Juan García Esquivel
Juan García Esquivel (January 20, 1918 – January 3, 2002), often known mononymously as Esquivel!, was a Mexican band leader, pianist, and composer for television and films. He is recognized today as one of the foremost exponents of a sophisticated style of largely instrumental music that combines elements of lounge music and jazz with Latin flavors. Esquivel is sometimes called "The King of Space Age Pop" and "The Busby Berkeley of Cocktail Music", and is considered one of the foremost exponents of a style of late 1950s-early 1960s quirky instrumental pop that became known (in retrospect) as "Space Age Bachelor Pad Music". |
Birth and Death Data: Born Tampico (city in Tamaulipas, Mexico), Died January 3, 2002 (Jiutepec (municipal seat of Jiutepec, State of Morelos, Mexico) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1945 - 1956
Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, arranger, composer, songwriter, piano
Notes: Juan García Esquivel is often cited mononymously as "Esquivel!"
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | MBS-081245 | 10-in. | before 8/2/1945 | Envidia | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Genaro Salinas | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081246 | 10-in. | before 8/2/1945 | Triste pensamiento | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Genaro Salinas | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081274 | 10-in. | before 8/23/1945 | No llores por amor | Amparó Montes ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081417 | 10-in. | before 3/28/1946 | Angelitos negros | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Toña, la Negra | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081418 | 10-in. | before 3/28/1946 | Rubantela | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Toña, la Negra | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081591 | 10-in. | before 10/17/1946 | Muy trade | Dora Luz ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081592 | 10-in. | before 8/15/1946 | Murmullo del mar | Dora Luz ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-081619 | 10-in. | before 10/22/1946 | La ronda infantil | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Instrumental ensemble | leader, arranger | |
| Victor | MBS-092461 | 10-in. | before 11/24/1950 | Llévame | Chucho Martínez Gil ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-092462 | 10-in. | before 11/24/1950 | Si tú quisieras | Rosita Fornés ; Chucho Martínez Gil ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Female-male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-093430 | 10-in. | before 6/17/1952 | Gira, Gira | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Pedro Vargas | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-094806 | 10-in. | before 9/21/1954 | Besame mucho | Orquesta Sonorama Juan García Esquivel | Instrumental ensemble | leader, arranger | |
| Victor | MBS-095073 | 10-in. | before 5/4/1955 | Siboney | Orquesta Sonorama Juan García Esquivel | Instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095074 | 10-in. | before 5/4/1955 | Hornblowers serenade | Orquesta Sonorama Juan García Esquivel | Instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095107 | 10-in. | before 5/24/1955 | Venganza | María Victoria ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095108 | 10-in. | before 5/24/1955 | Mi ultimo fracaso | María Victoria ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095391 | 10-in. | before 11/30/1955 | Jungle drums | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095458 | 10-in. | before 1/31/1956 | Nightingale | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095795 | 10-in. | before 7/13/1956 | Una de cadillac | Fernando Fernández ; Orquesta Juan García Esquivel | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | |
| Victor | MBS-095796 | before 7/13/1956 | Acapulco | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Pedro Vargas | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader, composer | ||
| Victor | MBS-095797 | before 7/13/1956 | Dorotea | Orquesta Juan García Esquivel ; Pedro Vargas | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | leader | ||
| Victor | E4FB-3016 | 10-in. | 1/14/1954 | Mentiras | Lalo Guerrero y su Mariachi | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Esquivel, Juan García," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107223.
Esquivel, Juan García. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107223.
"Esquivel, Juan García." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Juan García Esquivel
Discogs: Juan García Esquivel
Allmusic: Juan García Esquivel
Grove: Juan García Esquivel
IMDb: Juan García Esquivel
Britannica: Juan García Esquivel
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Esquivel, Juan García - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95028276
Wikidata: Juan García Esquivel - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q722627
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/7597874
MusicBrainz: Juan García Esquivel - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/cf3a09cd-6374-4050-8b70-b4de5bafd681
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1987848 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1987848
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