Search - Esteban :: Spirits Of The West

You will enjoy "Spirits of The West"

Phil Hensler | East Peoria, Illinois USA | 02/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was a pure joy to hear Estebans treatment of theme songs from movies and tv shows of the 60s.Esteban has the talent to do the most amazing things on the guitar,but enough respect for music and the song to keep it simple when necessary.Listening to these songs was the most fun I've had with music in a long time!I highly recomend this recording to everyone who loves music and fun."

Great Listening

Michael Eaton | West Valley City, Utah USA | 11/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mr. Ospino seems to have a thing about Esteban. If you look at all the Esteban albums on Amazon, Mr. Ospino has appended the same negative message to each one. Perhaps he is irate that Esteban isn't really Hispanic. But, if Andres Segovia felt like giving him the appellation of "Esteban", then I think he honored to use it.

As for the music, I am not a guitar player; I just enjoy those who can. To my ear, Esteban sounds great. If there are technical flaws in his playing, they certainly are drowned out by the heart and style that he puts into his work. He may sell insurance for Geico, but his music is still well worth your time."

Segovia dubbed him "Esteban;" I call him "Tex."

Dr Diablo | Madison, WI | 02/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The TV and cinema Westerns of yesteryear featured not only memorable drama but memorable theme songs. Much of this music is not readily available, so, with trepidation, I ordered this CD by Esteban, habitue of the Easy Listening and New Age bins, and heartthrob of the Home Shopping Network. I braced myself for disappointment, which made my delight all the more intense. This album is very good.



The marriage of Spanish guitar and Western music is a natural one, and Esteban plays these songs with skill and affection. Since many are theme songs, they are not complete pieces of music and are often heard in medley form. I approve of Esteban's decision to turn them into full-length pieces of music; if you like the theme from "Maverick," you'll like hearing several minutes of it. Esteban's approach to this music reminds me of what Phil Coulter does with Celtic music. He places his stylistic stamp on the tunes, but showcases the song rather than his own skill. The themes from "Cheyenne" and "The Big Country" are particular favorites of mine, but the entire album is tuneful. I didn't think his 6-minute treatment of "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" could work; he proved me wrong.



"Spirits of the West" isn't perfect. There are a few too many "coconut shell" hoofbeats and other synthesizer effects to suit me. (At the same time, I realize that solo treatments of over a dozen Western themes could start to have a redundant feel.) He sometimes uses fadeouts when the song would lend itself to a more satisfying conclusion, as "The Magnificent Seven" surely would. His up-tempo version of "Red River Valley", which resembles Johnny & the Hurricanes' "Red River Rock", is entertaining but sounds out of place.



Notwithstanding these cavils, this is an excellent CD. Anyone who loves classic Western theme music will enjoy this album. Classical guitar legend Andres Segovia bestowed the name Esteban upon this American guitarist, but, based on this fine outing, I think he should be called Tex. Nice job, Tex."