With their newest release The Scene, The Stryker/Slagle Band serve up a dedication to men and women playing their kind of music: warm, soulful jazz. Each and every track acts as an affectionate ode to personal friends and musical heroes alike, all while demonstrating the skillful guitar playing of Dave Stryker and warm saxophone riffs of Steve Slagle. Respectful yet upbeat, the recording shows what modern jazz can achieve in the hands of its biggest fans.
Accompanied here by tenor sax virtuoso Joe Lovano, The Scene offer something for everyone – from up-tempo urban jazz pieces to smooth, easy ballads – presented with the effortless style and grace that fans have come to expect from Stryker and Slagle. From the opening “Skee" to the concluding “Strikology, “ all musicians are on the same wonderful page, exemplifying the kind of simple beauty that only contemporary jazz can accomplish. Certain to appeal to all types of listeners, The Scene is easy on the ears and soothing to the mind, infused with a level of musical joy that one rarely hears in modern music. Clearly, The Stryker/Slagle Band has succeeded in creating a whimsical ode to jazz's unsung heroes.
Taking a break during the recording session in April 2008, from left: Victor Lewis, Steve Slagle, Dave Stryker, Jay Anderson, Joe Lovano.
A native Nebraskan, Dave Stryker has been a part of the New York City jazz scene for more than two decades, where he developed his legendary guitar-playing skills. Saxophonist Steve Slagle was born in Los Angeles but moved to New York in 1977, having already debuted his knack for the saxophone while playing with the Stevie Wonder Band. The Scene is their fourth release together as The Stryker/Slagle Band.
Accompanied here by tenor sax virtuoso Joe Lovano, The Scene offer something for everyone – from up-tempo urban jazz pieces to smooth, easy ballads – presented with the effortless style and grace that fans have come to expect from Stryker and Slagle. From the opening “Skee" to the concluding “Strikology, “ all musicians are on the same wonderful page, exemplifying the kind of simple beauty that only contemporary jazz can accomplish. Certain to appeal to all types of listeners, The Scene is easy on the ears and soothing to the mind, infused with a level of musical joy that one rarely hears in modern music. Clearly, The Stryker/Slagle Band has succeeded in creating a whimsical ode to jazz's unsung heroes.
Taking a break during the recording session in April 2008, from left: Victor Lewis, Steve Slagle, Dave Stryker, Jay Anderson, Joe Lovano.
A native Nebraskan, Dave Stryker has been a part of the New York City jazz scene for more than two decades, where he developed his legendary guitar-playing skills. Saxophonist Steve Slagle was born in Los Angeles but moved to New York in 1977, having already debuted his knack for the saxophone while playing with the Stevie Wonder Band. The Scene is their fourth release together as The Stryker/Slagle Band.
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