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Esteban has been an established guitarist for several decades, toiling in the new age and smooth jazz markets and overcoming a great deal of circumstantial adversity along the way. While BEST OF ESTEBAN is not the type of collection that is going to make your heart race if you are a rock or rap fan, it is certainly a representative collection of a competent, capable musician and at the very least is a must-have for Esteban’s multitude of fans.

Esteban is a master of the Spanish guitar and while I am hardly qualified to speak as to the permutations of genres encompassed in same he plays to my untrained ear in the flamenco style. His arrangements bring quite a bit to the table, so that tunes which might be unfamiliar to the average listener, such as “Fuego Malaguena” and “Mediterana,” are as stirring as more familiar adaptations of  The Beatles‘ “Here Comes The Sun” and, surprisingly enough, Del Shannon’s immortal “Runaway.” Those expecting auditory pyrotechnics or beat boxes should look elsewhere; this is music to fill the silence, to slow the pulse.

While BEST OF ESTEBAN will not appeal to everyone, it is a beautifully produced snapshot of an artist who continues, after years of performances, to enthrall and delight his loyal fan base. If you're looking for perfect music for your having your significant other’s parents over, get this one.