Dave Stryker New Release, Blue Fire

Guitarist Dave Stryker talks to JGT’s Joe Barth about his new album with organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter.

The guitar-organ-drums trio is a staple of classic jazz.  Many of these classic jazz organ albums were recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in his New Jersey Studio. Rudy’s assistant Maureen Sicker and her husband Don have taken over the operations of the studio since Rudy’s death.  Dave Stryker has gone to these “hollowed halls” to record a new album with his organist, Jared Gold, and drummer McClenty Hunter.  I talked with Dave about this experience.

JB:  On your new album , Blue Fire, the opening song is “Van Gelder’s Place.”  Tell us about recording in such “hollowed halls.”

DS:  I had always wanted to record at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio but was never able to while he was alive. I thought the time was right to finally make a record there and had some new music ready with my organ trio.

It is amazing to walk into the studio and realize all the history. All the records: Prestige, Blue Note, CTI, and of course Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. It was definitely inspiring for us, and I think we rose to the occasion!

JB:  This is a hard question.  What is your favorite guitar combo recording from Rudy’s time running the studio, and why?

I am a fan of the Grant Green, Larry Young, Elvin Jones organ trio from the mid-sixties. They made four records there: Street of Dreams with Bobby Hutcherson, Talkin-About, and I Want to Hold Your Hand with Hank Mobley (Probably my favorite if I had to pick one, since it was one of the first LPs I bought), and Into Something -Larry Young with Sam Rivers. 

JB:  Do “Blue Fire,” “Waiting for Ruby,” or “Every Dark Street” allude to this studio?  Tell us about those songs.

DS:  “Blue Fire” is a fast smoker, so it seemed like a good title. My friend, the late great Vic Juris, would often call a song at that tempo, a “finger buster”…ha ha.

JB:  I love that wickedly fast unison line that you and Jared play so cleanly on that song.

DS:  “Waiting for Ruby” is about my granddaughter Ruby, who was born on October 2nd. So in July, when this was recorded, we were waiting!

“Every Dark Street” is an older tune of mine that I used to play in my quartet with Steve Slagle. I wanted to try it with this trio.

JB:  What drew you to Paul McCartney’s “Fool on the Hill?”

DS:  I was driving to a gig and heard on the radio that Sergio Mendes had just passed. When I got to the gig, I showed Jared the chords, and we’ve been playing it ever since.  Sergio had a hit with it back in the 1970s, but we put our own spin on it.

JB:  What drew you to Bird’s “Dexterity”?

DS:  I love playing Charlie Parker’s tunes and have learned many of them over the years. “Dexterity” is a cool head over the “I’ve Got Rhythm” changes.  I came up with some different chords over rhythm changes that are fun to blow over.

JB:  Briefly reflect upon Jerome Kern’s “The Folks Who Live on the Hill.” 

DS:  I was looking for a great ballad that hasn’t been overplayed. I listened to many vocal versions and learned the lyrics. I really wanted to get inside the melody.  Jerome Kern’s lyrics are amazing on this one. I think I like Shirley Horn’s version the best.

JB:  You guys have been together for a long time.  What do you appreciate most about your rhythm section on the album, organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter?

DS:  I’ve been playing with Jared Gold for twenty years now, and McClenty Hunter joined shortly thereafter. Besides being two of the greatest on their respective instruments, we have developed a real group sound from playing and recording together for so many years. It makes it easy to go in and just play, knowing that there will be some sparks and fire. 

JB:  Why close the album with Harry Warren’s “Summer Night”?

DS:  We actually were not going to do that one. But we had a few minutes left in the session, and I suggested “Summer Night.” Miles Davis recorded it as a ballad, and others have recorded it, but once again, it’s a less-commonly played standard.  We did it in 3/4 and only one take. Actually, the whole record is all first takes. That’s one of the advantages of having a working trio; the magic usually happens on the first take.

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