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Tom Duarte
- San Pablo, CA
- Guitarist
- Travels up to 120 miles
- Contact for rates
- 1. Batucaje - Spanish melody with an upbeat Brazilian groove - my own composition
- 2. Clocks - My version of the song by Coldplay
- 3. Malaguena - Flamenco classic
- 4. Bailando - My version of the song by Enrique Iglesias
- 5. Game of Thrones Theme
- 6. Fantasy - My version of the 70's r&b song by Earth, Wind & Fire
- 7. Classical Gas - My version of the 60's instrumental by Mason WIlliams
- 8. All of me - My version of the romantic ballad by John Legend
Overview
Hello and thank you for reading my bio. My name is Tom Duarte. I am a Bay Area based professional Latin-fusion and multi-style guitarist. I have had an extremely vast range of experience, performing for wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, restaurants, wineries, night clubs, recording sessions, musical theater and so forth throughout the Bay Area and Wine Country for several years in addition to having toured throughout the US, Canada, England, Europe and Brazil. My overall solo guitar style might be compared to that of Paco de Lucia, Santana, Ottmar Liebert and The Gypsy Kings. I also have an extensive and very familiar repertoire of current and classic pop/rock.
65 Reviews
We are so thankful for have been introduced to Tom. He made our wedding ceremony and reception truly memorable by incorporating our requests for special songs. Tom even went above and beyond and truly surprised us by learning and playing an Indian song that we had specially requested. Our guests were amazed by his performance and it created such a fun and festive ambiance. He was very professional, collaborative and responsive from our very first call all the way to the wedding day! Tom is a very talented musician and we would highly recommend him for any special events.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Anna,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I thoroughly enjoyed performing for you and it was a beautifully coordinated event, happy to hear that your guests enjoyed my music as well. It was wonderful to work with you too, thank you for making it so easy! I also enjoyed learning and playing your special request and I will be keeping it in my repertoire!
Please keep me in mind for any events that you might be having in the future!
Thanks so much again, and Congratulations!
Best,
Tom
Tom did a great job! Great selection of songs and of the guests really enjoyed listening to him playing.
Guitarist
Highly recommend him!!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Sherri,
Thank you so much for the great review, I do appreciate it! Looking forward to working with you again in the future!
Have a great day!
Best,
Tom
Tom recently performed during the cocktail hour of our wedding and it couldn't have gone better. He set the mood and kept people engaged with each other. Tom was very easy to work with and was very flexible with often changing plans. He has a wide-ranging music catalogue and is always ready to learn new songs requested by clients. We would definitely book Tom again for other events.
Guitarist
Tom played at a couples bridal shower and he was fantastic. We had several guests comment on how good they thought he was. He also took requests. He has a large repertoire of music to play for most any occasion, young and old. Really added a nice touch to our event. I would totally hire him again.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Jenny,
Thank you so much for the great review, I do appreciate it! It was really fun to play the special song and other requests.
I would love to perform for any other events that you may be having in the future, of course!
Thanks again -
Best,
Tom
I had Tom play for my husband's 70th birthday party. Everyone raved about how wonderful a guitarist he is and how much they enjoyed the songs he played. My husband also really loved it. I would definately hire Tom again. He is professional, arrives on time and plays beautifully. Thanks Tom for making this special evening even more special.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Cyd,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I hope to perform for you again in the future!
Have a great day!
Best,
Tom
Tom is a true professional. Arrived on time, set up and away he went! Had about 75 folks for a luncheon and nearly all of them raved about Tom's music. 12/10 would definitely hire again. Bravo~
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Laura,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I really enjoyed the event and focusing on the Latin/Spanish repertoire. Thank you as well for the tips, I do appreciate them!
I hope to perform for you again in the future!
Best,
Tom
What an amazing guitar player. He is sooooo talented. I don't think I have ever seen anyone's fingers fly like that. And the music he played for us was just lovely. One of our staff even said "I could listen to this all day". Hire him. You won't be sorry.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Bz,
Thank you so much for the GREAT review, I do appreciate it! I thoroughly enjoyed doing the show, what a great experience!
Looking forward to working with you again - Have a wonderful day!
Best,
Tom
Tom was a great add to the party to make the day that much more special for my daughter and her now husband. Would enjoy having Tom play again.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Michael,
Thank you so much for the great review! I thoroughly enjoyed the event and would love to perform for you again in the future. And thank you for the tip, I do appreciate it!
Best,
Tom
Tom was wonderful, played beautifully and was a great addition to our 75th Club anniversary celebration. He's definitely on my list for any future events and would encourage others to engage him as well.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Gary,
Thank you so much for the great review, I do appreciate it! I thoroughly enjoyed the event and would love to perform for you again for any future events that you may be having.
Thanks so much again - Hope to see you in the future!
