Chris Duarte - Ain't Giving Up

Album: Ain't Giving Up
Size: 116,4 MB
Time: 50:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2023
Styles: Blues/Rock
Art: Front

1. Nobody But You (3:08)
2. Big Fight (4:26)
3. Bye, Bye, Bye (3:13)
4. Can Opener (4:08)
5. Gimme Your Love (4:37)
6. Come My Way (5:18)
7. Half As Good As Two (3:27)
8. Lies Lies Lies (3:02)
9. Ain't Giving Up On Us (3:41)
10. Look What U Made Me Do (4:42)
11. The Real Low Down (3:34)
12. Weak Days (7:00)

Texas blues guitar slinger Chris Duarte works his magic on his new album Ain’t Giving Up, reuniting with producer guitarist Dennis Herring from Duarte’s 1994 Texas Sugar Strat Magik album. The new record was recorded live on the floor and it’s raw, gritty rock and roll. A high energy affair, Ain’t Giving Up captures the guitar virtuoso’s mastery of the Texas shuffle, and his deep love for the blues infused with rock and roll. Known for his aggressive, passionate playing style, tough enough to draw blood from his fingertips, Chris Duarte takes charge of the Texas blues tradition, not unlike Stevie Ray Vaughan. In fact, he’s been recognized as a modern blues version of SRV.

A student of several genres, Duarte kicks down the doors of the blues by infusing punk, jazz, rock and funk. A wildly talented guitarist, he lets loose in a way that many don’t. He won “Best Blues Guitarist” in Guitar Player’s Reader’s Poll, has released 16 albums and toured the world several times over. Whether billed as Chris Duarte or Chis Duarte Group, this singer, songwriter guitar player tours more than 150 dates a year. He’s headlined major festivals and clubs throughout the US, Europe and Canada and performed with Julie Burrell, Diana Cantu, Bobby Mack, Tracy Conover, Indigenous, Omar & the Howlers, and the Americana band Beth Lee & The Breakups. His concerts dates in North Carolina and South Carolina were filmed for the PBS television show, The PBS Project. /Martine Ehrenclou, Rock & Blues Muse

Ain't Giving Up mc
Ain't Giving Up zippy

---

Mojo Perry - 2 albums: Absinthe Journeys / Milwaukee

As the founding father of the "Northern Sound", Mojo Perry is no stranger to the guitar. Beginning at age five, he quickly graduated to performing in taverns. Standing out among other guitarists in the area, he released his first recording at age 16. The material had Mojo’s distinct fingerprints, a signature sound, and showed exceptional potential. He was virtually always, and still can be, found in a recording studio laying down tracks and developing his craft.

Album: Absinthe Journeys
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:23
Size: 117.7 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Naughty Boy
[5:15] 2. No Tomorrow
[4:14] 3. Vagabond
[3:31] 4. Casual Dismissal
[3:42] 5. Story Song
[3:43] 6. The Madhatter
[3:13] 7. Intermission
[4:30] 8. La Fee Verte
[5:36] 9. I'll Remember You
[6:01] 10. Slow Down
[3:46] 11. Tunnel Of Love
[3:11] 12. Come Back To Me
[0:31] 13. Madness

Mojo Perry (MadHatter) - Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Visionary; Levi Douma - Bass; Ryan Pettersen - Drums.

Absinthe Journeys mc
Absinthe Journeys zippy

---

Album: Milwaukee
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:51
Size: 130.2 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. Fool In The Rain
[4:04] 2. Hotsy Totsy
[4:27] 3. Eye Of The Beholder
[6:30] 4. 20 Dollar Bill
[3:35] 5. Trouble
[4:46] 6. Good Times
[4:52] 7. Question Answer
[3:23] 8. Indrani
[6:16] 9. Heroin
[3:04] 10. Rainy Days
[1:31] 11. Goin' The Distance
[5:56] 12. Monkey Food
[4:45] 13. Milwaukee Blues

Mojo Perry (MadHatter) - Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Visionary; Chris Duarte - Guitars, Vocals; Ryan Pettersen - Drums; Jim Korn - Bass; Keith Farnum - Bass.

