Esbe : Mountain Aires : CD

ESBE: Mount Iwaki –Cherry Blossom at Hirosaki Castle; Sunset on Mount Hotaka; Passing Storm in Yosemite; Lazy Lunch in the Sierra Nevada; Old Man of Storr; Ghost River Valley Night Walk; Lalibela: ADLER/STRADLIN/AXL ROSE/ ROSE McKAGAN; HUDSON/ CLARKE : Echo Canyon – Only You, Sweet Child of Mine: BACH ( arr Esbe) : Lusation Hills – Walking With Bach on a Cloudy Day.

 Esbe

New Cat Music: 251

Esbe is a London based Guitar composer/performer who I must confess was completely unknown to me. Here we find an album that takes its inspiration from mountain peaks and valleys. Seven of the 9 pieces are her compositions with the final two being a very unusual modern version of Bach’s Sarabande from the 3^rd Lute Suite, and a piece written by Guns and Roses (Sweet Child of Mine) and the well – known piece Only You sung by Alison Moyet, placed together in a very imaginative arrangement by Esbe

So what we find here are multi – tracked guitars , all by Esbe, creating a quite unique sound that is very clever and yet quite original in style. There is often a guitar that plays a kind of motto theme, whilst the others perform the melody and other riffs and yet everything combines in to very satisfactory whole, the like of which you will not have heard before.

 The opening track sets the scene, for the listener. Mount Iwaki, Cherry Blossom at Hirosaki Castle begins with harmonics that sound a little like the oriental string instrument the Koto until all the other guitars gradually enter creating this sound world that is extremely original. I am surprised I have never heard of this lady’s music before, but it really is worth hearing. The amalgam of the Guns & Roses and Moyet tracks with her own music is quite an original idea i would never have thought of whilst her arrangement of the Bach piece is nothing like you might expect!

This is a nice album with relaxing music, beautifully played, and definitely worth getting to hear!

Chris Dumigan