Best,
Tom
Guitarist
Tom was wonderful. He played exactly what we were hoping for. Everybody enjoyed his tunes. I highly recommend Tom.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Mehry,
Thank you so much for the great review! I thoroughly enjoyed performing for you, and your guests were very charming and appreciative. The dinner was fantastic as well (especially the salad!). And thank you so much for the tip, I do appreciate it!
I would love perform for you again in the future if you like. of course.
Thanks so much again - Have a wonderful day!
Best,
Tom
Very pleased with his performance good seleccion of songs. We all enjoyed his music.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Ana,
Thank you so much for the great review! I really enjoyed the event and your guests were wonderful to perform for. I also enjoyed playing the extra songs with your friend the singer! And thank you so much for the tip, I do appreciate it!
I would love to perform for you again in the future if you like -
Have a wonderful day!
Best,
Tom
Tom is a fantastic musician and kept the music flowing through the evening making for a truly memorable celebration for our friend's birthday. Highly recommend him and his talents!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Tricia,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! Very fun event, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to perform for you again in the future!
Cheers!
Tom
Thank you for a wonderful night of music, we are looking forward to having you back very soon!
Guitarist
Tom did an outstanding job playing Latin and bosa nova for our cocktail hour. Things ran over and Tom was great! I highly recommend Tom for your event. He was on time and professional.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Jeanine,
Thank you so much for the great review! It was a wonderful event and setting and I would love to perform for you again in the future if you like!
Best,
Tom
Tom had a wonderful set for my 50th birthday. He was punctual and had a great set list. He even coordinated with a friend to have a special song.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Sharon,
Thank you for the great review! I hope to perform for you again in the future!
Best,
Tom
Tom was professional and played a great mix of music for our corporate party. Tom is very talented and entertained everyone for 3 hours. Great job!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Nancy,
Thank you so much for having me play and for the wonderful review! I hope to work with you again in the future!
Have a great week -
Best,
Tom
Tom is a very talented musician and plays the room well. He's also very professional, arrived on time and was easy to work with.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Megan,
Thank you so much for the nice review! I do appreciate it and would love to work with you again in the future for any other events you may be having.
Thanks so much again - Have a great day !
Best,
Tom
Tom performed at our family reunion/Celebration of Life. His music was a beautiful accompaniment to our event. Tom was personable, professional, communicated often, and even learned some of our parents’ favorite songs! We were delighted with his performance and highly recommend him.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Andrea,
Thank you for the wonderful review! I thoroughly enjoyed the event and I especially enjoyed performing your requests. I would love to perform for any events that you may be having in the future as well!
Thanks so much again - Have a great day!
Best,
Tom
Tom arrived early and brought everything he needed to play a selected piece (normally played by two guitarists) along with prelude/dinner music . My husband’s Celebration-of-Life was extra special because of Tom’s music! Would highly recommend!
Guitarist
Tom was great for our dining room guitarist- He can play a mixture of latin & classic hits and also plays modern songs that still cater to our audience- like Post Malone. Highly recommend him for acoustic guitar music.
Guitarist
Tom played beautiful background Classic guitar for my wedding reception. It was perfect!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Cynthia,
Thank you for having me play and for the wonderful review! I hope to perform for you again in the future.
Thanks so much again, and congratulations!
- Tom
Did good job very good Guitarist.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Juan,
Thank you for the great review! It was a beautiful wedding and I enjoyed playing for your guests very much. Thank you for the generous tip as well!
Best,
Tom
We hired Tom to play for our wedding ceremony and outdoor cocktail at a winery in Sonoma and his music and approach were the perfect fit! Quick to respond via email, he kindly added on an extra mic and allowed our videographer to plug into his amp so that he could get better audio of the ceremony. We would gladly recommend Tom for any event - his sound is absolutely beautiful and played the wedding classics like Canon in D and Signed Sealed Delivered along side pop covers for cocktail hour!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Savannah,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I really enjoyed playing for
your wedding, especially "Signed sealed and delivered"! Love to work with you again in the future!
Best,
Tom
Tom did a spectacular job with performing, his music was an added bonus to my celebration and guests. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed Tom's music, was the perfect background music to have. What stands out about the experience was that it just wasn't background music as everyone recognized songs played and even sang along with the music at times. I highly recommend Tom for your future events, I know that I would hire him again should I have another significant celebration!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Joe,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, glad that everything worked out so well! I thoroughly enjoyed performing for you and your guests and would love to do so again in the future!
Best,
Tom
We hired Tom to play for our backyard wedding ceremony. One of the best decisions we made by far.
Not only did he learn songs just for our event, but he also navigated the incredibly difficult outdoor terrain and weather of our venue, even switching his setup to a new playing location in between. He is incredibly communicative, prompt, and thorough, and worked with our coordinator to figure out how to get power out to his gear.
His music filled the air with life and put people in such amazing spirits. So many of our guests made comments to us like “the guitar player was incredible” and “wait was that the melody for that Lady Gaga song??” He is unbelievably versatile and his own compositions are truly breathtaking and musically innovative.
Tom brings a vibrant splash of energy and uniqueness to any event. A true professional. We are so happy Tom was a part of our wedding day and will remember it for decades to come.
