During the course of 16 tracks, Carlinhos Brown effortlessly references just about every style in Brazilian music from samba and batucada to afoxe and adds a few more outside influences of his own with the fearless confidence of a self-appointed visionary. Traditional sambas ("Covered Saints," the beautiful ballad "Quixabeira") are juggled in with reggae, hip hop, '70s soul, rap, and occasional hard rock elements to create a swirling, idiosyncratic concoction of every conceivable musical permutation imaginable, but always Brazilian at its core; the batteria-heavy bloco Afro sound is all-pervasive, firing most of the tunes with an unmistakable carnival beat. Apart from some great young musicians, there are appearances from established megastars like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Maria Bethana--further testament to the respect Carlinhos Brown now commands. With its P-Funk overtones, Alfagamabetizado is most certainly a work of the 20th century, but it is painted in the colors of the forest, the villages, the cities, the markets, and the people. --Derek Rath