Interversity: Aja West

I am pleased to introduce the first installment of a new column entitled Interversity. As it suggests, each Sunday [that we're not in the mood for a Used-Bin Bargain] we'll feature an interview with one of our covered artists including five specific questions and an Audiversinquiry (Yes, we're aware of our obsession), a set of ten questions we ask everyone. Since this is an audioblog, an mp3 will naturally be included for your listening pleasure.

For our introductory Interversity, I am proud to present the funky mind of Aja West. A founder and CEO of the wonderful Mackrosoft label, which specializes in connecting the dots between funk, fusion, soul, jazz and electronic music, West has produced three solo albums (including The Olympian and Total Recall 2012) as well as collaborating with friends and family under the colorful guises of The Mackrosoft and The Cheebacabra. He took a break from his busy schedule of funkifying synthesizers, cooking home-grown meals and stretching his cerebral cortex to answer some questions for the Audiversity crew.



Aja West - "Penny in a Fountain" - Total Recall 2012 (Mackrosoft 2007)

1. In my review for 2007's Total Recall 2012, I pegged you for elaborating on the mid-70s pre-Prince funk sound (more synthesized than the butter-funk era, but less streamlined than urban R&B); was this a conscious decision or did it just arise in the writing process?

“Peg it will come back to you.” – Steely Dan 1976
You pegged the great mid-70’s funk situation as my central influence correctly. Weather Report, Steely Dan, Parliament, Hancock, Sly and of course Mr. Brown are all central loves of my life. With time, I’ve come to hear that period of creativity as a prevailing wind in every record I’ve done under every guise I’ve used except for maybe when I’ve produced other people’s projects. In truth, every punk band, trustafarian, and real MC I every produced as a youth left the studio with more funk than they wished!

The first half of Total Recall 2012 is really a document of a long time collaboration between Reggie Watts and myself. I cold called him in High School when I heard the first Maktub record. Being an open cat Reggie was down to check out what I was doing. Flash to now.

We co-wrote that first slew of 2012 tracks featuring vocals together. Me laying all the drums and some basics then Reggie coming in and freaking Moog Voyager and vocals. The Honorable Watts brought a whole other set of unique musical experiences and judgments to the table. Listening to my catalog I can hear an obvious soul pop influence on the first half of the 2012 record that only shows up in slivers throughout the rest of my work. The micro-macro collaborative nature of this album for me resides in two memories:

1) Reggie was playing one night only at the Knitting Factory in LA then moving swiftly “Jason and the Argonauts” style the next morning. I wanted to record him and he’s a legendary trooper so I picked him up after the gig at around 3:00 AM and he was obviously exhausted from performing a hundred percent show. By the time we got food, caught up and pulled to the studio he was for good reason, asleep. So I geared up the track and played it into his headphones. Every time when his cue for lyrics came, he’d wake and sing or in a few cases mutter. I’m perpetually caught in the dream time/space between waking and sleeping so this was great for me to witness and a testament to the enormous talent of Reggie Watts. When all was said and done, in consensus reality, his glossolalia made it onto the record as an excellent lead vocal.

2) Almost every session began with us watching a VHS of the liberty chopper fly “Halls and Oates” to the Statue of Liberty for their great “Liberty Concert” to raise money to restore the old lady. That’s one way to get Lou Ferrigno before a musical workout.

2. How does the Aja West sound in particular differentiate from the rest of the Mackrosoft crew? Do you make it a point to not retread on the sound of other projects associated with the label?

Over time it’s natural order has emerged as this: If it’s instrumental funk with Aja West at the helm it’s “The Mackrosoft”. If it’s instrumental funk with Cheeba at the helm it’s “The Cheebacabra”. If it contains vocals, it’s “Aja West”. I can’t let the massive amount of talented musicians who have invested time, energy, and trust in “The Mackrosoft”, endure the scrutiny of the Aja West projects. These land squarely on my back.

I’ll retread in the sense of “variations on a theme” until I get it right. The “Mackrosoft Trilogy” as I experienced it was a slow process of shaping a series of jagged rocks into jewels that are somewhat self-similar. I can hear that rumble again with another trilogy of instrumental records by “The Mackrosoft” I’m completing this year. I think this has more to do with my clinging to the stability and assurance of quality by sticking with a fantastic group of funky players. Most of those musicians are lions and command their own projects while I’m interested in cats. As the Mackrosoft is evolving I’m making like “To Catch a Predator” and trying to rotate in new younger talent.

3. How did you hook up with former J.B.'s musical director Fred Wesley for Total Recall 2012? How much of an impact did he have on the recording sessions?

I was lucky enough to hook up with Fred Wesley and the Headhunters for 1st Mack to the Moon, 2012 and Antonio’s Giraffe. I think I owe those relationships partially to the respect those gentlemen have for the younger panthers that I’d been working with on prior Mackrosoft albums’. Magic sax man, Skerik has been a real advocate through his exceptional playing on the second more instrumental half of 2012, Antonio’s and Aja Aquarius. When the baddest of the funk-fusion octopus need a sax man many of them extend their tentacles to Skerik.

