Stephen Mejias

My interest in New York City salsa and Cuban son was fueled in part by Descarga.comhttp://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/catalog?adYB2HaU;;654">Descarga.com<…;, an impressive resource for all things Afro-Latin. The Spanish word "descarga" means to unload, but, in musical terms, is Cuban slang for a hot and riotous jam session. You'd often hear about guys getting together in the streets or on the beach for a wild, time-stopping descarga. Providing in-depth interviews with musicians and producers, well-informed think pieces, hard-hitting reviews, and tons and tons of great music, Descarga.com is a great destination for music lovers.

I was done with shopping. Inside my red cart: lamp and shade, extension cord and powerstrip, four soft white 60W light bulbs, two ice trays. I'd held strong against my urges to purchase a blender, whole wheat pasta, an oak filing cabinet, cotton underwear, a ceramic Japanese dragon, and a Pirates of the Caribbean DVD. However, on my way to the register, my attention was taken by an aisle of stereo components.

Fans of Shindo's gorgeous green and gold tube amplifiers will be excited to know that the Japanese manufacturer has just introduced (or re-introduced, I'm not sure) a new (or re-new, as the case may be) integrated amplifier.

I like to stop by The">http://theneedledrop.blogspot.com/">The Needle Drop, where usual dude, Anthony Fantano, offers his interesting, thoughtful, and often very funny takes on new music and music technology. Check it out.

At around eleven o'clock this morning, I was ready for a beer.

Divine Ricochet is a three-part music series made to accompany John Chamberlain: Choices, on view through May 13 at the Guggenheim Museum. The series takes its name from Chamberlain’s 1991 work, a large and colorful, mangled assortment of painted and chromium-plated steel.