HIGHLY recommended.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Casey,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, I do appreciate it! Thank you as well for helping me deal with all of the conditions. You likely have past experience with similar circumstances, being a musician yourself! I would love to perform for any future events that you might be having, of course
Thanks so much again - and congratulations!
Best,
Tom
Tom provided wonderful background music for my outdoor party. He is easy to work with and his music is wonderful! Even better then the provided videos! Don't hesitate in hiring him!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Vania,
Thank you so much for the great review, I do appreciate it! Looking forward to working with you again!
Best - Tom
Tom’s music was amazing and exactly what I was looking for. He played elegantly during our candlelit dinner and truly set the ambiance at my wedding. He was patient with my questions, very responsive, and an utmost professional.
I highly recommend Tom for any event that you need magic! He delivers.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Sylvia,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, I do appreciate it! So good to know that I was able to fulfill all of your requests!
Thanks so much again, and congratulations!
Best,
Tom
Tom did an amazing job for our wedding! He played during the ceremony, cocktail reception and part of dinner. We had reviewed a song list ahead of time and he did a great job covering it with a nice mix. He was also able to accommodate a special request that we made that was greatly appreciated. Would highly recommend Tom for a wedding or other event.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Ashley,
Thank you so much for the great review! I do appreciate it and happy that everything went well.
Congratulations!
- Tom
We had a small outdoor wedding celebration and Tom's Spanish, flamingo, and Brazilian guitar music was absolutely perfect. He was great to work with prior to the event, and responsive to our particular particular needs, working with us to craft the wedding march and other music. He even worked with a guest so he could accompany him singing to the Bride and Groom (and I"m the groom!). Tom even switched guitars for upbeat Brazilian dance music so our small group could dance. I can't recommend Tom enough!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Johnson,
Thank you so much for the great review! I thoroughly enjoyed performing for you, and especially playing the Spanish and Brazilian mix, my favorites! I was fun to "attempt" my Portuguese skills with your guests as well, wonderful folks. I'm glad that the song that I accompanied your friend on worked out, too! Thank you so much for the generous tip as well, I do appreciate it!
I would love to perform for you again in the future if you like, of course.
Congratulations!
- Tom
Tom played at my husband's funeral service. I had a few songs that I chose and Tom suggested for the service. He played beautifully and he also played appropriate music before and after the service as well. I recommend Tom for any event that you may have that requires a guitarist. Thank you Tom!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Kathleen,
Thank you so much for the great review, I really appreciate it! It was a beautiful setting and service, wonderful and appreciative guests, and I thoroughly enjoyed performing for you. I would love to play for any other events that you may be having in the future if you like!
Thank you so much again -
Best,
Tom
Tom was just perfect at our wedding reception. He’s an amazing musician, with a wide variety of songs that were perfect for our event. He played during our ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner, and at each point, his music hit the appropriate tone — beautiful and calm during the ceremony, and lively background music for everything else. We received multiple positive comments throughout the evening about how great he was as a event musician. We would highly, highly recommend him for any event as we couldn’t have been happier to have him!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Megan
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I thoroughly enjoyed performing for you, beautiful event and you were great to work with! Please keep me in mind for any future that you might be having!
Thank you so much again - and congratulations!
Best,
Tom
Tom was fantastic, added a great ambiance to our event! Thank you!
Guitarist
Tom is truly a great guitar player an all-around professional.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Omaid,
Thank you so much for the great review! Hope to see you and work with you again in the future!
Best,
Tom
Tom Duarte gave our guests a great performance! We received compliments on the live entertainment and even had people ask for his information for their future events. We look forward to having him back sometime soon. Thanks, Tom!!!
Tom was fantastic, and a perfect fit for my event. He showed up on time, and even brought a microphone for our remarks. Numerous guests mentioned to me that they really enjoyed the music and Tom's style. He is definitely on my short list for future events!
Guitarist
I loved the music and the selection of songs. He was incredible I’m just sorry the weather wasn’t in our favor but he did an amazing job! Thank you Tom!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Luis,
Thank you so much for having me play, for the great review and for helping me deal with the weather!
¡Feliz cumpleaños!
- Tom
Tom is very professional and arrived early. He played a great selection of latin and world music including some of his original pieces which all our guests really enjoyed. I bought his wonderful Diamante CD which we have played twice already. I highly recommend Tom!
We hired Tom to perform at our welcome party for our wedding. It was so easy to work with him, especially since he already had significant experience playing at the venue, Russian River Vineyards. He was professional, friendly, and did a great job with the music throughout the evening, as well as having a mic setup so we could do a speech. I would recommend him for anyone looking for some nice guitar cover songs!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Natasha,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I hope to perform for you again in the future, and congratulations!
Best,
Tom
Tom performed at an outdoor celebration and was really wonderful. His playing is gorgeous and he was a joy to deal with from planning through performance. Far exceeded my very high hopes.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Eileen,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, I do appreciate it and glad that everything went so well! I would love to perform for any other events that you may be having in the future!
