Dave Stryker (born March 30, 1957) is an American jazz guitarist. He has recorded over twenty-five albums as a leader and has been a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and Kevin Mahogany.
Stryker grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. When he was ten 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 seventeen, 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 1984-5, then spent ten years with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.
Stryker formed a band with Steve Slagle and a trio with Jared Gold and 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 teaches 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.
Awards and honors
Top Ten Guitarists, Down Beat magazine Readers' Poll, 2001Rising Star, Down Beat magazine Critics' PollPassage (SteepleChase, 1991) with Steve Slagle, Joey Calderazzo, Jay Anderson, Adam NussbaumGuitar on Top (Ken, 1992)Full Moon (SteepleChase, 1993) with Steve Slagle, Jay Anderson, Jeff HirshfieldBlue Degrees (SteepleChase, 1994) with Larry Goldings, Rick Margitza and Jeff HirshfieldNomad (SteepleChase, 1994) with Steve Slage, Randy Brecker, and the Bill Warfield Big BandStardust (SteepleChase, 1994) with Joey DeFrancesco and Adam NussbaumStrike Zone (SteepleChase, 1994) with Steve Slagle, Marc Copland, Ron McClure, Ronnie BurrageThe Greeting (SteepleChase, 1995) with Bruce Barth, Tony Reedus, Scott Colley, Daniel SadownickBig Room (SteepleChase, 1996) with Billy Hart, Rich Perry, Ed HowardBlue to the Bone (SteepleChase, 1996) with Brian Lynch, Rich Perry, Conrad Herwig, Bob Parsons, Bruce Barth, Jay Anderson, Billy DrummondBlue to the Bone II (1998) with Steve Slagle, Adam Nussbaum, Clark GaytonAll the Way (SteepleChase, 2000) with Bill Stewart and Scott ColleyShades of Miles (SteepleChase, 2000) with Steve Slagle, Marc Copland, Larry Goldings, Billy Hart, Brian Lynch, Manolo Badrena, Terry Burns, Billy DrewesChanging Times (SteepleChase, 2001) with Steve Slagle, Bill Moring, Tim Horner, Manolo BadrenaBlue to the Bone III (SteepleChase, 2002) with Jay Anderson, Clark Gayton, Tim Horner, Brian Lynch, Bob Parsons, Steve Slagle and James WilliamsExit 13 (Etoile, 2004) with Sylvia CuencaShades Beyond (SteepleChase, 2004) with Steve Slagle, David Berkman, Terry BurnsAn Uptown Christmas (Uptown Jazz, 2005)Big City (Mel Bay, 2005) with Ed Howard, David Kikoski, Victor LewisSix String Santa (Strikezone, 2005)The Chaser (Mel Bay, 2006) with Jared Gold, Tony ReedusStrike Up the Band (SteepleChase, 2008) with Xavier Davis, Andy McKee, Billy HartKeystone (SteepleChase, 2010) with Jared Gold, Stephen Riley, and Quincy DavisOne for Reedus (SteepleChase, 2010) with Jared Gold and Steve WilliamsBlue Strike (SteepleChase, 2011) with Jared Gold, Stephen Riley, Freddie Hendrix, Billy HartEight Track (Strikezone, 2014) with Stefon Harris, Jared Gold, McClenty HunterMessin' with Mister T (Strikezone, 2015) with Jared Gold, McClenty Hunter, Mayra CasalesEight Track, Vol. 2 (Strikezone, 2016) with Steve Nelson, Jared Gold and McClenty HunterStrykin' Ahead (Strikezone, 2017)The Stryker/Slagle Band
Stryker/Slagle Band (2003)Live at the Jazz Standard (Zoho, 2005) with Steve Slagle, Ed Howard, Victor LewisLatest Outlook (Zoho, 2007) with Steve Slagle, Jay Anderson, Billy Hart, Joe LovanoThe Scene (Zoho, 2008) with Steve Slagle, Jay Anderson, Victor Lewis, Joe LovanoWith Kevin Mahogany
1997 Another Time Another Place2002 Pride and JoyWith Steve Slagle
1996 Our Sound2000 New New York2000 Slagle Plays MonkWith others
1993 The Guitar Artistry of Billy Rogers, Billy Rogers1994 City Never Sleeps, Bill Warfield1995 Time, Stanley Turrentine1996 Minor Thang, Tony Reedus1997 Stan Getz in Chappaqua, Andy LaVerne1999 Pleasant Valley, Javon Jackson2000 Reflections in Change, Craig Handy2001 Jamey Aebersold Jazz: Antonio Carlos Jobim (Bossa Nova), Jamey Aebersold2002 Carnaval, Trio Mundo2003 Jazz Dialogues, Vol. 2: Focus, James Williams2003 Jazz Dialogues, Vol. 4: Music for a While, James Williams2004 Rides Again, Trio Mundo2006 Ultrablue, Ultrablue2007 Feelin' Good: Blues in B-3, Jamey Aebersold2010 Jump!, Pete Levin2011 Who Knows Where the Time Goes, Rondi Charleston2013 Iridium Live 008: 4-8-2012, Pete Levin2013 Miles Tones, Giacomo Gates2013 Signs of Life, Rondi Charleston