Impact wise, Fred was there strictly to play solo trombone. We ended up recording some jams with him playing against the rhythm section of Paul Jackson and Mike Clark from Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters. I’d rather record that than anything of mine so we ended up co-writing about four songs that appear on 1st Mack to the Moon. Fred’s playing was classic burley trombone and one day I’d love to have him write arrangements or record again. That was a gratuitous grace, working with the men that inspired me to make music and finding them to be beautiful novel individuals.

4. For real, how many synthesizers do you own? And is there a secret to harnessing the sexy groove you seem to milk out of each one?

There’s a great Steely Dan DVD where Donald Fagen and Walter Becker interview the great bassist Tom Barney about his large collection of basses as security blankets. I collect synthesizers, records, and other people’s trophies. While I may not have the best of each item in the collections, I have a lot of them and what palettes of color I don’t have; brother Cheeba’s on top of, synthesizers, not the trophies. We each have sets of the essential keyboards for our work, the Rhodes and Wurlitzer but the analog keyboards we don’t double up on, letting us multiple our collective options.

Musical secrets usually remain somewhat secret or whispered to me but here are my best clues on sexy grooves. Lay electric keys on a rhythm bed of drums and bass then sprinkle pedals of picked minimalist guitar. Wheel in the analog cannons, plug em’ in, smoke green and summon a quiet storm on top of the groove.

5. I love the artwork for all the Mackrosoft releases; do you have one person in particular who is in charge of that aspect? And how much energy do you put in to finding just the right visual accompaniment for your releases?

Thanks for asking because the visual art has always been a crucial element to the Mackrosoft aesthetic. Tom “Manningfest” Manning has been my most consistent comrade on the album art and covers. Artistically, we’ve worked together on numerous projects "The Mackrosoft Trilogy”, The Olympian, 2012, the mackrosoft.com web site... Tom Manning-festation has also appeared as a vocalist on my Trauma… Life in the E.R. album.

Eagle Rock - Los Angeles – Deep Nineties. I dated one of his college housemates and was constantly sneaking into the Pasadena Art Center to design and use their scanners. I’d forced Manning to take absurd phone messages for my lady friend and I’d seen him diligently working on weekend nights which has always been my thing. I quickly determined “The Manningfest” actually went to the art school, was an Ice T and House of Pain fan, and could negotiate my wildest visions. Tom and I continue to collaborate and outside of his Mackrosoft loyalties, he currently slaves over his own excellent quantum minded series of graphic novels “Run Off”.

“If you didn’t know before, now you do”– DJ Hurricane

When it comes to The Cheebacabra aesthetic, it leans much closer to psychedelic fine art. David Levitan’s 1970’s painting “The Perception Epic” graces the cover of Metamorphosis. We had been long time fans of the paintings he’d done for jazz-fusion violist Jon Luc-Ponty so to drink from the same well was a real treat. The Cheebacaba follow up Exile in the Woods features the work of one of histories greatest Zoologists, Desmond Morris AKA “The Secret Surrealist”.

As for the future, I’ll be unveiling my own take on perturbed illustrations and art on the next couple releases for better or worse.

Audiversinquiry (10 questions we ask everyone)

1. What did you specifically remember listening to as a child that triggered a notable response?

I’m lucky my parent’s took some pictures of me at the turntable at an extremely young age, so I can validate the LP’s I remember listening to. I came from white folks who enjoyed black music about 1 tier deep. Both my parental guardians were academics of sorts and were more observers of novelty than participants in the dominant culture movements. I sexualized the LP at a very young age as the fist still image of a woman’s breast I remember seeing was contained within the inner montage of Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder They Come. I remember my parental guidance first stab at explaining homosexuality being within the of The Village People LPs. My parent’s first date was blind and my father wooed my mother with the exciting and new sounds of Henry Mancini’s “Pink Panther Tour”. Their second date was to see Miles Davis during his “chaotic” period as it was explained to me. After fifteen minutes of Mile’s trumpet juju and him keeping to a corner, back to the crowd, they walked out. I’m sure this was all very formative in my musical birth!

As an Indigo child or simply a human with spastic biochemistry my female guardian would use The Pointer Sister’s “Salt Peanuts” and “Bangin’ On the Pipes/Steam Heat” like catnip forcing me to fling myself against mattress covered walls and dance until I’d run myself out of energy. Other early artists and LP’s I can photographically prove I spun were the Car Wash soundtrack, Curtis Mayfield, Issac Hayes, The Moody Blues, Bread, Jim Croce, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Saturday Night Fever. Love to all those artists and to the many passed, I hope you’re finding rest in your peace.

TV themes marked me early and I’ve never tried to shake that branding. The musical openings to Swat, CHIPs, Barney Miller, Wonder Woman, People’s Court, Knight Rider, The A-team, etc. were all rooted in the funk arena.

