Chris Duarte Albums (7)
What The Critics Say
Proving that the blues not only sees no color but also no country, Chris Duarte unites with Bluestone Company, the biggest blues band in Japan, for a collaboration called 396. Of course, duet albums have a long, storied tradition within the blues -- Junior Wells played with Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter revived Muddy Waters' career, British bands like the Yardbirds supported their hero Sonny Boy Williamson -- so this doesn't feel opportunistic, although it's clearly a way for Duarte to consolidate his Japanese following and get Bluestone Company some exposure stateside. In that regard, 396 isn't a particularly free-flowing jam session, but the album suggests that Bluestone Company aren't really about loose-limbed jams anyway. They're a tight, efficient outfit, working precision rhythms that never lose sight of the pocket, and they show a peculiar fondness for funkifying their groove, which makes them feel less like a blues band than a blues-inflected bar band. This doesn't give Duarte a whole lot of room to roam -- this is hardly a showcase for his guitar the way 2008's Vantage Point or 2007's Blue Velocity were and his vocals are too close-miked for comfort -- but it does speak well for him as a collaborator and for Bluestone Company as a supporting band that they could find a comfortable common ground, one that's partway between their two strengths. Granted, this common ground can sound like a weird, stiff jam from Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan's co-headlining tour from 1990 -- only with less complicated polyrhythms -- but hardcore fans of either artist will find something to enjoy in this cross-pollination. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Now six albums into his career, it doesn't seem likely that Chris Duarte will ever quite shake off comparisons to Stevie Ray Vaughan and, to a lesser extent, Jimi Hendrix -- not because those comparisons are lazy critical shorthand but because Duarte continues to find more to mine in the tones and licks of those twin Stratocaster gods. On Vantage Point he relies rather heavily on Texas shuffles and slow, elongated 12-bar blues, so the scales are tipped slightly in SRV's favor, but Duarte does manage to fuse his two inspirations on "She Don't Live Here Anymore," which comes across as a Stevie Ray spin on "Voodoo Chile." Of course, Vaughan covered that on Couldn't Stand the Weather, finding his own voice within Hendrix, and Duarte follows his idol's lead here, creating his own sound out of his inspirations. At first, the similarities to Stevie Ray can be overwhelming -- Duarte loves that big, clean out-of-phase sound that SRV did -- but that fades away as you concentrate on how Duarte spins away from that, either in the funky, Jeff Beck fusion of "Woodpecker," or how liquid his leads on "More Boogie" are. Throughout this record, Duarte's playing is this exceptional, but the best moments here are when his writing is up to his playing, as it is on the old-style roadhouse shuffle "Satisfy." These are the moments that suggest his growth as a writer is starting to match his growth as a player. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Chris Duarte's name is nearly always mentioned alongside those of the late, great guitar gods Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. There is some validity to the comparison, as Duarte does specialize in that high-octane, lightning-bright, raw but intelligent brand of playing that Hendrix and Vaughan had so definitively put their names on, and he does quite often favor their tones and draw on their trademark licks. But those comparisons were only partially true even when Duarte emerged from Austin in the mid-'90s as a promising craftsman, and they're approaching irrelevancy now that he's working his way toward seasoned vet. Duarte has painstakingly absorbed his influences to develop his own signature style and gained his own coterie of fans, and Blue Velocity, Duarte's first release since 2003's Romp, is where it all comes together. With Dustin Sargent on bass and Damien Lewis pounding drums, Duarte emerges here as more of a total artist than in the past -- the guitar brilliance serves the songs, rather than the other way around. From the thudding, crunching opener "Amy Lee" to the lengthy, melodic mid-tempo showcase "Something Wicked" (OK, he does owe Hendrix big-time for the approach on that one) to the punky screamer "Never Gonna Change" and the roughly Johnny Winter-esque "Out in the Rain," each track is packed with ace musicianship, solid songwriting, impassioned vocals from Duarte and whole lot of fire. But let's face it, in the end, it's that guitar that his fans are going to be gripping onto, and yes, Duarte delivers. On Blue Velocity he transcends those abovementioned names to offer consistently superb, no-frills, ballsy axemanship that will more than satisfy those craving something new in the blues-rock arena. Duarte may never be considered one of the great innovators, but he's certainly one of blues-rock's most impressive current practitioners. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although he doesn't totally transcend his Stevie Ray Vaughan/Hendrix influences, Chris Duarte attempts to progress beyond them -- occasionally -- on his fourth release, Romp. Kicking off with the greasy Junior Kimbrough-penned title track, he then moves into a sizzling Hendrix-fueled instrumental, "101," which shows his hot-dog guitar prowess but could have been on any of his previous discs. Similarly, the flashy "Like Eric" doesn't hide the fact that if you wanted to hear Eric Johnson, you'd buy an Eric Johnson album. Things finally settle into a more unique groove on "My My." Here his haunting Hendrix-styled distorted fuzz tone nudges a mechanical beat that's creepy and edgy. Better still is a version of Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee," the album's six-minute centerpiece that transforms the original into a dreamy, ominous ode, utilizing near spoken lyrics against a subtle and stark backing. With a slinky guitar solo that reflects the tune's longing, it's where the guitarist finally establishes a distinctive approach, albeit with someone else's song. On the nine-minute "Last Night," Duarte mines similar territory with a brooding, mesmerizing poem of devils and inner demons that sounds like something Jim Morrison conjured up in a heroin-fueled nightmare. His guitar skitters and snakes around the melody, exploding then suddenly pulling back in a dazzling display of restraint and fret shredding that makes you wish he would have maintained this level of menacing intensity for the entire album. "Mr. Neighbor" revisits Hendrix again in a tune that is structured so closely to "Bold as Love" -- right down to the guitar tone -- you'd think Jimi would get a co-writing credit. The closing, spiritually based "Take It to the Lord" shows that Duarte can compose a religious ballad that doesn't pander to lowest common denominator clichés. He's obviously got chops and good ideas, but Duarte still hasn't quite forged his own sound for an entire album. Romp though, proves that he's getting closer. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
'Tailspin Headwhack'
Release Date 8/26/1997
Tracks 10
Label Silvertone
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Chris Duarte's debut album, Texas Sugar/Strat Magik, promised great things, and his second album, Tailspin Headwhack, doesn't fail to deliver. Like its predecessor, it's a dynamic collection of hot Texas blues-rock powered by Duarte's muscular, tasteful playing. There's still a lack of distinctive original material, but that doesn't matter, because he infuses each song, from the single "Cleopatra" to a cover of B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," with energy and passion. Most importantly, Duarte is beginning to break away from his Stevie Ray and Hendrix influences and establish himself as a talented stylist in his own right, and that's what makes Tailspin Headwhack a successful second record. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
'Texas Sugar/Strat Magik'
Release Date 10/11/1994
Tracks 9
Label Silvertone
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Guitarist Chris Duarte's Texas Sugar Strat Magik is an impressive debut album, showcasing his fiery, Stevie Ray Vaughan-derived blues-rock. As a songwriter, Duarte is still developing -- he fails to come up with any memorable songs, although he does contribute several competent, unexceptional genre pieces -- but as an instrumentalist, he's first-rate, spitting out solos with a blistering intensity or laying back with gentle, lyrical phrases. And that's what makes Texas Sugar Strat Magik a successful record -- it's simply a great guitar album, full of exceptional playing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
