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Dave Stryker
Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 25 CD’s as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” He was recently voted once again one of the Top Guitarists in the 2014 Downbeat Critics and Readers polls for the 7th time. His most recent CD “Eight Track” was also picked as one of the Top Albums of 2014 in the Downbeat Readers Poll.
Dave Stryker grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to New York City in 1980. After establishing himself in the local music scene, he joined organist Jack McDuff’s group for two years 1984-85. When McDuff wasn’t on the road (literally traveling by van all over the country) they worked a steady four-night a week gig at Dude’s Lounge in Harlem. His first break, this turned out to be an invaluable experience, paying his dues night after night with the soulful jazz organist. It was at Dude’s Lounge that Stryker met tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, who would occasionally sit in. After leaving McDuff, Turrentine asked Stryker to join his quintet. From 1986-1995 he played with the legendary saxophonist at all the major festivals, concert halls, and clubs throughout the world. He is featured on two Turrentine CD’s (Stanley recorded Stryker’s tune “Sidesteppin”). With Turrentine, Stryker was able to play with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard. The ten years playing alongside the tenor legend helped Stryker realize the importance of having his own sound. Dave continued to work with Stanley and was with him during his final week at the Blue Note in NYC, when he passed in Sept. 2000.
Early on Stryker realized that as much as he loved playing standards and the jazz repertoire he had to have something of his own to give to the music. He feels that his writing combined with his playing is what shapes his musical expression. He has recorded and published over 130 of his own compositions. Eighteen of those compositions (from the first five SteepleChase CD’s) are compiled in the book : The Music of Dave Stryker (SteepleChase Music) which can be ordered on this website. Some of the other artists who have recorded his music are: Stanley Turrentine, Kevin Mahogany, Victor Lewis, and Steve Slagle. Dave continues to perform with The Dave Stryker Organ Trio, his Blue to the Bone Band, and The Stryker / Slagle Band. Recent gigs for The Stryker / Slagle Band have included a recent week at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival, The Blue Note in Las Vegas, The Jazz Bakery in LA, and a 2003 tour of Japan.
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The Dave Stryker Trio with Bob Mintzer: Groove Street
by Pierre Giroux
The Dave Stryker Trio with tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer is a captivating musical escapade. This collaboration not only showcases the talents of the two principals but also the two accompanying players, organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter. Right from the initial notes of the opening track “Groove Street," a Dave Stryker original, the band sets itself up for success with Gold's classic organ shuffle as the launching pad. Stryker's guitar sizzles and Mintzer weaves a ...
read moreThe Dave Stryker Trio: Groove Street
by Jack Bowers
Guitarist Dave Stryker's latest album, Groove Street, is in fact “The Dave Stryker Trio with Bob Mintzer," a combination that is a sure bet to enhance its merit and heighten its import--a sentiment that is equally true when applied to any album on which the acclaimed tenor saxophonist sits in. Stryker and Mintzer are longtime friends who somehow never recorded together, although Mintzer furnished the arrangements for Blue Soul, Stryker's splendid album with Germany's WDR Big Band. ...
read moreDave Stryker: Prime
by Jack Bowers
Guitarist Dave Stryker, a ubiquitous presence on the New York scene (and elsewhere) for more than three decades as a leader or sideman, is also a prolific recording artist with more than 35 albums under his belt (and many more than that as member of various ensembles) in formats ranging from big band to trio. On Prime, he opts for the smaller arrangement, employing his long-time working group (Jared Gold, organ; McClenty Hunter, drums) to perform eight of Stryker's engaging ...
read moreRecapping The Best of 2022: Part 2
by Michael Ambrosino
2022 is in the books and what a remarkable year in music is was! Here's the second part of my recap of favorite music for the year. Featuring my favorite 20 albums for the year and some of the most intriguing music as well. Come hear Dave Stryker, Connie Han, Rafael Greco, Anat Cohen, Miguel Zenón and so much more on this special five hour show! ...
read moreDave Stryker: As We Are
by Richard J Salvucci
One of the few good things about coming late to a party is that you don't have to start the conversation. The guests are there, drinks have been served, and one way or another, a tone—or several—has been set. All you have to do is blend in. Sometimes it is easy. Other times it is not.As We Are is already established near the top of the jazz charts. It has been reviewed, and reviewed very well on All ...
read moreAlternative Guitar Summit: Honoring Pat Martino, Volume 1
by Jack Bowers
Each year the Alternative Guitar Summit, led by Joel Harrison, presents a concert to honor a living jazz composer/guitarist. That wasn't possible in 2021, however, as venues in and around New York City were shuttered tight by the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, it was clear that the chosen honoree, the great Pat Martino, was gravely ill and might not have another year to live. With that in mind, members of the Summit took their guitars straight to a studio to record ...