Milwaukee mc
Milwaukee zippy

---

Chris Duarte Group - 2 albums: My Soul Alone / Vantage Point

Album: My Soul Alone
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:00
Size: 169.4 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[ 4:37] 1. Show Me That You Want It
[ 3:20] 2. Yes, It's You
[ 4:58] 3. Take Me Now
[ 8:19] 4. A Dollar Down And Feeling Low
[ 5:45] 5. I Bucked It Up
[ 4:05] 6. Outta My Way
[ 7:08] 7. Leave My Soul Alone
[ 4:17] 8. Sweet Little Girl
[11:12] 9. Lazy Afternoon
[ 4:06] 10. Can't Shut Me Out
[ 8:45] 11. Blue Jean Outlaw
[ 7:23] 12. Carelessness

An impressive and fiery Texas blues guitarist, Chris Duarte's latest album, My Soul Alone, was recorded at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, California with Aaron Haggerty on drums and Steve Evans on bass; Mads Tolling adds violin on one track (the final cut, "Carelessness"). Earlier in his career, Duarte was often compared to fellow Texas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Johnny Winter's name was tossed around, as well, but Duarte has been at this professional blues thing for a couple of decades now, and while he quite likely will never escape the Vaughan/Winter cul du sac, it's obvious at this point that he has his own varied spin on the whole modern Texas blues thing, spicing it up with, at times, a jazz feel, and he even pushes into light psychedelia now and then. This newest release doesn't break much new ground on that template, but it does spotlight Duarte's songwriting (he wrote each of the dozen tracks here), and his guitar work shines like it always does. Highlights include the upbeat and almost pop "Yes, It's You," the slow blues "A Dollar Down and Feeling Low," the smooth and flowing "Blue Jean Outlaw," and the set closer, the edgy and almost eerie "Carelessness." ~Steve Leggett

My Soul Alone

---

Album: Vantage Point
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:16
Size: 163.2 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[ 3:37] 1. The Best I Can Do
[ 3:57] 2. Satisfy
[ 5:54] 3. Slapstak
[ 4:46] 4. More Boogie
[ 5:43] 5. Troubles On Me
[ 3:21] 6. Let's Have A Party
[ 4:47] 7. The End Of Me And You
[ 4:11] 8. Blow Your Mind
[ 6:39] 9. She Don't Live Here Anymore
[ 6:26] 10. Babylon
[ 4:37] 11. Woodpecker
[12:08] 12. Blow Your Mind (Extended)
[ 5:04] 13. Troubles On Me (Extended)

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

Vantage Point

---

Various - Shrapnel Records Presents The Best Of Blues Rock

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 122:45
Size: 281.0 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Pat Travers - Statesboro Blues
[4:31] 2. Leslie West - Blues Before Sunrise
[3:56] 3. Zakk Wylde - Baby Please Don't Go
[8:29] 4. Indigenous - Don't Know What To Do
[7:55] 5. Schenker & Pattison Summit - Layla
[5:49] 6. Marc Ford - Don't Get Me Killed
[5:35] 7. Leslie West - The Thrill Is Gone
[6:43] 8. Pat Travers - Green Eyed Lady
[7:26] 9. Eric Gales - You Ain't The Boss Of Me
[5:30] 10. Frank Marino - I'll Play The Blues For You
[5:49] 11. Craig Erickson - Out Of Town
[7:33] 12. Eric Gales - Railroaded
[9:49] 13. Stoney Curtis Band - Blues Without You
[6:52] 14. Jon Butcher - Clean-Up Time
[6:20] 15. Craig Erickson - Closing Time
[6:13] 16. Michael Landau - The Darkness
[6:31] 17. Mato Nanji - I Was Wrong To Leave You
[9:19] 18. Chris Duarte Group - Sun Prairie Blues
[4:19] 19. Richie Kotzen - Broken Man Blues

Shrapnel Records Presents The Best Of Blues Rock

---

Ken Valdez - Soul Renegade

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:05
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. Soul Renegade
[3:37] 2. Rio Grande Blues
[4:40] 3. Sugar Shakin' Boogaloo (Feat. Chris Duarte)
[4:10] 4. Make It
[3:49] 5. Sometimes (Feat. Eric Gales)
[4:36] 6. Far From Gone
[4:33] 7. Detroit Iron
[4:41] 8. Final Season
[5:48] 9. Whiskey And Water
[4:58] 10. Angels
[4:07] 11. Wang Dang Doodle
[3:37] 12. One Hand On The Bottle
[4:21] 13. Come Together
[4:21] 14. Come Together (Outlaw Remix)