Have a great day!
Best,
Tom
on time very talented followed all queues we needed
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Janine,
Thank you so much for having me play yesterday! I really enjoyed it and everything seemed to go very smoothly. I would love to play for any other events that you might be having in the future, and thank you so much for the generous tip, very much appreciated!
Thanks so much again - Hope to see you in the future!
Have a great week!
Best,
Tom
We were very happy with Tom and his performance
Guitarist
Tom was great addition to my birthday party. He came on time and provided eclectic guitar repertoire from Flamenco to Mariachi. Everyone loved him!
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Sabina,
Thank you so much for the great review! Looking forward to performing for you again in the future!
Best,
Tom
Tom's music was beautiful, and absolutely romantic. He was great to work with—he went along with my crazy plans for the event, and played a beautiful rendition of a song that was meaningful for us.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Dan,
Thank you so much for the good review! It was great to work with you, very fun event and I'm happy that my rendition of the song worked for you. Congratulations!
Best,
Tom
Tom was fantastic and all of our guests really loved his music. Thank you
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Vikki,
Thank you so much for having me play yesterday and for the great review! I do appreciate it! I thoroughly enjoyed performing for your guests. I received many nice compliments and even sold some CD's! I would love to perform for you again in the future for your summer patio events that you had mentioned, of course.
Thanks so much again - Looking forward to performing for you again in the future!
Have a great day!
Best,
Tom
After our guitarist dropped out the night before the wedding, we were scrambling to find another performer. Thankfully Tom came to the rescue and played an amazing set at our ceremony. He exceeded all of our exceptions, and really enhanced the overall vibe with his great song choice and performance of them. His experience & expertise really shone, especially as we did not provide him much direction except for the vibe we were going. He was personable, easy to communicate with, and a fantastic guitarist. He was also great with our guests and family. There is no doubt you should hire Tom for your event.
Guitarist
Response from Tom Duarte:
Saif,
Thank you for the great review! I would love to perform for any other future events that you might be having, of course.
Best of luck!
- Tom
Tom played for my surprise proposal to my girlfriend. He was incredible and my girlfriend had an amazing experience thanks to Tom. He's very professional and he doesn't miss any details. He came early to the venue in order to make sure he was flawless as well. He is also personable and very understanding =)
Guitarist
Tom performed at my 15 person wedding in Napa this past Monday and he was such an absolute pleasure to work with. Even though I was on the east coast, Tom was extremely professional and helped make the whole process easy! He played Spanish guitar while the guests were getting seated, My Girl when my nieces and nephews walked down the aisle and then put together a version of our favorite Andrew Bird song Puma for when I walked down the aisle. He even finished us off with the Gipsy Kings! I can not recommend him more highly for your next event. I wish he was on the east coast so he could play for all of our events!!
Guitarist
Tom was responsive, courteous and pleasant to our guests as well as working with me. His playing was pleasant and uplifting. I would highly recommend and also use his services again
Guitarist
Tom was great and made our wedding even more special. It was a nice touch to have him play during the wine reception! He showed up on time and was very accommodating!
Guitarist
We hired Tom for the evening music at our wedding and it was such a fortunate and great decision because he was sensational from start to finish.
His repertoire is massive and he also learnt a couple of extra songs at our request. He is a virtuoso guitar player and also a lovely chap to have around for social occasions. His adaptability is remarkable and the breadth of styles he can play is so impressive. He’s a one man band but also uses backing instrumentation to add ambience and power to his performances.
We are so looking forward to having the opportunity to hire him again and cannot recommend him highly enough.
Thanks so much Tom. See you again sir!
Oliver and Dee
Guitarist
Couldn't have asked for anything more. Tom is a class act and it was an honor to have him play at my brother's memorial service. Tom helped turn our sadness into gladness. It was a perfect send off. Thank you for making it all happen.
Guitarist
Tom was hired for an event we were hosting add an outdoor shopping center and he was amazing! The crowds loved him and the music he provided! We will definitely be booking Tom again for future endeavors.
Guitarist
We hired Tom for our daughter's wedding at Berkeley Botanical Gardens. He was perfect for the event and venue. Everyone commented on his talent. He was prompt, played the songs we wanted to hear plus a few others that fit perfectly with the setting and was very professional. I would highly recommend Tom; he was outstanding!
Guitarist
Tom has a nice touch and a great repetoire. He was perfect for our party!
Guitarist
Tom was on time, very profession and an extremely talented musician. He was a perfect fit for our party.
Guitarist
Tom was great addition to our outdoor dinner. He played a wonderful mix of music and was very professional. I would definitely hire Tom for another event.
Guitarist
I hired Tom for my Christmas family company party. He played beautifully during our appetizer and dinner time. He was punctual and very professional.
I would definitely hire him again! All our guests enjoyed him playing the guitar.
