How did you get started with the guitar?
My older sister used to play the Beatles' 45s and I decided I wanted to try the guitar. So I started taking lessons when I was about 10.

What drew you to jazz music?
By the time I was 15 I was a pretty good rock guitarist. I went to a jam session at the union and some jazz guys called "Song for My Father" by Horace Silver. Afterwards one of them said, "You can't play those Duane Allman licks on this stuff!" so I decided to check out jazz and bought Coltrane's My Favorite Things and George Benson's Beyond the Blue Horizon. That really showed me how little I knew. Then a local saxophonist in Omaha took me under his wing and showed me the changes to some standards.

Who were your favorite jazz musicians?
Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Pat Martino, George Benson, Jim Hall, John Coltrane, Miles, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett….I better stop!

What guitarists influenced your style?
Grant Green, Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino early on.

How did you approach mastering the difficulties of the guitar fingerboard?
I started early, so just by playing a lot.

Do you have a daily practice routine?
Nowadays I work on writing or working out music for upcoming projects, and occasionally I still transcribe solos. I'll also just pick a standard and play over it with a metronome for awhile.

Do you go through a warm up routine before gigs?
I use the Hanon-type exercises that are in my upcoming Mel Bay book [Dave Stryker's Jazz Guitar Improvisation Method] to warm up my fingers.

How do you keep your ideas fresh and evolving?
I try to keep playing and being involved in interesting projects. Improvising jazz is always new. You never know exactly what you are going to play, so it keeps it fresh.

What was your procedure as a student on learning tunes?
Pick tunes that people would call on gigs or jam sessions. Learn and memorize the melody and chord changes. Then practice soloing over the changes.

Are good tunes being written today?
I think so...maybe not like the classic standards from yesteryear, but many people are writing good music.

Were there lots of opportunities for you to play?
In Omaha, we used to play a lot of jam sessions, as well as gigging at night in different clubs and hotels.

How has learning the guitar changed now as opposed to when you learned?
I learned mostly by listening to records and taking solos off the records, and also by playing a lot. There are a lot more books, DVDs, etc. now…

What advice would you give a young guitarist wanting to play jazz today?
Listen to the music all the time. Pick two or three CDs and really get to know them, as opposed to listening to endless CDs. Then, when you can sing along with the solo, figure it out on your guitar. Get a teacher, and practice and play with other people.

What guitarists should a student listen to?
Whomever they like. Whomever touches them musically. I recommend to my students that they check out players like Grant Green and Wes to get started playing jazz.

What kind of equipment do you use?
Strings: D'Addario round-wound .013 -.056
Picks: Teardrop, medium heavy
Guitar: Gibson ES-347
Amp: Fender Blues Deville or Polytone 15

What do you look for in a good guitar?
I have several, including some great jazz boxes, but I like the sound I get from the semi-hollow ES-347. It's a little different sound than a typical jazz box. I think it sounds like me.

There is always the issue of learning by ear versus reading. What is your take on that?
You need to do both if you want to be a professional.

As a teacher, what is your philosophy toward teaching...i.e. coach, taskmaster? In other words, how would you describe your teaching style?
I try to show them the things I use to improvise. I try to answer any questions they have about what they are working on. I think my upcoming book has some great things to work on for developing improvisational ideas.

What makes a good teacher?
Someone who is willing to help a fellow musician get to the next level.

What makes a good student?
Someone who is willing to put in the time and dedication to get their playing to the next level.

What is the playing scene like today for the aspiring jazz guitarist?
It's tough as there are many great players and not enough gigs. But if you have the passion for it, you will make it happen by playing jam sessions and getting gigs where you can, because you love it and it is calling you.

If you could give the student one piece of advice, what would that be?
Listen and be humble.

If you could advise students about one path to avoid, what would that be?
Make sure you are doing it because you love music.

Are there any promising avenues opening up for the jazz guitarist?
The Internet is just beginning…who knows?

How would you advise a student who wants to improve his or her ability to improvise?
Start by transcribing solos. Start with easier things and move from there. Jazz was originally an oral tradition passed on from the players that came before. It still is, really.

Big City CD

Is it essential to first master the blues, then rhythm changes and so on?
The blues is a good place to start. Many students strive for an ultramodern sound and have never heard of many of the legends of jazz guitar. Are they making a mistake by not studying the styles and approaches of past jazz guitar masters? I think so. The best players are the ones who learn the tradition and then do their own thing with it.

How does a student learn to hear chords in order to improvise chordal melodies or play changes on a tune that may not be familiar to them?
By transcribing how one of the greats played over that tune. By taking apart the chord, learning what notes sound good against it. A good reason to have a teacher or to go to school is to help with these kinds of questions. Learning to improvise is a life-long quest; just persevere.

What should a student do to make sure they are equipped and ready to maximize their chances of getting gigs?
Learn standards, learn to read music, play with fire, try to have your own sound, and have a nice haircut (just kidding).

What advice would you give a student about making a career in the music business?
Only pursue it if you love it. It is difficult to make a living playing music. If you don't really love it, then find another way to make a living and play for enjoyment.

