Shakin' All Over

I first learned about Alfonso Lovo when I was reviewing his fusion masterpiece La Gigantona for our esteemed friends at Ugly Things.  Released by the Numero Group, the album fit firmly in the label's "cult cargo" tradition: self-financed, unreleased, bitingly funky.  From the liners, I learned of an earlier Lovo album, the mouthful-of-a-name Terremoto richter 6:25 - managua.  Terremoto was recorded in 1972, when Lovo was a student here in the States, in response to a devestating earthquake in his home of Managua, Nicaragua.  It's not quite as strong as Gigantona, and shorter; but for a thrown-together response to an ecological crisis a continent away, it's pretty goddamn good.  Bristling with emotion, introspection, outward frustration, Terremoto also allowed Lovo to define his future musical evolution.  Many of the tracks act as a blueprint for Gigantona, with Latin-influenced acoustic guitar, burbling horns and lightly psychedelic touches.

Hey, why not shake things up?

MAY 10th BROOKLYN FLEA RECORD FAIR CONFIRMED!

It's on, and it's gonna be bigger than ever.  Held at the scenic, sceney Williamsburg Waterfront, the Brooklyn Flea Record Fair will once again have tons of vendors of both new & old vinyl, DJ sets, beer & more!

As always, Unbreakable will be there repping old school flavor with our table of crates heavy on Jazz, Rock, New Wave, Soul, and oddball assortments for your digging pleasure.  

Other collectors and some stores will be selling, too, but no one has the selection (or the prices!).  Be sure to check out the map & stop by UR first.

The labels represented include DFA, Secretly Canadian, Domino, Luaka Bop, Polyvinyl, Rough Trade, Warp, and Sacred Bones, just to name a few.  There will also be serious DJ sets from the likes of Sandra Electronics, Autre Ne Veut, Caroline Polacheck (from Chairlift) and Optimo.

Sponsored again this year by our good friends at the Red Bull Music Academy, which has its own fair share of one-and-done events worth checking out all month.

SEE YOU THERE!

Before Miami

Here's another dirty digging gem, literally - found sitting in a pile of "garbage" on 109th St. between Lexington & 3rd.  As I saw the owner of the Botanica throwing his records away, I verified that he wasn't looking to sell them before scooping up about 50 on my way to a meeting.  Nothing like showing up to discuss contract negotiations and tenure with both arms stacked full of dusty wax...

A couple of duds on here when Roy pushes the schmaltzometer to 11, but otherwise full of fiercely funky nuggets; this album as such is unavailable in its correct running order.

Come on, shake your body baby, do that conga

Rapid Eye Movement

Not quite as deep as Jazz Raga, not nearly as low-key as Bacchanal, Gabor Szabo's Dreams fits into his oeuvre - and the spirit of the times - perfectly, a lovely fusion of jazz hipness and psych weirdness.

Cello orchestration, flamenco overtones, spacey suites and one of the best Donovan covers ever . . . Dig it, and dig in . . .

I Don't Recall. . .

Little-known but uber-groovy electronic soundtrack from the mid-80s La Mama scene: drum machine, MIDI sequencers and early computer programming. . . ah, heaven. . . 

Ricci has been on the scene since the late '70s, though his early works still remain unissued.  Diverse instrumentation and thoughtful arrangements, placing him in the later pantheon of electronic/minimal/Avant-Garde classical composers.

Many of his more recent works are available for minimal cost directly from the composer himself here, so go ahead and support!  Sealed deadstock copies of Music From Memory were available for a short time (and 60 bucks) from Invisible City Editions, but no longer. . .  so follow it here to head down the rabbit hole with Ricci's blippy mnemonic device. . .