Dave Stryker “strikes it rich” with movie theme CD…
Dave Stryker – Stryker With Strings, Goes to the Movies – Strikezone Records #8827 – 64:20 – ****
(Dave Stryker – guitar; Xavier Davis – piano & Fender Rhodes – Jeremy Allen – bass; McClenty Hunter – drums; Orchestra arranged and conducted by Brent Wallarab; Featured soloists – Sara Caswell – violin; Greg Ward- alto sax; Jim Pugh – trombone; Mark Buselli – flugelhorn)
Ace jazz guitarist, Dave Stryker, continues to entertain and inspire with winning releases. His latest, Stryker With Strings, Goes to the Movies, releasing this month, honors a love for movie music, with eleven tracks, from an eclectic mix of films.
Dave’s background has featured him as both a noted sideman, educator, and now helping run his label, Strikezone Records. Prior to going out on his own, he toured and recorded with Brother Jack McDuff, and Stanley Turrentine. Both of these legends helped prepare him for his own recording career, now at over 37 albums. Stryker has consistently ranked high in both the Readers and Critics polls on Downbeat Magazine. Whether covering Christmas music, re-imagining rock tunes, or soul jazz and blues genres, his CDs provide great listening.
On his latest issue, backed by a full orchestra, led by Indiana based Brent Wallarab, Dave’s quartet revisits both main themes, and less well known memorable tracks from movies from the 1950s to the 1970s. Composers range from well known names like Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini, Duke Ellington, and Rodgers and Hammerstein, to more contemporary artists such as Isaac Hayes, and Peter Gabriel.
The constant throughout are swinging arrangements, strings that elevate, rather than distract, and Dave’s warm, and crystal clear guitar choruses. “Cinema Paradiso,” brings back warm memories of a child in a small town in Italy, who loved spending time in the town’s movie theater, while “You Only Live Twice,”drops you into James Bond’s world.
I never tire hearing “The Theme From Shaft,” and the Stryker/Wallarab version with its iconic guitar, and drums from McClenty Hunter, will take you back to this blaxploitation classic.
Lesser known tracks, such as “Cavatina,” from Deer Hunter, and “Flirtibird,” from Anatomy of a Murder, will stimulate an interest in watching these iconic films to see where these compositions fit in with the visual wonders.
Kudos should go out to arranger and conductor Wallarab,and the 25 piece orchestra, for helping Dave fulfill his dream, as well as the string conductor, Richard Dole.
This new CD release should be a requisite purchase for both orchestral jazz fans, as well as those (aren’t we all?) who love movies, and the pleasure they bring us.
—Jeff Krow
Stryker With Strings, Goes to the Movies
Tracklist:
In Your Eyes (Say Anything),
Cinema Paradiso (Main Theme),
You Only Live Twice,
Taxi Driver (Main Theme),
Theme From Shaft,
Cavatina (The Deer Hunter),
Flirtibird (Anatomy of a Murder),
Low Key Lightly (Anatomy of a Murder),
Moonglow (Picnic),
Dreamsville (Gunn),
Edelweiss (The Sound of Music)