How would you evaluate the current status of jazz guitar education?
A good teacher and school can help you, but it is up to you to do the hard work.

Is there an emphasis that is lacking?
Yes, transcribing the masters and actually playing with other people.

With all the books and college programs on jazz education, is it really better than in the old days when musicians learned by going on the road with a band or by playing every night at a club?
The days of learning from the older masters are fading unfortunately. I was lucky to get in on that with Jack McDuff and Stanley Turrentine. You can learn a lot from books and school, but again- it's up to you to put in the hard work. Plus, you must play with others to complete the story.

Can you think of one group, one tour or even one gig or recording session that really stands out in your career?
I am lucky as there have been many. My partnership with saxophonist Steve Slagle over the last seventeen years has been great. Playing at Gilly's in Dayton (1985) with an organ summit: Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Groove Holmes, Joe Dukes and me all on one stage. Playing with Dizzy and Stanley Turrentine together at a festival in Florida. Playing with Jimmy Smith. Playing with Freddie Hubbard. Playing with Bob Berg, Marc Johnson and Eliane Elias. My Shades of Miles recording date with ten musicians. By big band record date Nomad ….hearing my music kicked by a big band…..actually getting to play with all the great players that I've had the opportunity to…. I could go on and on…..traveling to Japan and Europe, and playing the Monterey Festival with my own group…

Where did you get your biggest break in the music business?
When Jack McDuff hired me and later when Stanley Turrentine hired me. Also, when I got my record deal with SteepleChase in 1990.

How has the record industry changed during your career?
It's always been a struggle, but the small labels keep the music alive and give many great players a chance to be heard. Now with the Internet and downloading, things are going to be changing big time.

Are there any trends in the jazz guitar scene which you are excited about?
I love what Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny and many others are doing to stretch the envelope. I also have love for the many fine players who are carrying on the tradition. It still boils down to good melodies.

How do you approach comping? Do you play a definite rhythm or perhaps just lay down accents on top of the rhythm being played by the bassist?
Again listen to the recordings! See how Jim Hall comped with Sonny Rollins, listen to Herbie with Miles, listen to McCoy Tyner. Check out Larry Young with Grant Green, Bill Evans with Miles. When comping, less is more! Laying out is sometimes the best thing you can do.

What about playing in a rhythm section with a pianist? How do you create space for each other?
I usually let the pianist comp and approach it more like I'm a horn player. On the CD Big City, I approached tunes that way. I hardly comp at all. If it's a bossa nova the guitar has a prescribed part which the pianist should know how to fit around. Also, if it is a medium swing feel and it feels right you can lay down a Freddie Green-style rhythm (quarter note strums) but remember to play softly. In fact, in general- when comping, turn down and play underneath. Another option is to play [pre-rehearsed] figures together sometimes. Listen and stay out of the way, you'll make more friends.

What about playing rhythm in a group with an organ player?
That is great for guitarists, as that is a classic sound and you can comp behind the organist when he is soloing. Again see above…

What is your approach to backing up horn players?
Some horn players seem to like the way I comp. I think it is because I play sparse, listen, and lay out and let them do their thing. Also, if the horn player hits a certain note in the harmony, it can be great if you support their idea by laying down an interesting chord with that note on top. Try to avoid playing "cat and mouse" where you repeat things back at the soloist. That isn't happening.

Do you enjoy writing?
Yes, I feel that my writing combined with my playing is what shapes my musical expression.

How do you get the creative ideas flowing when you sit down to write?
It usually helps me to have a record date or project coming up to help get me get inspired. Also, I like to write music that creates an interesting setting for me to improvise in.

What exciting things are you looking forward to in your career?
I hope to keep working with my different bands and to keep moving forward in a positive direction.

What were your thoughts in planning this recording?
I wanted to do a straight-ahead jazz record with a pianist, since a lot of my playing and recordings recently have been without piano. I appreciate the opportunity to record for this new imprint (Guitar Sessions/Mel Bay Records). Corey Christiansen and Bill Bay wanted a combination of standards and originals, which is what I like to do anyway. I picked David Kikoski on piano, as he is great and we hadn't recorded before. Ed Howard is a great bassist and friend; we recorded Big Room on SteepleChase several years ago. Finally, Victor Lewis is one of the greats on drums and is from my hometown. We also recorded one of my early CDs Guitar on Top in 1990. The added bonus of this rhythm section is that they have played together a lot with Victor's band, and with trumpeter Eddie Henderson and others. So, there was a built-in communication there already. It made it great for me, as I was able to hear them explore my music while I tried to create in the moment. We went in and did it "New York-Style" with mostly one take and recorded live to 2-track.

What do you do to relax?
I read, hike, watch movies and hang out with my family.

If you could play with any living musician, who would they be?
The ones I'm playing with at the moment. I feel blessed to play music and to have this creative outlet in my life. Music really is a gift. I have been doing it all my life and I'm happy to get to share it with both my fellow musicians and especially with all the listeners out there, and I hope they can get some positive feelings from it.