Shortly after the release of Texas Sugar/Strat Magik in 1994, I was mesmerized by the tone and riffs of Chris Duarte and knew if he toured I would go see him live. In 1995 he came to Dayton, Ohio. I was not disappointed. He captivated the crowd with his playing and endless energy. Fast forward 18 years to 2013, Orlando, FL. Just like a fine bottle of wine that gets better with age, Chris Duarte fronting his current three piece ensemble, improved with the passing of time. I really expected to see a Duarte older, wiser, but a few steps slower . . .He was older and wiser (quoting Shakespeare during the sound check), but his energy level and expertise on the guitar had not diminished one iota! He delivered two sets (two hours) of blistering blues that quite honestly was the finest I have listened to for quite a while. His catalog of songs is much more diverse, although he borrows heavily off the aforementioned first release. Besides his greats like Big- legged Woman and My Way Down, the highlight of the night was: One More Cup of Coffee from the Romp recording. The Nikon came with me and I attempted to capture the explosive energy digitally. I look forward to the next time I see the Chris Duarte Group, hopefully it will not take as many years.
