.com
Band Members: Michael Bellar - keys and such, Brad Wentworth - drums and such, Robert "Johnson" Jost - bass and oh such
Influences: nusrat, michael hedges, woody allen, spud webb and biscuitville
Sounds Like: "howard roark laughing" the AS-IS Ensemble LIVE VIDEO CLIPS filmed and edited my marie le claire-http://www.myspace.com/meemer40

BUY the CD "Like It Is" at iTunes!!!! here's the link

OR..You can buy a hard copy HERE


Review of "Like It Is" from Keyboard magazine .....Sporting track names like Big ole Yummy and The Gringo Shake, Michael Bellar's self-produced album is every bit as fun and quirky as its song titles imply. Using everything from acoustic piano to accordion and Wurly to pump organ, Michael creates energetic, multi-layered compositions that hold together despite their plentiful sonic variations. Funky grooves and creative percussion pervade and help accent Michael's significant chops. Thanks to his wah'd out Wurly work, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a delicate and wistful treat and framed by strong piano playing, Tango Esperanza is a highly-danceable accordion showcase. For joyfully proving himself to be a playful keyboard polymath, Michael Bellar is Keyboard Magazines Unsigned Artist of the Month..Michael Gallant - KEYBOARD MAGAZINE
“GENERATION NEXT"... "Close your eyes, and you can (almost) imagine them playing an outdoor festival for tie-dye kids one day and a New York jazz club the next.” Steve Graybow, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
“Their swing is pop savvy, their mainstream is avant flecked, and their whimsy has an earnest base.” “It takes chutzpah - this electrocoustic quintet has as much ambition as it does chops.” Jim Macnie, THE VILLAGE VOICE
“And now for something completely different.” Laura Zapp, THE CHARLESTON CITY PAPER
“Spontaneity, spirit and surprise” - “bewitching and often exotic” Ed Bumgardner, WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL
.....the AS-IS Ensemble is moving the concept of the jazz trio into some interesting and exciting new territory…... easily and quickly take their place alongside jam jazz favorites like the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and Medeski, Martin and Wood. Dave Terpeny - Kynd Music Review
“the AS-IS Ensemble is, in a world of wannabe jazz outfits, the real thing” - “glorious improvisation” Marsha Barber, ASHEVILLE MOUNTAIN XPRESS
“The overall effect is joyous.” Lois Welk, Presenter and Artistic Director – 171 Cedar Arts Center
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Dylan, Amos, Elvis and a new AS-IS CD in the works

Had the pleasure of accompanying Amos on a tour where he got the opening slot, along with Elvis Costello, for Bob Dylan. The whole thing was kinda of a trip. Those people are machines when it comes to...
Posted by Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:51:00 PST

AS-IS Email List Calamity?!??!?!?

So there was a MAJOR microsoft meltdown at AS-IS Ensemble headquarters recently and we lost about a years worth of AS-IS Email Listers to that weird space where information cannot be retrieved ever ag...
Posted by Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:53:00 PST

Our Charleston show to be vid/aud live online......

hey.......if you are sitting home on wednesday night jan 31st......feeling pouty and wanting to see if ....1 - rob can actually play bass one week after an operation2 - michael can actually get thru o...
Posted by Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 08:53:00 PST

FREE LIVE FALL TOUR DOWNLOADS!! RIGHT HERE YO...

So....to commemorate our kickass Fall tour...I'm going to be putting up bootleg recordings from said tour...in the popular, "FREE DOWNLOAD" format loved by all....hopefully the 'magic of the moment' o...
Posted by Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble on Mon, 04 Dec 2006 03:04:00 PST