Richard Pratt

July 26, 2025

Sorry, nice folks ..., but the clips cannot convey the depth and breadth of Chris Duarte's masterful new album. This is a spectacular offering from a real guitar virtuoso, whose tonal pallete is as rich as that of any player I have ever heard. If you think of Chris Duarte as 'just' a Texas techno flash guitar slinger, then think again. Certainly, musical references to Hendrix and Stevie Ray are not hard to find but they are conveyed in a context that Duarte makes his own: this is mastery, not mimicry. This album is an absolute treat and after playing it about 30 times I still hear something new every time I hit 'play'. I have only heard the excellent 'Strat Magic' album previously but this is a whole new ball game, and better.Air guitarists will not be able to resist Romp, 101 or Like Eric, whilst dyed in the wool blues fans will slake their thirst on numbers like B flat Blues and Take It To The Lord. However the album's tour de force is Last Night. This is just under 10 minutes of brooding malevolence and possessed (yet controlled) guitar playing. Frankly it is worth buying the album for by itself.Mention should also be made of Duarte's strong, but never overbearing, vocals and the production is wonderfully open and detailed: I could have sworn this was analog recording (it wasn't!).Two recommendations: buy this album and play it loud.

deepbluereview

July 20, 2025

They say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and that couldn't be more true judging from the reviews of this CD. Personally, I found this CD to be somewhat of a failure on Duarte's part especially after hearing his last two CD's, "Tailspin Headwhack" and "Love is Greater Than Me." When Duarte last recorded he told us in the liner notes that he had fallen on hard times. He had lost his recording contract and went through a very hard divorce. While that is not an envious position to be in, he successfully channeled that energy into his playing and, at least for me anyway, created his best recording, "Love Is Greater Than Me." Now remarried and putting out his second release for Rounder Records, Duarte seems to have lost that feeling. Instead of concentrating on the blues, he has attempted to produce some radio friendly songs, which due to their mediocrity, you will be unlikely to ever hear on any rock and roll radio station. There are some highlights on the disk however, such as the Mississippi bluesman, Junior Kimbrough's "Do The Romp", Bob Dylan's "One More Cup" and Duarte's own "101" but, as good as they are, they get lost in the remainder of the disc. It is clear from this recording that Duarte is still searching for a style and a voice. Maybe next time he will be back on track.

Ken Hill

June 6, 2025

In a world where Eminem rides in Learjets, and wins awards for rhyming dirty words, Chris Duarte is carrying his own amp and taking turns driving the van. What a cruel joke fate is playing! This is a great album by a master player. He even shows his chops singing this time. This album is from Austin Texas and is here to play.....

Dave Jackson

April 7, 2025

I love the first song (title Track). It might be that I was spoiled as I heard most of these tunes live, and (per usual) the CD doesn't quite capture the magic of his performance. Chris does spread out a bit style-wise. To me, I would've spaced the songs a little different as songs such as My My, and One More Cup are both kind of laid back grooves (this might be due to new drummer Ed Miles?). It seems that B flat blues was written for the single purpose of having an upbeat tune before going into the intimate song "Last Night" (great use of dynamics - wow). To me, the Title Track, 101 is a GREAT tune, My My, and Last Night are the highlights. This album seems to have more of a "Hendrix vibe" where at times Chris sounds like he is choking his extremely distorted guitar. I was confused by the "Like Eric" tune (cause it is a GREAT Eric Johnson imitation). However, I purchased a Chris Duarte CD right? I'm sure its just a "tip of his hat" to his friend Eric (Chris used some of Eric's equipment on his last CD). Anyway, the song probably provides the best "shredding" on the CD. If you're looking for another Shiloh, its not here, but there are some good tracks. I also thought Vocally he sounded stronger. I keep trying to take it out of my car, but I have to listen to 101 "just one more time," and then I listen to "Last Night" etc, and then Romp,,, and then...

Gaddman

March 20, 2025

Wow - This album is SMOKIN'! It's raw, in-your-face, guitar-spankin' ear candy. This is the best CD to come from CDG since Texas Sugar. Chris is definately back and in rare form. This is almost a live CD...very nice! Thank you!

BDonal

March 18, 2025

Sugar Strat magic is still his best CD so far. His last 2 cd's were alittle strange for me so this is an improvement. I can't write such a glowing review as the others have to far. Given second chance I would not have bought this cd. Its pretty good but I was hoping for something along the lines of his earlier release "Sugar Strat Magic". Romp just has not grabbed me yet even after my third time though.

John Terry

March 11, 2025

Austin guitarist Chris Duarte can't seem to escape the shadow of Stevie Ray Vaughan. Much like Stevie, Chris started young. By the age of fifteen, Chris was playing jazz and blues in Austin clubs. His first few albums solidified his hold on the title of "the next Stevie Ray". The thing is, Chris is worthy of your respect without labeling him the next anybody. Let somebody else be "the next Chris Duarte". "Romp" goes a long way towards showing folks that Chris isn't just another Texan with a guitar. In fact, most of "Romp" recalls Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck as much as or more than Stevie. Recommended cuts include "Do the Romp", "Fire's Gone Out" and "Bb Blues". Chris explodes on the uptempo numbers and is appropriately smoldering and sinister on the slow stuff. Really fine stuff for those of you who don't insist that he do the same thing over and over again. Check it out!

ＡＴ

February 23, 2025

彼のファーストは素晴らしい出来だった。その名前のとおりストラトマジックだった。この作品は公式四作目。あれから数年、プレイの幅の広さに驚く。eric johnsonそっくりにプレイする『like eric』などはテクニシャンという証拠でもあろうか？srv亡き後、１番手の旗手として現れて以後、革新を続け新たなジャンルへ踏み出そうとしている。ファーストのシンプルな音が懐かしいものだ。。。

george

January 11, 2025

I have a lot of Chris' and this one is right up there with the rest. Its' an awesome cd.

BDonal

January 7, 2025

Sugar Strat magic is still his best CD so far. His last 2 cd's were alittle strange for me so this is an improvement. I can't write such a glowing review as the others have to far. Given second chance I would not have bought this cd. Its pretty good but I was hoping for something along the lines of his earlier release "Sugar Strat Magic". Romp just has not grabbed me yet even after my third time though.

Ed I. Day

December 10, 2024

ROMP is right, Romp on down on some Rock Blues with dirty, clean, did I mention clean? Rock Blues

Dennis J. Overend

December 6, 2024

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