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Dave Stryker: Eight Track III
ByShuffling and swinging their way through Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up," the core four go at it right from the start. Then the straight-time hip of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" settles on the soul, the slick intelligence behind Steely Dan meets with Stryker's earthy resonance for "Pretzel Logic, a spirited trip through Stevie Wonder's "Too High" lives up to its name, and a beautiful "We've Only Just Begun" serves as an understated breather of a centerpiece.
Whether observing that opening portion of the program, addressing what follows, including a lightly funky "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" highlight, or looking back at the first two Eight Track dates, one thing remains true and constant: the strength of the song itself remains paramount. Stryker doesn't bend the originals into unrecognizable shapes or use the art of the cover as a means for intellectual exercise. He plays the songs in relatively straightforward manners, leaves space for solos, and lets the magic take shape on its own. And that, in a nutshell, is his formula for success when dealing with this terrain.
While this may mark the end of Stryker's Eight Track projects, it's doubtful that (m)any would complain if a fourth happened to find its way to the marketplace. As fun dates go, these are hard to beat.
Track Listing
Move On Up; Papa Was A Rollin' Stone; Pretzel Logic; Too High; We've Only Just Begun; This Guy's In Love With You; Everybody Loves The Sunshine; After The Dance; Joy Inside My Tears.
Personnel
Dave Stryker
guitarDave Stryker: guitar; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Jared Gold: organ; McClenty Hunter: drums; Mayra Casales: congas & percussion (2, 3, 6-9).
Album information
Title: Eight Track III | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Strikezone Records
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