Other Worlds Other Sounds / Four Corners of World

Esquivel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 16, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bar/None Records
• ASIN: B0000048F6
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,029 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #78 in Music > Pop > Easy Listening > Retro Space Age

Track Listings

1. Granada

2. Begin the Beguine

3. Night and Day

4. Poinciana

5. Playfully

6. Adios

7. That Old Black Magic

8. Nature Boy

9. Magic Is the Moonlight (Te Quiero Dijeste)

10. Speak Low

11. Ballerina

12. It Had to Be You

13. Dark Eyes

14. Blue Danube

15. Domino

16. Oye Negra

17. My Silent Love

18. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

19. Tico-Tico

20. April in Portugal

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The cover of Other Worlds, Other Sounds says it all--like the woman in red dancing on a moonscape, this 1958 long-player was all about fantasy. And Esquivel, the legendary Mexican conductor-arranger and forefather to the entire lounge and exotica renaissance of the mid '90s, wasn't afraid to fantasize about his instrumentation nor the newfangled invention known as "stereophonic sound." Essentially, this is an entire album of standards played in a beguine tempo with a percussive orchestra and a humming chorus, but--under Esquivel's knob-twiddling fingers--the disc turns into magic. Voices ring back and forth between speakers, horns explode out of nowhere, and piano sounds cascade out of the stereo. This is what hi-fi was all about, and--though it was merely a precursor to the composer's even stranger sonic experiments--it's also one of his most cohesive albums. Four Corners of the World, a relatively straightforward piano-based lounge LP featuring Esquivel tickling the ivories, is also included here. For an even better overview of Esquivel's wild sonics, check out the compilation Cabaret Mañana. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Esquivel hits the states with a POW!, February 14, 2002

By 

Elwood Conway "elwoodc" (Frankfort, KY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Other Worlds Other Sounds / Four Corners of World (Audio CD)

This LP, Juan's first American recording, helped to usher in the "bachelor-pad, stereophinic sound spectacular" demonstration music of the early stereo years. Yet his arrangements are all first class originals. Whereas many other arrangers resort to gimmickry (sound effects and such) Esquivel integrates unusual tonal voices with the standard big band/woodwind/percussion group. It is seamless and quite enjoyable. BUT MAKE SURE AND GET THE IMPORT VERSION. It boasts the original liner notes and, to my ears, a tape that is as least one generation closer to the master (maybe it is the original master). Bottom line is the import simply sounds fuller than the domestic release. It is definitely worth the few extra bucks to get it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lounge with a Twist of Strange, September 12, 2001

By 

Mark Maj "80band" (Lackawanna, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Other Worlds Other Sounds / Four Corners of World (Audio CD)

I enjoy Lounge music and exotica especially when the conductor/arranger is trying to experiment with new high tech stereophonic or Hi Fi sound. Ok so its nothing new to us now but back then in 1958 it was the latest brake through in recording technology. And Esquivel was at the time trying to use this new tech to its fullest by arranging the music not only to present the music in a unique manner as any other arranger would, but also thinking about right channel, left channel, fade in, fade out, and also both channels. I always suggest to anyone, who purchases any music from this time period, "have you listened to it wearing headphones". And truly Esquivel's music is not fully appreciated until it is heard wearing headphones. The music and arrangements are beautiful and Esquivel's piano stylings are unreal. This and all of Esquivel's work is a must have for any Lounge music fans.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mexican genius!, January 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Other Worlds Other Sounds / Four Corners of World (Audio CD)

This CD is pretty darn good. The songs on it are, I suppose, what would normally be considered cheesy, easy-listening standards. But Esquivel puts a slightly odd twist on the arrangements and in doing so gives them a hard-to-define, vaguely uneasy edge. And as a pianist, the man really does seem, at times, to playing two keyboards at the same time. Versatile bloke or what?

This CD actually contains two separate original albums, The lusher "Other Worlds.." followed by the sparser "Four Corners.." Legend has it that after Esquivel had recorded the "Other Worlds..." album with a bigger orchestra, he found he had 90 minutes allotted studio time left and so recorded the "Four Corners..." album using a stripped down ensemble (none of your "our new record took, like, 3 years to make and is, like, based on Orwells "Animal Farm", man..." approach here). Another great point is the use Esquivel makes of stereo, (as part of RCA's contemporary Living Stereo series) In some ways, this predates the experimental methods that psychedelic pioneers would use in the studios in the late 60's, and all this adds further to the slightly skewed atmosphere this CD generates. The whole conspires together (as least in my head, anyway) to produce mental images of early sixties Neil Simon-scripted films, usually starring Jack Lemmon, and probably set in Noo York. (I don't know why, tho'. It just does)

So, want a slightly more off-the-wall, atmospheric easy listening? Then Esquivels yer man...A genius!