Santa Fe, New Mexico native Ken Valdez now calls St Paul, Minnesota home. On this release Ken wrote seven of the songs and had a hand from some illustrious collaborators – Doyle Bramhall II and Curtis Salgado get co-write credits on a track each – and there are two covers. The material appears to have been recorded over several sessions so there are quite a large number of musicians involved: Paul Peterson and Tucker Sterling Jensen are on bass, Mario Dawson, Pancho Lopez, Michael Bland, Joe Diaz and Jay Corkran share the drum stool and Brant Leeper, Ricky Peterson and Adam Daniel add keyboards. Additional players include Greg Jennings on slide guitar and Kevin BF Burt on harp on one cut each with Hazel Miller, Jason Peterson Delaire, Mary Cutrufello and Shalo Lee on backing vocals. Ken handles lead vocals and guitar and there are also guest spots for guitar slingers Chris Duarte and Eric Gales. The style is definitely at the rocky end of the blues with plenty of screaming guitar leads, as on “Sometimes” with Eric Gales’ buzzsaw guitar or “Make It” on which Ken needs no assistance in the guitar stakes. Chris’ contribution is on the shuffle “Sugar Shakin’ Boogaloo” that rocks along well.

Ken’s gruff vocals suit the blues rock style that is the main element on this album. The title track is a rock tune with a rousing chorus and almost prog rock organ work from Ricky; “Rio Grande Blues” may have the ‘B’ word in the title but it is also high energy rock with plenty of Ken’s trademark guitar. Curtis Salgado’s Rn’B influence pervades “Far From Gone” which was, for this reviewer, the standout track here. Ken drops the pace, his acoustic guitar well supported by Greg Jennings’ slide work, on a tale of barroom woe in the late Mike Jordan’s “Whiskey And Water”. Willie Dixon’s “Wang Dang Doodle” has been covered far too often and Ken’s histrionic version did not appeal. Those who are keen on blues-rock with plenty of revved-up guitar may well like this one. ~John Mitchell

Soul Renegade mc
Soul Renegade zippy

---

Chris Duarte Group - The Fan Club

Size: 138,5 MB
Time: 59:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. 313 (5:48)
02. Thick Of It (4:52)
03. Try Your Love On Me (5:18)
04. Wouldya Wanna (3:23)
05. She's Fine (3:20)
06. Rolling Freight Train (4:28)
07. I Can't Help Myself (3:42)
08. Wasting Away (5:11)
09. Pop Song (3:12)
10. Screenwriter's Blues (9:54)
11. You Suck (2:29)
12. Bigger Wheel (4:22)
13. Mary (3:28)

b. 16 February 1963, San Antonio, Texas, USA. This incredibly talented guitarist/songwriter moved to Austin, Texas in the late 70s, where he immersed himself in the local club scene. He enjoyed a spell with Bobby Mack before bursting onto the blues scene in 1994 with the release of Texas Sugar/Strat Magik, on which he was backed by John Jordan (bass) and Brannen Temple (drums). The album brought immediate acclaim for the band’s gritty, intense southern blues sound, with Duarte singled out for his technique. Indeed, in the 1995 Guitar World magazine Readers’ Poll, he was voted fourth best blues guitarist behind the much more established and esteemed company of Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King. Texas Sugar Strat Magik was additionally voted fourth best blues album. Duarte described the band’s sound as ‘blues based, but it has that loud aggressive edge that punk had. I liked Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, Dead Boys, anything that was hard.’ The decision to employ producer Dennis Herring, the former Los Angeles session guitarist previously noted for his work with Camper Van Beethoven and Throwing Muses, was also interesting. Afterwards the album was promoted on US touring dates with Buddy Guy. Tailspin Headwhack built on the debut’s blues edge by incorporating tape loops, wah-wah, and some tasteful sampling. After a three-year hiatus, during which he moved to the Zoë label, Duarte returned with Love Is Greater Than Me. The latest incarnation of his power trio consists of Damien Lewis (drums) and Dustin Sargent (bass), both were present on Blue Velocity.

The Fan Club

---

Supersonic Blues Machine - West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco

Size: 130,8 MB
Time: 55:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Miracle Man (4:24)
02. I Ain't Fallin' Again (3:28)
03. Running Whiskey (Feat. Billy F. Gibbons) (2:39)
04. Remedy (Feat. Warren Haynes) (5:41)
05. Bone Bucket Blues (3:11)
06. Let It Be (5:24)
07. That's My Way (Feat. Chris Duarte) (4:51)
08. Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of The City) (5:24)
09. Nightmares And Dreams (Feat. Eric Gales) (4:42)
10. Can't Take It No More (Feat. Walter Trout) (6:11)
11. Whiskey Time (Running Whiskey's Extended Ending) (2:12)
12. Let's Call It A Day (Feat. Robben Ford) (3:30)
13. Watchagonnado (3:47)

Real blues is the music of life experience. It is simple, but contains multitudes - feelings and knowledge accrued over decades. Collectively, the trio of musicians that make up Supersonic Blues Machine (SBM) have experienced more than three typical lifetimes. These world-class musicians have banded together in Supersonic Blues Machine, bonding in their love of this uniquely American genre and motivated by a desire to help its spirit evolve.