Guitarist
Tom is a great guitarist that is super professional and dedicated to his craft. He has recorded hundreds of session tracks for our tone-mapping library in a variety of styles (metal, rock, jazz, etc.) and performed them all fabulously. Highly recommended.
Guitarist
"We recently hired Tom to play at our wedding in wine country. To say the least, we were very satisfied with his performance! Indeed, we were impressed that one man could produce so many variations of sound
from a guitar.
Tom showed up at the venue ready to play. After briefly going over the wedding set list, Tom set right to work. Anyone who has had a wedding knows how nice it is not to have to worry about the musician.
Throughout the night, Tom played a mixture of heavenly soft music followed by upbeat pop hits to bring up the energy of the evening. He happily took requests from wedding guests and even let my brother-in-law sing "Hotel California" while accompanying him on guitar. Given that this was a small wedding, Tom played a big part in making the night special.
Everyone in attendance loved his performance, and he went above and beyond what he was hired to do. Tom even learned a song just days before the wedding.
I wholeheartedly recommend Tom to play for any event! If I ever have anything else in the Bay Area, Tom is first on the list. Five stars!!!"
Guitarist
We invited Tom to play for our wedding reception -- a small group of about 40 people at a local restaurant. This was the best decision we made! Tom's music brought warmth and added just the right touch to keep the evening festive. You were always aware of the pleasantness in the background, but it never consumed or overpowered the conversations or laughter, etc. Absolutely perfect!!! On the practical side, Tom is completely professional about staying in touch, working with you to design the event, his contract and fees. All in all this was a 100% positive experience. Thanks again Tom!
Guitarist
Once a year we hold a yearly neighborhood party for our 214 homes here.
My husband had found Tom on the internet, listened to his demos, and
we liked what we heard. Tom's choice of music suited all ages at our party
and truly made our event a wonderful afternoon in Napa. Thank YOU!
Guitarist
Tom Duarte is a fantastic guitarist. Last night he played for our wedding anniversary party, an intimate affair of 20 close family and friends. He played beautifully and with great sensitivity to the mood of the event, selecting songs and tempos that perfectly matched our mood. Everyone had a superb time and their were many comments about Tom, along the lines of "Where did you find such an incredible guitarist". Ours was a Spanish themed event and at my request he stayed pretty much in a flamenco vibe, but I've since heard on his CDs that his repertoire and stylist breadth goes far beyond that. Not only will I not hesitate to hire Tom again but am very much looking forward to my next excuse to do so. FYI, for a very reasonable fee he also composed an instrumental version of my wife's favorite song, and while he played I recited an original love poem. Not a dry eye in the house!
Guitarist
Booking Info
Price Range: Contact for rates
Gig Length: 45 - 180 minutes
What to Expect
I play primarily as a solo instrumental guitarist. I also perform with my Latin/fusion trio "Diamante", which consists of myself on guitars with electric bass and drums with percussion. In my solo performance, I play mainly Latin based music, i.e. Flamenco, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, etc. I have somewhat of a jazz and pop tinge to my playing style having come from a rock and fuzion/jazz background. My overall sound might be compared to that of The Gypsy Kings, Santana, Ottmar Liebert and Paco de Lucia. I play many styles however and I will often mix in my own arrangements of more recent pop material by the likes of Adele, Lady Gaga, Maroon 5 and Coldplay. In addition, I am also able to play the more traditional classical repertoire in the style of Andres Segovia and Christopher Parkening as well as classic rock songs by artists such as Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Duran Duran, The Allman Brothers and so forth.
I am able to play traditional solo guitar but I will often use backing tracks to fill out the sound and enable to me play things that would otherwise be impossible. The tracks have been recorded by myself and usually involve one other guitar, with an occasional bass part. The resulting sound is quite full but not overdone or "cheesy" sounding. Often times, my client wont be able to tell that I am using them at all on first sight! The end result is that it is very entertaining to the audience as well as myself but not at the expense of my taste and integrity.
About
Thank you for taking the time to read my bio! My name is Tom Duarte.
I perform primarily as an instrumental solo guitarist as well as with my
Latin trio "Diamante". The trio consists of myself with electric bass and
drums with percussion. My music is a mixture of Latin and contemporary
styles - Flamenco, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban with a fusion-jazz edge. My
overall sound might be compared to that of the Gypsy Kings, Santana,
Paco de Lucia and Ottmar Liebert. I perform this style in my solo performance
as well as including several fairly recent alt/pop arrangements by artists such
as Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Maroon 5 and Nelly Furtado, some of
which you can hear in the samples from my latest CD "Hotel Toledo". I am
also able to mix into my repertoire my own arrangements of classic rock
and pop songs by artists such as Eric Clapton, Duran Duran, Led Zeppelin
and Earth Wind and Fire and so forth as well as traditional classical
guitar in the style of Christopher Parkening and Andres Segovia. I have
some samples of myself performing standard wedding selections that I can
send you if you like.
