Dave Stryker: Eight Track Christmas (2019) CD Review

Five years ago guitarist Dave Stryker released an album titled Eight Track. It was a celebration of music from the 1970s, a time when folks had 8-track players (I remember them being a standard part of a stereo system, though my family stuck with records and cassettes). It was a good idea and a fun album, and was soon followed by Eight Track II and then Eight Track III.  That last one came out only a few months ago, and it is now being followed by Eight Track Christmas. And yeah, it is still early to be thinking about Christmas (and damn any store that puts its Christmas display out before Halloween), but the holiday will be here before we know it, and there’s not a thing we can do to stop it. Joining Dave Stryker on this release are Stefon Harris on vibraphone, Jared Gold on organ, and McClenty Hunter on drums and percussion. Dave Stryker does the arrangements.

Eight Track Christmas opens with a song titled “This Christmas,” a holiday tune I had forgotten about. It was originally released in 1970 by Donny Hathaway, and has been covered several times since then. This version has a bit of funk to its groove, which I appreciate. I particularly like Dave Stryker’s work on guitar. That’s followed by “What Child Is This?” This one becomes a surprisingly cool jam, something I wasn’t expecting from this song. It gets good and loose at moments, due in large part to McClenty Hunter’s excellent work on drums. I love his playing here. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is also a song I would not expect to be anything spectacular, but Dave Stryker somehow makes this song sound cool, giving it a decent groove.

“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” is one of the first Christmas songs that I really liked when I was growing up. I appreciated the message, particularly as I was getting into my teens. And, yes, I was a big John Lennon fan (still am). This is a fairly mellow rendition, and is kind of pretty at moments, especially when Dave Stryker takes his lead on guitar halfway through. “Soulful Frosty” is a fun version of “Frosty The Snowman.” Now before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me say that what makes it fun is that it is combined with “Soulful Strut.” That’s the part that’s fun, for we all know that “Frosty The Snowman” is a rather stupid song (though not nearly as bad as “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”). Far and away the best Christmas television special is A Charlie Brown Christmas, and a large part of that show’s appeal is Vince Guaraldi’s music. On this album, Dave Stryker delivers a sweet, cool rendition of “Christmastime Is Here,” this too having a good dash of soul. The organ is at the heart of this track, with Jared Gold delivering some wonderful stuff. I also really like the work on vibes on this one.

“Sleigh Ride” is one of those goofy, cheery holiday tunes that you hear in every department store toward the end of the year. This year, I hope the stores get copies of this album so they can play this fun rendition. Once you get past that familiar main line of the song, this version goes into some rather exciting territory, moving at a good clip and featuring lots of impressive work on guitar. And then there is a drum solo, so, yeah, I’m digging this rendition. That’s followed by a nice version of “Blue Christmas,” which has an easygoing vibe. Then “We Three Kings” becomes a decent jam. I particularly like the way it builds beneath the vibes during that lead section in the second half of the track. Also, early in the track, there is a brief nod to “Ode To Joy.” The disc concludes with a bright, groovy rendition of “O Tannenbaum.” This version pops and moves, and is quite enjoyable.

CD Track List

1. This Christmas
2. What Child Is This?
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
5. Soulful Frosty
6. Christmastime Is Here
7. Sleigh Ride
8. Blue Christmas
9. We Three Kings
10. O Tannenbaum

Eight Track Christmas is scheduled to be released on CD on November 1, 2019. Apparently, it was released digitally earlier.