Fabrizio Grossi (bass/producer/engineer/wordsmith) worked his artistry in his birthplace - Milan, Italy - before migrating to London, Canada, New York, and currently Los Angeles.

Texan Lance Lopez (guitar/vocals) accrued at least one lifetime of experience before he was out of high school while playing bars in Louisiana and Florida. College came in the form of tours with R&B legend Johnny Taylor and blues masters Lucky Peterson and Bobby Blue Bland.

Kenny Aronoff (drums) has a resume that spans four decades and reads like a “Who’s Who” of roots rock legends, including John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, Jack White, Billy Gibbons, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and Dr. John.

Supersonic Blues Machine stems from Fabrizio Grossi’s desire to return to his roots. “The blues is what makes me tick. It is the main ingredient of any successful musical recipe,” he explains. “It is like pasta in Italian food. You can add all the ingredients you like and any sauce, but the pasta is the core of the dish. I’m the chef and blues is my pasta.”

Like a great recipe, Supersonic Blues Machine adds carefully chosen flavorings to its blues stock. “Blues is my passion but my favorite bands have always been eclectic, like the Beatles, Queen, Toto, and Earth, Wind and Fire,” Grossi continues. “I wanted to apply their lessons to Supersonic Blues Machine, and my band mates totally get that.” Aronoff calls it “a blast from the past aimed at the future.” Says Grossi, “You will feel B.B. King’s presence on stage even though we might be wearing space suits.”

Grossi found a magical connection with Kenny Aronoff when the two toured as the rhythm section of Toto guitarist Steve Lukather’s side Jam band “Goodfellas.”
The next step came when Lance Lopez contacted Grossi about working on the Texas guitar whiz’s new solo project. While they were recording, Grossi got a call from Billy Gibbons, whom he had met on a Los Angeles session. The ZZ Top guitarist had known Lopez as a young blues prodigy, and strongly suggested Grossi and Lopez join forces. It was the Reverend Billy G’s blessing that helped birth Supersonic Blues Machine, and a stronger imprimatur for a nascent blues-rock project would be hard to find.

The first tune recorded for the Supersonic Blues Machine project was “Running Whiskey,” written by Gibbons, Grossi, and Tal Wilkenfeld. It features Gibbons on guitar and vocals and helped forge the sound of this new blues-rock supergroup. “It had the twist on the blues that infuses all the other songs on the record,” says Grossi.

The guest guitarists on Supersonic Blues Machine’s debut West of Flushing, South of Frisco are not a random selection of famous names, but more like members of an extended family. “I have worked on projects with Warren Haynes [guest and co-writer on ‘Remedy’], and when he tours anywhere near Dallas, he will always have Lance sit in,” Grossi explains. Lopez and Chris Duarte (“That’s My Way”) have been friends for years, and the SBM guitarist grew up with guest Eric Gales (“Nightmares and Dreams”). Walter Trout (“Can’t Take It No More”) is yet another member of this blues fraternity who, despite battling health issues, was anxious to contribute to the project. Finally, Grossi describes Robben Ford (“Let’s Call It a Day”) as the “classiest guy” he knows. “All these people light up the room when they walk in,” he says.

West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco

---

VA - BamFest Vol. II

Size: 155,0 MB
Time: 66:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01 Larry McCray - Get Your Blues On (5:40)
02 Birddog & Friends - I Know The Reason (4:33)
03 Chris Duarte - Let's Have A Party (4:07)
04 Eric Sardinas & Big Motor - Worried Blues (4:20)
05 Bobby Messano - Holdin' Ground (6:00)
06 Wayne Baker Brooks - Sooner Or Later (9:33)
07 Sonny Landreth - Blue Tarp Blues (5:26)
08 Sonny Landreth - Back To Bayou Teche (8:22)
09 Robben Ford - Lateral Climb (3:49)
10 Jeremy Spencer - Bitter Lemon (8:35)
11 Jeremy Spencer - Psychic Waste (6:06)

This BamFest album commemorates the second BamFest event in Wisconsin.