I have been playing professionally for many years throughout the Greater
Bay Area and Napa Valley Wine Country in addition to playing in Europe,
Brazil and Canada. I have toured the U.S. several times with
[Jerry Garcia and Grateful Dead keyboardist] Merl Saunders. I have
recorded three CD's of Latin, classical, and alternative/pop music in my
own name. I have also recorded with original members of Santana and
Journey Gregg Rolie and Michael Carabello.
I had the great fortune of receiving a wonderful write-up in the online magazine "Inside Sonoma" about my wedding music performance style and in particular my wedding and event repertoire which includes alot of my tasteful arrangements of modern pop songs that are
nice to hear but not often associated with standard wedding music. The review is very complimentary and illustrates my performance style in a nice and detailed way. I would
be more than happy to send the link to you if you like!
Additional Booking Notes
As I mentioned earlier, I do employ the use of backing tracks although they are quite "organic" sounding - not overdone and not overly electronic sounding. When I am booked to play an outdoor event during the day I require some sort of shade from the sun such as an umbrella or canopy, in the event that there will be no shading provided by a nearby structure. This seems like it should be so obvious, but I need for there to be an electrical power outlet no less than 20 feet from my performance area. If there is no nearby outlet available, the client must be aware of this ahead of time and provide an extension cord of sufficient length to reach the next nearest outlet. You wouldnt believe how many times I have arrived well ahead of schedule to have a client ask "do you need power?" This is why I always allow no less than 45 minutes of set up time, and usually more like an hour.
If am required to play for more than 2 hours, I require that a meal will be provided.
If I am asked to relocate more than one time during an event, there will be an additional fee of $25.
Services Offered
Upcoming Booked Events
April 04, 2025 • 12:30pm - 2:30pm | Funeral/Memorial Service |
Past Booked Events
December 19, 2024 • 11:30am - 1:00pm | Cocktail Party |
December 11, 2024 • 10:00am - 11:00am | Retirement Community Event |
December 05, 2024 • 5:30pm - 9:00pm | Christmas Party |
November 16, 2024 • 2:30pm - 5:30pm | Wedding Reception |
October 16, 2024 • 5:00pm - 7:30pm | Corporate Event |
September 07, 2024 • 6:30pm - 9:30pm | Birthday Party |
July 20, 2024 • 6:30pm - 8:30pm | Wedding Engagement |
June 08, 2024 • 4:00pm - 8:00pm | Graduation |
May 25, 2024 • 7:30pm - 9:30pm | Wedding Engagement |
May 09, 2024 • 5:30pm - 8:30pm | Corporate Event |
March 16, 2024 • 6:00pm - 8:00pm | Birthday Party |
January 09, 2024 • 8:00am - 10:00am | Corporate Event |
October 26, 2023 • 11:30am - 12:30pm | Corporate Event |
October 14, 2023 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Dinner Party |
October 09, 2023 • 9:30am - 10:00am | Nonprofit Event |
October 02, 2023 • 7:00pm - 8:30pm | Personal Occasion |
September 23, 2023 • 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Personal Occasion |
September 20, 2023 • 10:00am - 12:00pm | Nonprofit Event |
September 09, 2023 • 4:30pm - 6:30pm | Nonprofit Event |
August 20, 2023 • 12:00pm - 2:00pm | House Party |
August 12, 2023 • 5:30pm - 7:30pm | Personal Occasion |
August 11, 2023 • 5:30pm - 8:00pm | Corporate Event |
July 29, 2023 • 12:00pm - 1:30pm | House Party |
July 15, 2023 • 7:00pm - 8:30pm | Dinner Party |
June 25, 2023 • 6:00pm - 8:30pm | Birthday Party |
June 02, 2023 • 5:00pm - 8:00pm | Cocktail Party |
May 20, 2023 • 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Wedding Reception |
May 13, 2023 • 9:30pm - 11:30pm | Birthday Party |
April 30, 2023 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Cocktail Party |
March 14, 2023 • 6:00pm - 7:30pm | Dinner Party |
March 02, 2023 • 4:00pm - 7:00pm | House Party |
February 25, 2023 • 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Funeral/Memorial Service |
February 15, 2023 • 5:00pm - 9:00pm | Dinner Party |
January 28, 2023 • 3:30pm - 7:30pm | Funeral/Memorial Service |
January 21, 2023 • 1:00pm - 3:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
December 23, 2022 • 2:30pm - 3:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
December 15, 2022 • 12:00pm - 3:00pm | Corporate Event |
November 18, 2022 • 4:00pm - 6:00pm | Wedding Reception |
November 04, 2022 • 4:30pm - 6:30pm | Wedding Reception |
October 26, 2022 • 2:30pm - 4:30pm | Corporate Event |
