Album of the Week, 02-20-24
Dave Stryker Trio ft. Bob Mintzer – Groove Street
Strikezone Records
released January 1, 2024
Produced by Dave Stryker
Dave Stryker-guitar
Bob Mintzer-tenor sax
Jared Gold-organ
McClenty Hunter-drums
In the summer of 2023, the Dave Stryker Trio joined forces with tenor saxophone legend Bob Mintzer to record an album of new music prior to playing a week at Birdland in NYC. Stryker and Mintzer had been friends for many years and Bob arranged and conducted an album of Dave’s music for the album Blue Soul with the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany. Although Bob had guested with the trio on a few tours, they had never played THIS music together before arriving at the studio. The magic and energy that was captured speaks to the beauty of jazz and the height of communication among first-class players exploring new music for the first time. Subsequently, most of the songs were captured in one take.
From the classic organ shuffle of Dave’s title track to Mintzer originals: “Overlap” and “Straight Ahead,” Stryker’s burner “Summit,” “Code Blue” and Gold’s “Soulstice,” the swinging standard “The More I See You,” the groove of Eddie Harris’ classic “Cold Duck Time,” and a tribute to the great Wayne Shorter with a fresh take on “Infant Eyes”… Stryker and company are definitely exploring new avenues on Groove Street.
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Each week, WDNA music director, Michael Valentine shares his album of the week. Michael’s picks often focus on new jazz releases, but sometimes dip into history with notable and classic releases worth revisiting.