The album kicks off with “Get Your Blues On” and Larry McCray’s infectious guitar style and vocals are a fantastic way to start off this sampler. The funky twang of his guitar and soulful voice are well represented here. “I Know the Reason” features Birddog and Friends. The song features a driving groove and beautiful harp over blows that are just fantastic. Chris Duarte is next and he sets the place en fuego with his “Let’s Have a Party.” The beat is 100 mph and the guitar is aflame in a whirlwind of fire and rocking blues.

Eric Sardinas and Big Motor follow and the track chosen for this live album here is “Worried Blues.” Instead of a huge electric sound we are served up a dobro slide piece with Sardinas growling out the lyrics. He then transitions into the song’s bridge which is in an electrical storm of sound. But then he returns to acoustic and it is just impressive stuff. The evening crowd is quiet behind him, obviously impressed by his per-formance. “Holdin’ Ground” is next. I’ve joked that Bobby Messano is the best guitar player no one has heard of. This guitar star gives it up in this huge guitar piece where Messano demonstrates his craft as few can, the title track from his 2003 album. Beautiful stuff! Wayne Baker Brooks is offered up with “Sooner Or Later,” a great original from his Mystery album. It is a driving, hot tune where Baker shows what he has learned from his musical family.

Sonny Landreth plays “Blue Tarp Blues,” a song about Hurricane Katrina, and “Back to Bayou Teche,” the 125-mile waterway that was an original path of the Mississippi River. The former is a social and political state-ment, the latter a love song asking his chere to pass by the Bayou Teche. Landreth is at his best in these songs, showing off his six string prowess where he can be dark and ominous or light and frivolous. Robben Ford is next in “Lateral Climb” where he shows off his guitar and restraint. This is great show-case of Ford with plenty of air between his notes and superb tone.

Closing things out on the album Is Jeremy Spencer. “Bitter Lemon” is a down tempo piece where this former “Fleetwood Mac” star picks out a soulful sound with individual notes fluttering about like a butterfly. He and the pianist trade off from time to time, tinkling and trickling off notes and riffs together. He and the album close with “Psychic Waste,” another great slide piece where he and the harp player trade off solos nicely.

BamFest Vol. II

---

Various - 2 albums: Blues Bureau's Rowdy Roadhouse Blues / Blues Bureau International's Burnin' Blues Shuffles

Blues Bureau International is a guitar oriented, blues, blues guitar and blues rock record label.

Blues Bureau is a member of Mike Varney's Shrapnel Label Group, which also includes Shrapnel Records, another guitar oriented label which features shred guitar, hard rock, metal and progressive metal, and Tone Center Records, a jazz oriented label featuring fusion guitar as well as a number of jazz tributes. The Blues Bureau catalog is a reflection of Mr. Varney's desire to provide a platform for talented young blues guitarists, and to allow established artists to pursue their artistic vision.

Blues Bureau artists include Rick Derringer, Eric Gales, Marc Ford, Chris Duarte, Leslie West and Pat Travers.

Album: Blues Bureau's Rowdy Roadhouse Blues
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:19
Size: 112.9 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Pat Travers - Party Tonight
[6:00] 2. S.F.Blues Guitar - Roadhouse Stomp
[3:50] 3. Leslie West - Riot In Cell Block #9
[4:02] 4. Jon Butcher - High Heel Shoes
[2:09] 5. Rick Derringer - Red Hot
[5:07] 6. Stoney Curtis Band - That's Right
[3:19] 7. The Chris Duarte Group - Let's Have A Party
[3:15] 8. Pat Travers - Tore Up From The Floor Up
[4:07] 9. Leslie West - Baby Please Don't Go
[4:23] 10. Eric Gales - Someday
[5:51] 11. Rick Derringer - Electra Blues
[3:09] 12. Stoney Curtis Band - World Without You

Blues Bureau's Rowdy Roadhouse Blues mc
Blues Bureau's Rowdy Roadhouse Blues zippy

