Dave Stryker (born March 30, 1957) is an American jazz guitarist. He has recorded more than 35 albums as a leader and has been a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and Kevin Mahogany.
Career Stryker grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. When he was 10 years old, he was inspired by The Beatles to start playing guitar. His interest was rock and roll until he heard the albums My Favorite Things by John Coltrane and Beyond the Blue Horizon by George Benson. By 17, he was a jazz guitarist in Omaha. In 1978, he moved to Los Angeles, where he took lessons from another Omaha native, Billy Rogers, and met organist Jack McDuff. After moving to New York City, he toured with McDuff in 1984–1985, then spent ten years with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.
Stryker formed a band with saxophonist Steve Slagle and a trio with organist Jared Gold and drummer Tony Reedus (later McClenty Hunter and Billy Hart). He worked with Kevin Mahogany as sideman, composer, and arranger, appeared with him at Carnegie Hall, and toured with him in Europe and Japan. He has also worked with Eliane Elias, Javon Jackson, and Andy LaVerne.
He has taught jazz guitar at Indiana University and Montclair State University and at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, the Litchfield Jazz Camp, and the Veneto/New School Workshop in Italy.
In 2018, Stryker began teaching jazz guitar online through the ArtistWorks music education website.
Stryker is the a member of the jazz faculty at William Paterson University, Rutgers University, and Montclair State University.
Awards and honors Top Ten Guitarists, DownBeat magazine Readers and Critics' Poll, 2001–2025 Rising Star, DownBeat magazine Critics' Poll Hot House magazine Jazz Award – Best Guitar Fans' Decision 2017
Discography As leader/co-leader Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes1988First StrikeSomeday of Mugen MusicWith Steve Slagle (soprano sax, alto sax) Marc Cohen (piano), Ron McClure (bass), Billy Hart (drums)1990Strike Zone SteepleChaseWith Steve Slagle (soprano sax, alto sax, alto clarinet) Marc Cohen (piano), Ron McClure (bass), Ronnie Burrage (drums)1991Passage SteepleChaseWith Steve Slagle (soprano sax, alto sax, alto clarinet), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Jay Anderson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)1991Guitar On Top Ken MusicWith Mulgrew Miller (piano), Robert Hurst (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)1992Blue Degrees SteepleChaseWith Rick Margitza (tenor sax), Larry Goldings (organ), Jeff Hirshfield (drums)1993Full Moon SteepleChaseWith Steve Slagle (soprano sax, flute), Jay Anderson (bass), Jeff Hirshfield (drums)1994Dave Stryker With The Bill Warfield Big Band SteepleChaseWith Bill Warfield Big Band1994Stardust SteepleChaseWith Joey DeFrancesco (organ), Adam Nussbaum (drums)1995The GreetingSteepleChaseWith Bruce Barth (piano), Scott Colley (bass), Tony Reedus (drums)1996Blue To The Bone SteepleChaseWith Brian Lynch (trumpet), Rich Perry (tenor sax), Bob Parsons (baritone sax), Conrad Herwig (trombone), Bruce Barth (piano, organ), Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)1996Big Room SteepleChaseWith Rich Perry (tenor sax), Ed Howard (bass), Billy Hart (drums)1996Six String SantaStrikezone RecordsSolo Guitar 1997All The WaySteepleChaseWith Scott Colley (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)1998Blue To The Bone II SteepleChaseWith Brian Lynch (trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto sax, flute), Bob Parsons (baritone sax), Clack Gayton (trombone, bass trombone) Bruce Barth (piano, organ), Jay Anderson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)1998Shades Of Miles SteepleChaseWith Brian Lynch (trumpet), Steve Slagle (soprano sax, alto sax), Billy Drewes (soprano sax, tenor sax, bass clarinet), Larry Goldings (electric piano, organ), Marc Copland (electric piano) Terry Burns (bass), Billy Hart (drums), Manolo Badrena (percussion)1999Changing Times SteepleChaseWith Steve Slagle (soprano sax, alto sax), Bill Moring (bass), Tim Horner (drums), Manolo Badrena (percussion)2001Blue To The Bone III SteepleChaseWith Brian Lynch(trumpet) Steve Slagle (alto sax), Bob Parsons (baritone sax), Clack Gayton (trombone, bass trombone) James Williams (piano, organ), Jay Anderson (bass), Tim Horner (drums)2001Shades Beyond SteepleChaseWith Steve Slagle (soprano sax, alto sax, alto clarinet), David Berkman (electric piano, organ), Terry Burns (bass), Lenny White (drums)2003Strike Up The Band SteepleChaseWith Xavier Davis (piano), Andy McKee (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 2004Big City Mel