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Dave Stryker: Stryker with Strings Goes to the Movies

By Jack Bowers
January 4, 2025
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Dave Stryker: Stryker with Strings Goes to the Movies

Guitarist

Dave Stryker

guitar
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Stryker, who is at home in any venue, Goes to the Movies on this ambitious album, wherein his working quartet is greeted by a thirty-piece orchestra with strings and four talented guest artists. There are some gems here—

Henry Mancini

composer / conductor
1924 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Mancini's "Dreamsville," Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Edelweiss," Ennio Morricone's theme from Cinema Paradiso among them—and a few pleasant surprises as well.

Songs in the latter group include "You Only Live Twice," from the James Bond film of that name; the mellow "Cavatina" from The Deer Hunter, and the session's jazziest number,

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington and

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn's "Flirtbird," the first of two selections from Anatomy of a Murder (the other is "Low Key Lightly," featuring violinist

Sara Caswell

violin

" data-original-title="" title="">Sara Caswell).

Much of the music, as arranged by

Brent Wallarab

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Brent Wallarab, is slow-paced, with the strings most prominent behind Stryker's expressive guitar. As for the other members of Stryker's group—pianist

Xavier Davis

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Xavier Davis, bassist

Jeremy Allen

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeremy Allen, drummer

McClenty Hunter

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">McClenty Hunter—they may as well have stayed home, as none of them is singled out save on the closing "Edelweiss," sans strings and orchestra.

Besides Stryker and Caswell (who is also heard on the opening number, "In Your Eyes" from Say Anything), solo space is basically shared by the guests: alto saxophonist

Greg Ward

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Greg Ward ("Taxi Driver," "Flirtbird"), flugelhornist

Mark Buselli

trumpet
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Buselli ("Flirtbird") and trombonist Jim Pugh ("Moonglow," from the film Picnic). The only song not yet mentioned is the forgettable theme from the movie Shaft.

When describing this enterprise, the word "ambitious" is certainly not misused; on the other hand, neither would "tiresome" or "lethargic" be too far out of bounds. It depends on one's point of view. The opinion here is that much more could have been done, in the choice of material and especially the way it is presented. Movies can and should be far more graphic and interesting than this.

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Track Listing

In Your Eyes; Cinema Paradiso (main theme); You Only Live Twice; Taxi Driver (main title); Theme from Shaft; Cavatina; Flirtibird; Low Key Lightly; Moonglow; Dreamsville; Edelweiss.

Personnel

Dave Stryker

guitar

Xavier Davis

piano

Jeremy Allen

bass, acoustic

McClenty Hunter

drums

Sara Caswell

violin

Greg Ward

saxophone

Jim Pugh

trombone

Mark Buselli

trumpet

Additional Instrumentation

Orchestra��Brent Wallarab: arranger, conductor; Mark Buselli, Jeff Conrad: trumpet, flugelhorn; Greg Ward: alto, soprano sax; Jim Pugh, Tim Coffman, Jeff Parker, Andrew Danforth: trombone; Richard Dole: bass trombone; Sara Caswell, Michelle Black, Joseph Okhubo, Rachel Patrick, Anna Czernik, Bryson Karrer, Noelle Gosling, Tricia Bonner, Marisa Voltapek, Sage Park, Sarah Cook, Sophie Buselli: violin; Kathy Hershberger, Derek Reeves, Alex Hoberty: viola; Yoonhae Swanson, Stephen Hawkey: cello.

Album information

Title: Stryker with Strings Goes to the Movies | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Strikezone Records

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