---

Album: Blues Bureau International's Burnin' Blues Shuffles
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:15
Size: 126.5 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:41] 1. Eric Gales - Wake Up Call
[5:05] 2. Rick Derringer - Trouble In Paradise
[3:58] 3. Pat Travers - Statesboro Blues
[4:31] 4. Leslie West - Blues Before Sunrise
[5:07] 5. Stoney Curtis Band - That's Right
[7:18] 6. The Chris Duarte Group - Hard Mind
[4:05] 7. Eric Gales - I Got Me A Woman
[4:05] 8. Rick Derringer - Let The Good Times Roll
[3:53] 9. Pat Travers - Your Cash Ain't Nothing But Trash
[3:57] 10. Leslie West - Talk To Your Daughter
[5:37] 11. Stoney Curtis Band - Mulholland Shuffle
[3:53] 12. The Chris Duarte Group - Satisfy

Blues Bureau International's Burnin' Blues Shuffles mc
Blues Bureau International's Burnin' Blues Shuffles zippy

---

Various - Blues Bureau's Slow Jams Vol. 1: Down And Dirty Blues Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:46
Size: 159.7 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:25] 1. The Chris Duarte Group - Something Wicked
[5:30] 2. Rick Derringer - You've Got To Love Her With A Feeling
[4:16] 3. Leslie West - Third Degree
[7:26] 4. Eric Gales - Freedom From My Demons
[5:47] 5. Pat Travers - Too Much (Is Never Enough)
[9:47] 6. Stoney Curtis Band - Blues Without You
[5:46] 7. Schenker Pattison Summit - Voyager
[4:54] 8. Neal Schon - Blues For Miles
[7:17] 9. Michael Landau - Worried Life Blues
[6:21] 10. Marc Ford - Freedom Fighter
[6:13] 11. Scott Henderson - That Hurts

Not all blues artists use the phrase "low down and dirty" as a badge of honor. There are also the uptown blues artists, who are gritty and soulful but also pride themselves on their jazz-influenced sophistication. Typically, uptown blues artists love jazz (especially soul-jazz); are likely to use a Hammond B-3 organ; and have influences like Jimmy Witherspoon, Joe Williams, Percy Mayfield, and Jimmy Rushing. But in most blues circles, "low down and dirty" remains a big selling point -- and that continues to hold true in everything from acoustic Mississippi country blues to electric Chicago blues to blues-soul. On this compilation, low down and dirty usually means blues-rock. Tough, muscular, ballsy blues-rock dominates Blues Bureau's Low Down and Dirty Blues Collection, Vol. 1: Slow Jams, and there is no shortage of grit on performances by Pat Travers ("Too Much Is Never Enough"), Eric Gales ("Freedom from My Demons"), Stoney Curtis ("Blues Without You"), and Leslie West ("Third Degree"). Any CD with names like Travers, West, and Rick Derringer is bound to have a lot of rock appeal, and this 2009 release maintains a strong rock element even when it detours into more jazz-minded territory on two instrumentals: Neal Schon's "Blues for Miles" (as in Miles Davis) and Scott Henderson's "That Hurts." Henderson and Schon, however, aren't combining blues and jazz in the way that the honkers of the 1940s and 1950s or organ combos of the 1960s combined blues and jazz; "Blues for Miles" and "That Hurts" are straight-up fusion -- and despite being more cerebral than most of the other tracks, they still have plenty of guitar-powered rock bravado and don't detract from the compilation's loud-and-proud aesthetic. Blues Bureau's Low Down and Dirty Blues Collection, Vol. 1: Slow Jams isn't the last word on the label's contributions to blues-rock, but it's still a rewarding and generous sample of what the Blues Bureau catalog has to offer. ~Alex Henderson

Blues Bureau's Slow Jams Vol. 1: Down And Dirty Blues Collection mc
Blues Bureau's Slow Jams Vol. 1: Down And Dirty Blues Collection zippy

---

Various - Shrapnel Records Presents The Best Of Modern Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:00
Size: 174.0 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:52] 1. Chris Duarte & Bluestone Co. - Back In Town
[4:20] 2. Leslie West - Whiskey Train
[5:36] 3. Jay Jesse Johnson - Rollin' And Tumblin'
[5:59] 4. Paul Gilbert - Enemies (In Jail)
[4:35] 5. Blindside Blues Band - Gravy Train
[3:56] 6. Craig Erickson - Back At The Roadhouse
[3:56] 7. Rick Derringer - Pride And Joy
[4:45] 8. Eric Gales - Layin' Down The Blues
[3:09] 9. Stoney Curtis - World Without You
[3:15] 10. Pat Travers - Tore Up From The Floor Up
[7:52] 11. Michael Schenker - Layla
[6:43] 12. Joe Louis Walker - New Direction
[3:32] 13. Neal Schon - Whiskey, Women & Blues
[7:17] 14. Chris Duarte Group - One More Cup Of Coffee
[6:07] 15. Leslie West - Mississippi Queen