October 20, 2022 • 4:00pm - 7:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
September 17, 2022 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Birthday Party |
August 20, 2022 • 7:30pm - 10:00pm | Birthday Party |
July 09, 2022 • 7:30pm - 9:00pm | Birthday Party |
June 25, 2022 • 11:30am - 2:00pm | Corporate Event |
May 07, 2022 • 5:30pm - 6:30pm | Wedding Reception |
April 15, 2022 • 7:00pm - 9:00pm | Cocktail Party |
April 09, 2022 • 1:00pm - 3:30pm | Wedding Reception |
April 08, 2022 • 4:00pm - 7:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
March 26, 2022 • 10:30am - 12:30pm | Funeral/Memorial Service |
February 26, 2022 • 9:30am - 2:30pm | Grand Opening |
February 25, 2022 • 6:30pm - 9:30pm | Dinner Party |
February 19, 2022 • 4:00pm - 7:00pm | Wedding Reception |
February 11, 2022 • 8:00pm - 10:00pm | Dinner Party |
January 14, 2022 • 5:00pm - 5:30pm | Surprise |
December 04, 2021 • 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Grand Opening |
October 29, 2021 • 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
October 27, 2021 • 4:30pm - 7:30pm | Grand Opening |
October 20, 2021 • 7:30pm - 10:30pm | Birthday Party |
October 12, 2021 • 4:30pm - 6:30pm | Nonprofit Event |
October 02, 2021 • 7:30pm - 8:15pm | Wedding Engagement |
September 18, 2021 • 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Personal Occasion |
August 20, 2021 • 5:30pm - 9:00pm | Rehearsal Dinner |
June 20, 2021 • 11:30am - 2:30pm | Personal Occasion |
June 12, 2021 • 1:30pm - 3:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
May 15, 2021 • 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Funeral/Memorial Service |
May 08, 2021 • 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
April 17, 2021 • 4:00pm - 10:00pm | Birthday Party |
November 08, 2020 • 11:30am - 2:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
November 01, 2020 • 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Personal Occasion |
October 16, 2020 • 7:30pm - 9:30pm | Birthday Party |
July 11, 2020 • 3:30pm - 6:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
February 12, 2020 • 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Retirement Community Event |
January 05, 2020 • 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
September 29, 2019 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Wedding Cocktail Hour |
September 19, 2019 • 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Corporate Event |
July 28, 2019 • 1:30pm - 2:15pm | Festival |
March 30, 2019 • 8:30am - 9:30am | Surprise |
February 10, 2019 • 12:30pm - 2:30pm | Cocktail Party |
December 13, 2018 • 7:30pm - 9:00pm | Christmas Party |
November 19, 2018 • 3:00pm - 3:45pm | Wedding Ceremony |
November 04, 2018 • 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Cocktail Party |
October 25, 2018 • 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Birthday Party |
October 18, 2018 • 4:00pm - 7:00pm | Corporate Event |
September 24, 2018 • 6:00pm - 8:30pm | Cocktail Party |
September 22, 2018 • 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Wedding Reception |
September 01, 2018 • 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Children's Birthday Party |
August 05, 2018 • 12:00pm - 3:00pm | House Party |
June 01, 2018 • 5:30pm - 7:30pm | Wedding Cocktail Hour |
May 04, 2018 • 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Holiday Party |
May 01, 2018 • 7:00pm - 9:30pm | Dinner Party |
April 26, 2018 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Festival |
April 19, 2018 • 7:30pm - 9:30pm | Dinner Party |
March 20, 2018 • 4:30pm - 4:45pm | Surprise |
November 28, 2017 • 3:00pm - 3:15pm | Funeral/Memorial Service |
August 19, 2017 • 2:00pm - 5:00pm | Festival |
August 16, 2017 • 2:00pm - 3:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
August 12, 2017 • 12:00pm - 3:00pm | Launch Party |
August 11, 2017 • 10:00am - 11:00am | Wedding Ceremony |
August 05, 2017 • 3:00pm - 9:00pm | House Party |
August 05, 2017 • 1:00pm - 4:30pm | Birthday (Adult) |
July 20, 2017 • 6:30pm - 8:30pm | Cocktail Party |
June 15, 2017 • 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
April 18, 2017 • 5:00pm - 8:00pm | Dinner Party |
April 15, 2017 • 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Birthday (Adult) |
December 11, 2016 • 4:00pm - 6:00pm | Holiday Party (Christmas) |
November 13, 2015 • 3:30pm - 10:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
August 01, 2015 • 11:00am - 3:00pm | Wedding Reception |
July 04, 2015 • 7:00pm - 10:30pm | Anniversary Party |
May 25, 2015 • 4:30pm - 8:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
