by Michael G. Nastos Make no mistake - Beat The Donkey (translated from the Portuguese 'Pau La Mula' as ‘let's go' or ‘let's do it') is not a reference to animal cruelty, but percussion Cyro Baptista's calling card to party. This debut recording for the group is split into fragments of small ensembles, a rotating cadre of players (a sextet at best) from many different disciplines. They range from riotous celebratory dance, to multi-ethnic elements, cerebral, lighthearted, at times goofy, or heavy. There is no real core band, but rather a gypsy circus loose association with Baptista clearly the madcap ringleader. Brazilian music can be the center of Beat The Donkey, but also Balkan sounds, nomadic music, rock and funk, and a festive attitude that surely appeals to outdoors summertime merrymaking. Carnival meets hard rock circus at a stoner party during "The Crab & The Shining Star" with fuzz guitar from Viva DeConcini, electric cello by Erik Friedlander and an expressive madlib rock & roll style identifies "O Canto Da Ema" centered by Marc Ribot's wah wah guitar, and the ethnic "Mr. Bugaloo" is a percussion workout accented by John Zorn's sax and the accordion of Toninho Ferragutti. On the softer side is the excellent "Parar De Fumar," a pleasant straight samba with featured clarinetist Anat Cohen. A circular acoustic guitar from Ribot during "Cyrandiero" recalls West African kora music, while the sweet "Sapo & The Prince" has the wonderful vocalist Lucian Souza singing encouragement to a frog reluctantly turned prince, shaded by blown bottle sounds and finger snaps. ""Rio De Jakarta" is the perfect melding of Balinese gamelan and layered Brazilian rhythms, a 6/8 "Ama" is rife with hand claps, the melody expertly played by guitarist Romero Lubambo similar to the gypsy anthem "Dark Eyes," while bloogles or sound tubes send the band into space during the dark and bizarre "Sweet Cuica" and the percussion based "Funk I," the latter piece recorded live at La Plaza in Boston via radio station WGBH-FM. At some point, a more extensive live recording with a fixed band should be in the offering to fully hear Beat The Donkey's world wide, expressive and exuberant repertoire.