When I was old enough to join my mother in aerobics I was introduced to the Jane Fonda Workout LP. As I remember it, the album not only contains some of the smoother funky tracks of the eighties like the Brother’s Johnson’s “Stomp!” and some Jackson Five but the cool down was Jimmy Buffett’s Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Latitudes.

2. Let's say you are heading across town this moment and will have time to listen to one complete album during the trip, what would you listen to?

I’d listen to a CD-R of one of my albums in progress and make mental changes on the mixes and track relationships.

3. Are there any other media that you draw inspiration from? Books, authors, painters, actors, movies, celebrities, etc?

Cooking: The green, smooth texture and general vibe I achieve using home grown basil to make Pesto reminds me of my best tracks. Greek and Vegetarian soul food keep my dietary pyramid on point.

Authors: The collected works of Terrence McKenna, Dr. John C. Lilly, Phil Dick, Desmond Morris, and all the branches you find sprouting from them.

Movies: DVD’s from George Duke in Japan to Weather Report in France keep me enthused about the projects I’m working on. The infomercial series, “Midnight Special” can be dope. Non musical DVD’s like American Movie, Space is the Place and Le Planet Savage also can help me into the right mind of frame! Honestly this category is numerous in its inspirations. Parallel to my musical career has been my work as a writer/director, which has helped finance the music bit.

Art: Record cover art of all genres.

Plants: Cannabis and Mushrooms.

4. Where do you go to discover new music and sounds?

I follow the edict, “Pay Attention”. Look in weird and unique places for the weird and unique music. Infomercials, I-tunes, friend’s recommendations, my brother’s computer, dusty groove, and mainly the 99cent vinyl bins across the globe. I’ll often read reviews and recommendations by writers or interviewers’ who enjoy or have takes on my music I jive with.

5. What question do you get most often that you hate answering?

As of this writing, none. It’s infrequent people come to me for answers.

6. Favorite instruments or specific sounds?

Jon Hassel’s synth-trumpet played over African drums… James Brown grunting… Bernie Worrell soloing with Parliament… Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s incredible picking… the bated breath of a female during orgasm… Heart murmurs…

7. The record store is closing in ten minutes and you are hell-bent on buying something before they close, what section do you head immediately towards?

CD wise:
My answer completely depends on the store’s return policy but I’m gonna say used urban/soul. With a super market sweep of ten minutes I’m most likely to find something I haven’t heard by looking for a funk or soul compilation that features some tracks I may not have heard or just slept on recently.

LP wise:
Used Funk-Jazz Fusion or whatever these records are cataloged under. I have a good eye for players when flipping through records backwards so that’s where I usually take it when I have the need for speed.

8. What is the last notable daydream you had and where did it take place?

Since I work nights and log dreams, my last daydream of note was while I was asleep in my bed during the day. A woman came to me with milky white skin and a round attractive face. I believe she was a composite of a number of mundane female characters including a recognizable reality TV participant I’d seen shortly before going to bed. It’s very rare for me to have dreams with erotic content and her character played a unique and interesting archetypal role. Her dime dancing was through.

On another note, the song “Life Imitates Clouds” and album of the same name are my ode to the daydream.

9. What is the perfect album to you? Are there any? Is it possible?

Mort Garson’s Plantasia is perfect for anything of green organic medium and a mycologist’s best friend.

Currently I have no perfect albums but throughout my life there have been some that were perfect until I wore them out through obsessive compulsive listening. A couple different Steely Dan and Weather Report LPs hit me as very close to perfect. Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, Thrust, and Sunlight were all perfect at one point in my reality matrix.

As a hip-hop fan, when they first came out, I really felt the production on Paul’s Boutique, Three Feet High and Rising and It Takes a Nation of Millions.

With Rhythm and Blues, I’d vote for Johnny “Guitar” Watson or D’Angelo.

On the metal/rock tip the first Rage Against the Machine turned me out. Perfect for driving. Van Halen came close.

I’m putting myself out there on this one, but when it comes to Canadian pop, Gino Vanelli’s Brother to Brother is damn near perfect for a Gino V. album.

However it sounds; both Mackrosoft albums Journey to Vaginus and Antonio’s Giraffe felt at one point as near close to perfect to/for my earwax.

I have certainly made perfect compilation albums, CDs, cassettes, mixes, etc. using my record collection.

10. Do you keep up with blogs? Which do you read if so?

Any blog that mentions “Aja West” or “The Mackrosoft” I usually get up on! Lately, I’ve been actively trying to play a bigger part in the blog and podcast world. I do regularly listen to “The Podfather” matrix master Lorenzo Hagerty’s “Psychedelic Salon” podcast with an ear to Terence McKenna’s “In the Valley of Novelty” series and “The Trialogues”. It’s an excellent source for stretching your cerebral cortex and grey matter. I’d read this interview if I found it online, so thanks for asking such interesting questions. Best regards. Keep it funky.