Shrapnel Records Presents The Best Of Modern Blues mc
Shrapnel Records Presents The Best Of Modern Blues zippy

---

Chris Duarte Group - 2 albums: Lucky 13 / Live (2-disc set)

Album: Lucky 13
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:23
Size: 177.1 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[6:15] 1. You Know You're Wrong
[4:56] 2. Angry Man
[5:15] 3. Crazy For Your Love
[3:35] 4. Who Loves You
[5:59] 5. Here I Come
[9:24] 6. Let It Go
[4:58] 7. Man Up
[4:41] 8. Not Chasing It
[6:09] 9. Weak Wheels
[4:17] 10. Ain't Gonna Hurt No More
[5:10] 11. Meus Via Vita Suite Let's Go For A Ride
[5:53] 12. Meus Via Vita Suite Minefield Of My Mind
[6:46] 13. Meus Via Vita Suite Setting Sun
[3:56] 14. Jump The Trane'

Earlier in his career, Chris Duarte was often compared to fellow Texas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Johnny Winter's name was tossed around as well, but Duarte has been at this professional blues-rock thing for a couple of decades now, and while he quite likely will never escape the Vaughan/Winter cul du sac, it's obvious at this point that he has his own varied spin on the whole modern Texas blues thing, spicing it up with, at times, a jazz feel and some light psychedelia. He doesn't wander far from that mix on Lucky 13, which he co-produced with Mike Varney, and for which Duarte wrote all the songs. Working with drummer John McKnight and bassist Kevin Vecchione, Duarte stays close to the power trio template, spinning off fiery guitar lines everywhere and, particularly when he gets a bit of that Jimi Hendrix vibe going, sounding like he's stepping right out of the late '60s. Among the highlights this time around are the jazzy grooving Hendrix-like opener, "You Know You're Wrong," the loping "Angry Man," and the straight blues of "Ain't Gonna Hurt No More." Then there's the odd and intriguing "Meus Via Vita Suite," which Duarte drops in toward the end of the set. Comprising three distinct parts, "Let's Go for a Ride," "Minefield of My Mind," and "Setting Sun," it points toward a poppier direction for Duarte, although all three sections hinge, as does everything here, on Duarte's always solid and interesting guitar playing. ~Steve Leggett

Lucky 13 mc
Lucky 13 zippy

---

Album: Live (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:01
Size: 139.7 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:32] 1. Hideaway
[6:37] 2. Big Legged Woman
[4:22] 3. Ridin'
[5:33] 4. Do The Romp
[5:12] 5. Make Me Feel So Right
[6:49] 6. Bottle Blues
[3:59] 7. Let's Have A Party
[4:56] 8. Still I Think Of You
[5:01] 9. Free For Me
[7:23] 10. One More Cup Of Coffee
[5:34] 11. 101

After two decades of recording and touring with many live fan recorded bootlegs in circulation, Chris Duarte finally has an official live set that catches him tearing it up during his 2012 tour of Japan. A brilliant guitarist of the highest caliber, Duarte's riveting live show has been finally captured on disc and it's a fine thing to behold. Chris' recordings have always been rooted firmly in the Blues with a Rock 'n' Roll edge which further established Duarte as one of the rare musical talents of his generation. Chris Duarte Group Live continues in the tradition of smokin' Blues with doses of heavy Psychedelia throughout. With more than 10 records to his credit with no live CD in his discography, this set is the release for which Duarte fans have been waiting as it shows Duarte in his best light as one of the most impressive guitarists on the rockin' blues scene today.

Live (Disc 1) mc
Live (Disc 1) zippy

---

Album: Live (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:19
Size: 151.8 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[ 3:25] 1. The Best I Can Do
[ 4:30] 2. Satisfy
[10:21] 3. People Say
[ 7:14] 4. Hold Back The Tears
[ 8:24] 5. Sundown Blues
[ 4:55] 6. My Way Down
[ 6:36] 7. Cleopatra
[ 5:07] 8. Like Eric
[ 9:15] 9. Hard Mind
[ 6:27] 10. Alabama

Live (Disc 2) mc
Live (Disc 2) zippy

---

Chris Duarte - 2 albums: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, All Things Blue / 396

Album: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, All Things Blue
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:28
Size: 175.1 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2009/2015
Art: Front