BayWith David Kikoski (piano), Ed Howard (bass), Victor Lewis (drums) 2005The Chaser Mel BayWith Jared Gold (organ), Tony Reedus (drums)2008One For Reedus SteepleChaseWith Jared Gold (organ), Steve Williams (drums)2009Keystone SteepleChaseWith Stephen Riley (tenor sax), Jared Gold (organ), Quincy Davis (drums)2010Blue Strike SteepleChaseWith Freddie Hendrix (trumpet), Stephen Riley (tenor sax), Jared Gold (organ), Billy Hart (drums)2011Blue To The Bone IV SteepleChaseWith Freddie Hendrix (trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax) Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)2013Eight Track Strikezone RecordsWith Stefon Harris (vibraphone), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)2014Messin With Mister T Strikezone RecordsWith Houston Person, Mike Lee, Don Braden, Jimmy Heath, Chris Potter, Bob Mintzer, Eric Alexander Javon Jackson, Steve Slagle, Tivon Pennicott (tenor sax), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums), Mayra Casales (percussion)2016Eight Track II Strikezone RecordsWith Stefon Harris (vibraphone), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)2017Strikin' Ahead Strikezone RecordsWith Stefon Harris (vibraphone), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)2019Eight Track III Strikezone RecordsWith Stefon Harris (vibraphone), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums), Mayra Casales (percussion)2019Eight Track Christmas Strikezone RecordsWith Stefon Harris (vibraphone), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums, percussion)2020Blue Soul Strikezone RecordsWith Bob Mintzer & The WDR Big Band2021Baker's Circle Strikezone RecordsWith Walter Smith III (tenor sax), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums), Mayra Casales (percussion)2022As We Are Strikezone RecordsWith Julian Shore (piano, arranger), John Patitucci (bass), Brian Blade (drums), plus String Quartet2023Prime Strikezone RecordsWith Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)2024Groove Street Strikezone RecordsWith Bob Mintzer (tenor sax), Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)2025Stryker with Strings Goes to the Movies Strikezone RecordsWith Brent Wallarab (arranger, conductor), Sarah Caswell (violin soloist, concert master), Xavier Davis (piano, electric piano), Jeremy Allen (bass, electric bass), McClenty Hunter (drums), 17 Piece String Section2025Blue Fire: The Van Gelder Session Strikezone RecordsWith Jared Gold (organ), McClenty Hunter (drums)
The Stryker/Slagle Band With Steve Slagle The Stryker/Slagle Band (Khaeon, 2003) Live at the Jazz Standard (Zoho, 2005) Latest Outlook (Zoho, 2007) The Scene (Zoho, 2008) Keeper (Panorama, 2010) Routes (Strikezone, 2016)
With Trio Mundo Carnaval (Khaeon, 2002) Trio Mundo Rides Again (Zoho, 2004)
With Others Exit 13 (Etoile, 2002) with Sylvia Cuenca, Kyle Koehler Suit Up! (Bounce-Step, 2013) with Matt Kane, Kyle Koehler
As sideman With Allan Botschinsky Last Summer (MA Music, 1992) I've Got Another Rhythm (MA Music, 1995)
With Jared Gold Out of Line (Posi-Tone, 2010) Intuition (Posi-Tone, 2012) JG3+3 (Posi-Tone, 2014) Metropolitan Rhythm (Posi-Tone, 2015) Reemergence (Strikezone, 2018)
With Kevin Mahogany Another Time Another Place (Warner Bros., 1997) Pride & Joy (Telarc, 2002) Next Time You See Me (Mahogany Jazz, 2012)
With Jorge Nila The Way I Feel (Strikezone, 2003) Tenor Time (Ninjazz, 2018)
With Steve Slagle Smoke Signals (Panorama, 1991) Our Sound! (Double-Time, 1995) Steve Slagle Plays Monk (SteepleChase, 1998) New New York (OmniTone, 2000) Evensong (Panorama, 2013) Dedication (Panorama, 2018)
With Matthew Whitaker Outta the Box (Jazz Foundation of America, 2017) Now Hear This (Resilience Music Alliance, 2019)
With others Steve Allee Big Band, Naptown Sound (Jazzville Records, 2025) Don Braden, Luminosity (Creative Perspective Music, 2015) Kendall "Keyz" Carter, Introducing Kendall Carter (Lladnek Music, 2021) Rondi Charleston, Resilience (Resilience Music Alliance, 2017) Royce Campbell, Six by Six (Paddle Wheel/King [jp], 1994) Mike Freeman & Spellbound, Street Shuffle (Best Recordings, 1991) Giacomo Gates, Miles Tones: Giacomo Gates Sings the Music of Miles Davis (Savant, 2013) Craig Handy, Reflections in Change (Sirocco Music, 1999) Javon Jackson, Pleasant Valley (Blue Note, 1999) Matthew Kaminski, Swingin' On the New Hammond (Chicken Coup, 2013) Andy LaVerne, Stan Getz in Chappaqua (SteepleChase, 1997) Pete Levin, Jump! (Pete Levin Music, 2010) Tony Reedus, Minor Thang (Criss Cross, 1996) Larry Schneider, Ali Girl (SteepleChase, 1997) Stanley Turrentine, T Time (MusicMasters, 1995) Charenee Wade, Offering (Membran, 2015)
References
External links Official site