February 14, 2015 • 5:30pm - 10:00pm | Restaurant |
November 02, 2014 • 6:00pm - 9:30pm | Birthday Party |
August 16, 2014 • 7:00pm - 9:30pm | Birthday Party |
August 16, 2014 • 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Wedding Ceremony |
August 25, 2013 • 4:00pm - 6:30pm | Other |
July 30, 2013 • 6:30pm - 8:00pm | Birthday Party |
May 27, 2013 • 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Birthday Party |
December 13, 2012 • 3:30pm - 6:00pm | Christmas Party |
Set List
My set is usually geared towards Latin based material such as Flamenco and Brazilian. However, I will incorporate other styles and I will include a fair amount of recent contemporary and alternative music into my set as it feels appropriate to do so. The following is a sample list of my song styles and selections from my repertoire. I welcome requests from the audience as well:
CONTEMPORARY/POP/ROCK:
Shape of you – Ed Sheeran
Feel it still – Portugal. The Man
Havana – Camila Cabello
I know what you did last summer - Shawn Mendes
This girl – Kungs vs Cookin’ on 3 Burners
In the night - The Weeknd
Set fire to the rain – Adele
Alejandro - Lady Gaga
Game of Thrones theme - Ramin Djawadi
Bailando - Enrique Iglesias
Stay – Rihanna
Fields of gold - Sting
All of me - John Legend
And I love her - Beatles
If I fell - Beatles
In my life – Beatles
Yesterday – Beatles
A thousand years - Christina Perri
Marry me - Train
I'm yours - Jason Mraz
More than words - Extreme
Somebody that I used to know - Gotye
Clocks – Coldplay
Get lucky – Daft Punk/Pharrell Williams
Say it right – Nelly Furtado
Hotel California - Eagles
Whenever, wherever - Shakira
Hips don’t lie – Shakira
Wake me up - Avicii
Smooth - Santana
Europa – Santana
Samba pa ti - Santana
Corazon Espinado – Mana
Layla - Eric Clapton
Tears in heaven – Eric Clapton
Kiss from a Rose - Seal
Have you ever loved a woman - Brian Adams
Can’t help falling in love – Elvis/UB 40
Santeria - Sublime
Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
Black hole sun - Soundgarden
Ordinary World - Duran Duran
Mood for a day - Yes
Babe, I'm gonna leave you - Led Zeppelin
Black Mountain Side – Led Zeppelin
Classical Gas - Mason Williams
Josie - Steely Dan
Fantasy - Earth Wind & Fire
September – Earth Wind & Fire
Fragile – Sting
Con te partiro - Andre Bocelli
- and more
LATIN/FLAMENCO:/SPANISH
To the night - Ottmar Liebert
Three women walking – Ottmar Liebert
Malaguena - E. Lecuona
Bomboleo - Gypsy Kings
Tamacun - Rodrigo y Gabriela
Rio Ancho - Paco de Lucia
Cancion del Mariachi - A. Banderas/Los Lobos
Concierto de Aranjuez – Rodrigo
Spain – Chick Corea
Limon de nata – Vicente Amigo
Tata – Vicente Amigo
Maria Cervantes – Tito Puente
Dejame Sonar – Tito Puente
Sabor a mi – Luis Miguel
Guantanamera - Joseíto Fernández
Me voy – Julieta Venegas
La camisa negra – Juanes
Zinha – Cesaria Evora
Avisa la – Olodum
Cravo e canela – Milton Nacimento
Blue Spanish eyes – Bert Kaemfert
Choro - Villa-Lobos
Aquarela do Brazil – A. Barroso
Girl from Ipanema – Jobim/Moraes
Quizas, quizas, quizas - O. Farrés
Besame Mucho – Consuelo Velasquez
El Cumbanchero - R. Hernández Marín
Mandinga - Buena Vista Social Club
Tico Tico - A. Barroso
La Bamba
Morning - C. Fisher
CLASSICAL:
Leyenda - Albeniz
Receurdas de la Alhambra - Tarrega
Capricho Arabe – Tarrega
Pachelbel Canon in D
Gavotte en Rendeau - J.S. Bach
Courante from Cello Suite in A Major – J.S. Bach
Allemande from Lute Suite 1 in E Minor – J.S. Bach
Jesu, joy of man's desiring - J.S. Bach
Prelude in D Minor – J.S. Bach
Jesu, joy of man's desiring - J.S. Bach
Concierto in D Major - A. Vivaldi
Sonata Pathetique - L.V. Beethoven
Cavatina – Stanley Myers/John Williams
JAZZ:
Take five – Dave Brubeck
Breezin’ – George Benson
Feels so good – Chuck Mangione
Ain’t misbehavin’ – Fats Waller
Midnight Blue – Kenny Burrell
Sugar - Stanley Turrentine
Blue Bossa - K. Dorham
Spain - Chick Corea
Girl from Ipanema - A.C. Jobim
Wave - A.C. Jobim
All the things you are - J. Kern
James – Pat Metheny
Influences & Inspiration
That is a broad question as I have been through so many style changes! Currently, my main influence is Paco de Lucia in the Flamenco world. I really love what the Gypsy Kings do as a band. As far as fusion/jazz, I have been very influenced by Al DiMeola, Pat Metheny and Larry Carlton. I am a huge fan of Hiromi Uehara, the jazz piano phenom from Japan. In the contemporary world, I really like Adele, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Ne Yo. My classic rock mainstays are probably Eric Clapton, Santana and the Allman Brothers as well as a few different psychedelia bands.