Chris Duarte . .Guitar Slinger Extraordinaire.

Date: 11/31/2013
Place: Holy Smokes / Orlando Florida

When Chris Duarte comes to town, I go. Simple as that. The Texas Journeyman never disappoints with a performance and always delivers non-stop with a couple hours of nothing but the best in guitar charged blues/rock. Lets face the facts, three piece is not easy to master..That is why I respect it.  A magic combination of  near perfect musicianship and impeccable timing, with everyone in the trio pulling their weight. Chris Duarte Group did all of the above. A variety of his works to date were preformed, all eleven recordings or so. Durarte does homage to Hendrix with the layering of his tones aka feedback and just the right sprinkling of effects. Then he turns on a dime and delivers twelve bar blues down and dirty. Afterwards, he can do his rendition of a classic 50's Hank Ballard and the Midnighters song. That is what you call diversified. At any rate, the show was worth double what I paid and I do not say that about many shows I go to. I am already anticipating his next visit to Orlando. As usual, I captured a few images of  the show and will post them. "My Soul Alone" is the latest recording  for Chris Duarte and available on Amazom.com
Check out a few videos!  http://www.thechrisduartegroup.com/socialnetworks.html

  

Blues Scrapbook

Through the years I have had the privilege of seeing some great blues men and women as they pay their dues in the small clubs, music halls and festivals in various cities here in the USA. Nine times out of ten I take one of my cameras to the shows and make an attempt at capturing the spontaneous raw energy that these artists evoke. Here is just a sampling of my Blues Scrapbook. Perhaps you have one of your own. We have in order: Albert Castiglia, The late Ann Rabson, Anson Funderburgh, The Paladins Bass Player: Thomas Yearsley. Bryan Lee the Braille Blues Daddy, BB King, Blind Pig Recording Artist Damon Fowler, Smokin' Joe Kubek, Indigenous front man; Mato Nunji, Jimmy Thackery, King Muddfish, Duke Robillard, Tab Benoit, Studebaker John and Joanne Shaw Taylor.

Further On Down The Road

  The much anticipated Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013 Audio CD's and Blue ray video will be released next month: November 19, 2013. This huge annual event took place this year inside New York City's Madison Square Gardens this past spring. Eric assembled another great line up this year as he continues to up the ante with this season's festival.   The usual suspects were preforming: BB King, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughan, Sonny Landreth, Keb Mo', Jeff Beck, Vince Gill, Doyle Bramhall II, Robert Cray and Steve Cropper. This years additions: Taj Mahal, The Allman Brothers Band and Booker T.  90 minutes of video should satisfy everyone that wasn't able to attend. So hold onto your hats until November and your eyes and ears will be rewarded with some of the best in blues. To wet your appetite I have linked some available video via You Tube today 10/22 at the bottom of this post! Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=efFo-Clq844

The Rides

I can remember in 1967 via the Ed Sullivan Show, seeing Buffalo Springfield sing: "For What It's Worth" like it was yesterday. That song along with Fogarty's "Fortunate Son," marked a time when music and lyrics protested war and everything that stood for it. Singer/ Songwriter Stephen Stills has been at it along time, he cut his teeth with Buffalo Springfield, followed that gig with another group called; Crosby, Stills and Nash. Neil Young followed and the rest is history. Stills is the first person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice in one night -Buffalo Springfield / Crosby Stills Nash and Young.
Which brings us to the present where the veteran has helped form another interesting approach to Blues/Rock with The Rides. The Rides are; five time Grammy nominated singer, guitarist, songwriter: Kenny Wayne Shepherd,  famed Chicago Rock/Blues keyboard player: Barry Goldberg and the aforementioned Stephen Stills. I am always skeptical about so called super groups, much like great athletes where their larger than life egos and emotions create friction and disaster in sports teams. However, I am here to tell you that this musical chemistry works and works well. The Rides; Can't Get Enough is a solid album. Great songwriting, extraordinary playing and a stellar recording/mix. It's the perfect blending of generations. What a variety pack of songs you get here; Muddy Waters "Honey Bee",  Elmore James: "Talk To Me Baby." and Neil Young's anthem: "Rockin' In The Free World." Originals include the bluesy: "Can't Get Enough Of Loving You", "Roadhouse" and "Only Teardrops Fall"- All Three feature Still's haunting vocals and Kenny Wayne's clean and powerful riffs. Don't forget that holding down the back beat is drummer extraordinaire Chris "Whipper" Layton , formerly with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, but now with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.  Everything comes together here, the musicians, the songs, vocals, I can't deny the Rides Can't Get Enough may be the best blues/rock album of the year!