Nathanael Hale - Conquistador Spanish Solo

Hear The Track Here

Sometimes I think I must write these reviews in my sleep (Ed: you DON'T??). I've just re-read my first review of Nathanael Hale when I pawed Reflections (March 2010) for a while. In it I comment that Nathanael 'is essentially a guitarist, nothing more' and I'm sure I wouldn't have said something as insulting as that if I was awake at the time. Mind you, in my own defence, Nathanael also gives that impression and while he is undoubtedly a guitarist, that covers several different shades Reflections was a seriously slick piece of swing jazz, with some very cool licks from the man himself who proves that he can play up a storm - and now he's gone all Spanish on us...

Andaly, and all that....

I admitted the other day that I don't like Latin music, but I guess that isn't strictly true. I am an absolute nut when it comes to Spanish Classical music and its various modern offshoots, it is - of course - a particularly guitarist genre and there are a great many modern proponents. I've been waxing lyrical to everyone I meet about Rodigo y Gabriela (Ed: yes, and are they paying you??) although that isn't strictly Spanish or Classical but certainly its roots are. As indeed is Conquistador which - suprisingly enough - is a Spanish guitar solo (as it says in the title) although to be accurate it's several solos. Either that or the guy has ninety fingers and that's just too silly, even for me. Think Christopher Martin Hansen and you'd be in the ballpark, although to give him his due, Nathanael Hale sounds a lot more naturally Spanish.

That's not to say that any of these musicians actually think Spanish when they play, but it is certainly what I hear. It's the roots, mang. Nathanael Hale does an excellent job with Conquistador, although the sound quality could have been significantly better, but maybe that's just me showing my spoiled brat side. Nevertheless, Conquistador shows that while Nathanael Hale may very well be 'just' a guitarist, he's a guitarist who I have taken special note of - and with just two tracks. Be aware though that the webpage contains two Conquistador tracks, this one and El Conquistador and although they tread the same ground, this one is by far the better track, soundwise and songwise.

Highly Recommended yiy yiy yiy yiy guitar work.