Following on from the success of his big band outing, ‘Blue Soul’, guitarist Dave Stryker is back with his hard-driving group. It features his working band of Jared Gold on Hammond B3 organ and McClenty Hunter on drums, while he brought in tenor player Walter Smith III, as well as Cuban percussionist Mayra Casales who is on just three tracks. This is a fascinating album, in that at its beating heart is the organ and drums, with one providing the melody and backdrop while the other is often found all over the kit pushing hard, never letting anyone rest. This is even further accentuated on the tracks featuring Casales.

Then at the front are the tenor sax and the guitar, sometimes in the same melody or harmonizing, while at others it may just be one of them. Stryker is one of those band leaders who understands that at times it is better for someone else to be at the front, and for him to drop back and either provide gentle backing or just stop playing altogether and let the music have space to breathe. This is a scored album, yet still contains the energy of a band playing live and bouncing off each other and was recorded in a single day in January 2019. With three of the quartet having already spent hours in each other’s musical company it is no surprise they gel so well together, and while the B3 provides those lush long chords the drums and cymbals provide real cut through which is very different indeed to the polished sound of the guitar while Casales adds a very Latin element. This is thoroughly enjoyable from the beginning right to the very end.

Rating: 8/10

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