Whether you've heard Dave Stryker fronting his own group (with 18 CDs as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, or Kevin Mahogany, you know why Dave is called "one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years" (Gary Giddins, The Village Voice). He was voted one of the Top 10 guitarists in the 2001 Critics and Readers poll of Downbeat Magazine. Stryker's latest CD, "Big City" received 4 stars in Downbeat and was picked as one of the Top CD's of 2005. Stryker has recorded and published over 100 original compositions and some have been recorded by Stanley Turrentine, Kevin Mahogany, Victor Lewis, Steve Slagle, and Ultrablue. Dave continues to perform with his own band and has recently performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival, The Blue Note in Las Vegas, and The Jazz Bakery in LA, as well as a 2003 tour of Japan. Dave teaches privately as well as at the Outreach Jazz Workshops in Austria, and the Litchfield Jazz Camp. He also has authored "Dave Stryker's Jazz Guitar Improvisation Method" available from Mel Bay Publishing.

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, traveling all over the U.S. for two years (1984-85). From 1986 to 1995, Stryker played with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, performing at all the major festivals, concert halls, and clubs throughout the world. He is featured on two Turrentine CDs and with Stanley, Stryker was able to play with jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard. Over ten years playing alongside the tenor legend helped Dave realize the importance of having his own sound.

Stryker recorded his first CD First Strike in 1988. Guitar on Top (1991) reached #13 on the Gavin Radio Chart and received 4½ stars in Downbeat magazine. Articles on Dave have appeared in Downbeat, Guitar Player, JazzTimes, Swing Journal, and Jazz Life, and he has been awarded three Jazz grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1990 Dave began his association with SteepleChase Music. Since them he has released 15 CD's including Strikezone, Passage, Blue Degrees, Full Moon, Stardust, Nomad (with the Bill Warfield Big Band), The Greeting, Blue to the Bone I , II and III, Big Room, All the Way, Changing Times, Shades of Miles, and Shades Beyond. Another recent project is Trio Mundo - Carnaval on (Khaeon) with percussionist Manolo Badrena. Stryker's CD Blue to the Bone III was voted one of the top CD's of 2002 by NY/NJ Radio station WBGO and by Jazzreview.

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 eighty 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). 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 his working unit The Stryker / Slagle Band as well as his other projects: The Dave Stryker Organ Trio, The Blue to the Bone Band, and The Shades Project (w/ Lenny White). Recent gigs for The Stryker/Slagle Band have included the Monterey Jazz Festival, The Blue Note in Las Vegas, The Jazz Bakery in LA, and a 2003 tour of Japan.

Recent sideman work has included vocalist Kevin Mahogany's group, with Dave writing and arranging music for Kevin's latest Telarc release Pride and Joy and Another Time, Another Place on Warner Bros, and tours of Europe, Japan, Brazil, Poland and Carnegie Hall. He also has worked with Blue Note saxophonist Javon Jackson and pianist Eliane Elias. He has appeared on over 50 CD's as a sideman.

As a producer, Stryker compiled the CD The Guitar Artistry of Billy Rogers which is the only existing record of the brilliant jazz playing of the late underground legend who was his friend, former teacher and member of the Crusaders. He has also produced "A Tribute to Grant Green" on Evidence Music and most recently produced "Trio Mundo" and "Trio Mundo Rides Again" (ZOHO Music). Dave is also involved in teaching both privately and at Outreach Jazz Workshop in Austria, Litchfield Jazz Camp, and the Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop.

Listen to samples of Dave's playing HERE.

Visit Dave at davestryker.com

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