[ 6:25] 1. Amy Lee
[ 9:19] 2. Sun Prairie Blues
[13:03] 3. Something Wicked
[ 3:37] 4. The Best I Can Do
[ 3:53] 5. Satisfy
[ 3:19] 6. Let's Have A Party
[ 4:52] 7. Back In Town
[ 7:10] 8. Chattahoochee Side
[ 4:48] 9. Outside Man
[ 5:35] 10. 101
[ 3:53] 11. Baddness
[ 5:24] 12. Like Eric
[ 5:06] 13. Free 4 Me

This 2009 Blues Bureau International release rounds up highlights from Chris Duarte’s previous albums for the label (hence, the “something old”) and adds the previously unreleased “Outside Man” and three live cuts (“something new”). The new cuts are as reliable slices of modern blues-rock as the previously released tracks, so this winds up being a solid sampler of a sturdy group of records. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, All Things Blue mc
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, All Things Blue zippy

---

Album: Chris Duarte & Bluestone Co. - 396
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:23
Size: 156.6 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 4:52] 1. Back In Town
[ 4:33] 2. Put Up Or Shut
[ 7:10] 3. Chattahoochee Side
[ 4:15] 4. 396
[ 6:06] 5. Give It Back To Me
[ 4:50] 6. Silverspoon
[ 6:50] 7. Funky Mama
[11:00] 8. Mad As I Can Be
[ 5:28] 9. Angelina
[ 4:29] 10. Still I Think Of You
[ 4:25] 11. The Ballad Of Kohima Ridge
[ 4:21] 12. H2k3

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

396 mc
396 zippy

---

Various - 2 albums: BamFest 2007 / BamFest Volume II

Album: BamFest 2007
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:45
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Cash Box Kings - Sarah
[5:16] 2. West Side Andy Glen Davis - See Saw Boogie
[5:52] 3. Kraig Kenning - Katie May
[3:52] 4. The Eric Tessmer Band - The Reverse
[2:18] 5. Rory Block - Preachin' Blues
[5:45] 6. Rev. Raven & The Chain Smokin' Altar Boys - I'm Your Honeyboy
[3:40] 7. David 'Honeyboy' Edwards - Talkin' 'bout Robert
[3:52] 8. David 'Honeyboy' Edwards - Catfish Blues
[9:21] 9. Michael Burks - Born Under A Bad Sign
[9:08] 10. Ana Popovic - Complete Me
[5:38] 11. Johnny Winter - It's All Over Now

The 11 track CD was recorded by Elabs mobile recording unit on location at the Community Park in Bellville, WI. July 13-14th of 2007. Engineered/produced by Jack LeTourneau with Executive Producers Geoff Wilbourn & Whit Lehnberg of Beau Geste Productions. The Bam Fest CD features legendary Blues artists Johnny Winter, David Honeyboy Edwards, as well as Anna Popovic, Rory Block, Eric Tessmer Band, Michael Burks, The Cashbox Kings, and more...

The concept behind this was to take songs from each artist but have it play with the continuity of a live show. I hope we achieved that and you enjoy. ~Geoff

BamFest 2007

---

Album: BamFest Vol II: Gulf Relief
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 66:37
Size: 152.5 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:40] 1. Larry McCray - Get Your Blues On
[4:33] 2. Birddog & Friends - I Know the Reason
[4:07] 3. Chris Duarte - Let's Have a Party
[4:20] 4. Eric Sardinas & Big Motor - Worried Blues
[6:00] 5. Bobby Messano - Holdin' Ground
[9:33] 6. Wayne Baker Brooks - Sooner or Later
[5:26] 7. Sonny Landreth - Blue Tarp Blues
[8:22] 8. Sonny Landreth - Back to Bayou Teche
[3:49] 9. Robben Ford - Lateral Climb
[8:35] 10. Jeremy Spencer - Bitter Lemon
[6:06] 11. Jeremy Spencer - Psychic Waste

"BamFest Volume 2: Gulf Relief" is one of those rare chances to feed your head AND your heart at the same time. With Jeremy Spencer, Robben Ford, Sonny Landreth, Wayne Baker Brooks, Bobby Messano, Eric Sardinas and Big Motor, Chris Duarte Group, Larry McCray Band and Bird Dog and Friends doing the cooking, your mind is filled as your ears funnel in some of the best Blues music in the world. Your heart is not left hungry, knowing that the 11 live tracks were recorded to support the Gulf Coast and the City of New Orleans.

BamFest Vol II: Gulf Relief

---