The Mackrosoft - Antonio's Giraffe 2006

A Dust Brother (Cheeba), a peripheral Beastie Boy (Money Mark), a Headhunter (Mike Clark), and a slew of other musicians join producer Aja West's tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim. Throw in the fact that the album is mastered by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner, better known for his work with gangsta rap acts like N.W.A., and you start to see the hodge-podge of influences involved in this record.

Antonio's Giraffe is funky electric jazz. In that, it hints at the music of the other Antonio, but there the similarities end. While Aja West's original compositions harken to the era of Jobim, this is not a cover record.

Rhodes, horns, and drums ride high throughout. The percussion is exceptional as you might expect with a Headhunter manning the kit. There's nothing extravagant, just good solid rhythm for the other players to work from. The strength here is the Rhodes of both West and Alex Veley and the horn interplay.

"Hold Up" gives a perfect example of the Rhodes getting busy. While songs like "The Mighty Loconchu" show the coordination of the horn players at their best.

This is billed as a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, but outside of the title, I wouldn't have picked up on that. In the end, it doesn't really matter. This is good music that stands on its own without any reference needed.

This is funk-jazz of the absolute highest order. Showcasing fabulous tunes, brilliant playing, and imaginative production, Antonio's Giraffe is my left-field disc of the year.

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