Fast forward to 1994. Somehow, somebody somewhere decided to bring old Juan Garcia himself out of mothballs and...whatcha know...out came the CD that started the whole "lounge" music explosion: Space-Age Bachelor Pad Music. With the help of that particular CD, a vigorously renewed insterest in El Maestro's music, and the wildly resurging vinyl market, prices for used LPs of Esquivel's musings can often top out at $50 a copy...for the more common titles. I can imagine a copy of his first Mexico-only release, Las Tandas de Juan Garcia Esquivel, pushing into the three digits if in mint...or maybe even near-mint...condition. Used record stores repeat the mantra daily: Esquivel's albums just fly out the door at the going price, no questions asked.

Needless to say, this has put a major strain on my collecting habits. Patience is one thing, but collecting Esquivel vinyl is downright frustrating. To see what all the fuss was about, I first grabbed a copy of his first U.S. release, Other Worlds, Other Sounds from my friend Ray in Florida. I thought the music a bit odd at first, but after my third time through the album in a single night, I was hooked. The compact discs came next, since they were easily available.

Recalling my childhood, I rummaged through my father's collection and walked away with a mediocre copy of Las Tandas. Just last week, Ray sent me a copy of Infinity In Sound, Vol. 2. One only has to look at my want list, posted in one of Rudy's darker corners, to see that I only have a small portion of Esquivel's original catalog.

As of this writing, I have three CDs on order; one I'm told is a bootleg, the other two are most likely RCA International releases. RCA International has done a fine job releasing old Latin records on RCA, including Tito Puente, Eddie Cano, and several others. It's only natural that they tap into Esquivel's catalog, since RCA in the U.S. seems to be ignoring the possibilities.

The previous page covered the CD end of the Esquivel spectrum; this page will make a hackneyed attempt at filling you in on my impressions of the music on these original albums. As my collection slowly grows, I'll add the appropriate details here.

Las Tandas de Juan Garcia Esquivel

Esquivel's first album, released only in Mexico, is very tame compared to what he'd create on Infinity In Sound, Vol. 2 or Latin-Esque. In fact, if you cast aside the constant bongo-powered undercurrent and Spanish narration between the tracks, it would pass for a very competent swinging big band. "Collar de Perlas" ("A String of Pearls" to all you gringos out there), "Sketch Glenn Miller" and "Medley" all point to his big band roots. "Tren de La Noche" ("Night Train", the rock instrumental) gets a hard swinging arrangement, while the "rock and roll" tracks "Goya Universidad" and "Politecnico Rock and Roll" remind one of the Saturday night sock hops. Spanish flamenco roots are evident in "Nereidas". There is some great big band playing and arranging on this relic, with only the very faintest hint of the enjoyable mayhem that would follow on later albums.

Other Worlds, Other Sounds

Officially RCA's first U.S. Esquivel release, El Maestro makes a tentative step into some otherworldly soundscapes and begins to develop his own unique style. The album opener, "Granada", features Esquivel's lightning-fast keyboard work, and lets loose in a dynamic blast of brass about half a minute into the song. "Begin The Beguine" introduced a zany slide-steel guitar, and those ever popular "zu zu zu zu" vocal lines by the Randy van Horne vocal group. Songs like "Night and Day" would echo the vocals of the original. This is not considered a knock-out album, but it shows a developing Esquivel honing his craft and making the arrangements his own.

Infinity In Sound, Vol. 2

Arguably one of his best albums, Esquivel is in peak form here. The compilation CDs, in fact, cover all but two of the songs on this album. "Sentimental Journey" is one of his major accomplishments, featuring all of the trademark elements of the Esquivel sound--"zu zu zu zu", the buzzimba, blaring brass, startling dynamics, and that crazed slide steel guitar all put in appearances. The Latin treasure "Baia" is given an arrangement rich in Chinese overtones. This album is so rich in orchestral colors that it defies description, and is very well balanced. Definitely a must-have for any Esquivel collection!