Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 35 CD’s as a leader to date), or as afeatured sideman with, Stanley Turrentine and Jack McDuff, you know why Gary Giddins in the Village Voice called him "one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.”
Prime is Dave’s most recent recording and features his working trio of Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums. The trio recently opened up for Steely Dan’s 2002 summer tour.
On his previous recording As We Are Dave broke new compositional ground for himself with an all-star band featuring John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Julian Shore and a string quartet arranged by Shore. The album made Best of 2022 in Downbeat Readers Poll, Jazz Times and many others, and hit #1 for 2 weeks on the JazzWeek Radio chart.
Stryker has been on a roll the last several years with all the recordings (on his label Strikezone Records) reaching the Top 10 and 5 hitting #1 on JazzWeek. Hot House magazine awarded Dave the Best GuitaristFans Decision for 2017. He was recently voted once again as one of the top Jazz Guitarists in the 2022Downbeat Critics and Readers Polls for the 15th time.
Stryker grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, moved to New York City in 1980, and joined organist Jack McDuff’s group (1984-85). From 1986 to 1995, Stryker played with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. He has also performed with Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jimmy Heath, Kevin Mahogany, Eliane Elias, Joe Lovano, Steve Slagle and many others.
Dave is Adjunct Professor of Jazz Guitar at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Dave’s online teaching school is at www.artistworks.com.
His book Dave Stryker’s Jazz Guitar Improvisation MethodVol III is available on his website at www.davestryker.com.