read moreGuitars A Plenty
by Bob Osborne
On this show recent guitar focused album releases from Dave Stryker, Gastón de la Cruz, Greg Amirault, Ken Serio, Oli Astral, and Guillaume Vierset. There's also great improvisation from the band of Alvin Fielder, David Dove, Jason Jackson, and Damon Smith, plus, a track from the debut double album of solo piano from Nick Maclean. Playlist Dave Stryker “Lanes" from As We Were (Strikezone Records) 00:00 Gastón de la Cruz, Valentino Sampaoli, Nahuel Flores Catino “Bosque" from Onirica ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: Dave Stryker
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Dave Stryker's birthday today!
Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 25 CD’s as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” He was recently voted once again one of the Top Guitarists in the 2014 Downbeat Critics and ...
read more
Dave Stryker Trio Release 'Prime'
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Fresh off their summer tour opening for Steely Dan, Stryker releases Prime—the first recording featuring his working trio. Along with Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums, Stryker offers eight new compositions and the beautiful standard “I Should Care.” From the burning title track “Prime” to songs penned for his first boss Jack McDuff (“Captain Jack” and “Dude’s Lounge”) as well as “Mac” for his drummer and the original trio versions of “Hope” and “As We Were” from ...
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Guitarist Dave Stryker to release 'Prime' with Jared Gold and McClenty Hunter on Strikezone Records
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Fresh off their summer tour opening for Steely Dan, guitarist Dave Stryker releases Prime—the first recording featuring his working trio. Along with Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums, Stryker offers eight new compositions and the beautiful standard “I Should Care.” From the burning title track “Prime” to songs penned for his first boss Jack McDuff (“Captain Jack” and “Dude’s Lounge”) as well as “Mac” for his drummer and the original trio versions of “Hope” and “As We ...
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Interview: Dave Stryker, 'As We Are'
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
If there was an upside to the pre-vaccine pandemic of 2020-2021, it's that creative artists had solitary time to think about the road forward. For guitarist Dave Stryker, that period of confinement resulted in As We Are (Strikezone), a fascinating new album recorded in January 2022, featuring a jazz quartet backed by an inventive string quartet. The group includes Dave Stryker on guitar, Julian Shore on piano, John Patitucci on bass, Brian Blade on drums, Sara Caswell on violin (with ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Dave Stryker
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Dave Stryker's birthday today!
Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 25 CD’s as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” He was recently voted once again one of the Top Guitarists in the 2014 Downbeat Critics and ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Dave Stryker
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Dave Stryker's birthday today!
Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 25 CD’s as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” He was recently voted once again one of the Top Guitarists in the 2014 Downbeat Critics and ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Dave Stryker
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Dave Stryker's birthday today!
Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 25 CD’s as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” He was recently voted once again one of the Top Guitarists in the 2014 Downbeat Critics and ...
read more
Letizia Gambi With Special Guests: Lenny White, Fahir Atakoglu, Dave Stryker & More At Blues Alley On January 29th
Source:
Scott Thompson Public Relations
Letizia Gambi with Special Guests: Lenny White, Fahir Atakoglu, Dave Stryker, Jisoo Ok and Ollie Bomann! Blues Alley January 29, 2020 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM One Night Only! Blues Alley 1073 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Letizia Gambi's music is a combination of her Italian-Neapolitan roots with the heritage of Black American Jazz. It is a “cultural fusion", her January 29, 2020 performance at Blues Alley will feature a ...
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Jazz Lines: Free Verse in the Key of Jazz Both Erudite and Playful by Gloria Krolak
Source:
All About Jazz
Jazz Lines: Free Verse in the Key of JazzGloria Krolak 96 PagesISBN 978-1-938417-53-5Lydia Inglett Starbooks Publishing2019 Jazz Lines: Free Verse in the Key of Jazz, is a unique, beautifully assembled coffee table book by longtime radio host, jazz columnist and distinguished patron of the arts, Gloria Krolak. The book features a number of original poems, each presenting a theme that ties into the jazz tradition/experience. As a fellow writer of ambitious coffee table volumes, this ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Dave Stryker
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Dave Stryker's birthday today!
Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 25 CD’s as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” He was recently voted once again one of the Top Guitarists in the 2014 Downbeat Critics and ...
read more
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Dave Stryker
Location: New York City
Instrument: Guitar
Born: March 30, 1957
Publicist: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
