Music
What I Like About This Album
With my Brunch CD I wanted to capture a consistently sunny and optimistic morning vibe. I wanted to create a lifestyle CD—a soundtrack for coffee, reading the news and settling into your own personal comfort zone on a casual morning.
A number of tracks like “Java Jive,” “Up-N-Atm” and “Double Shot” (of espresso!) have really infectious grooves and energy. They just feel great to play! I really like the end of “Up-N-Atm” and “Double Shot” where we just keep jamming and pouring more energy into it. If the music didn’t fade it could go on for quite a while and probably will in the live performance!
“Glow” and “Daybreak” are all about the early morning vibe: the inner peace that you have as you see the sun rise, the comfort of relaxing in your favorite chair, the hopeful outlook for a brand new day.
“Me Time” is about curling up with that cup of coffee and having some space to yourself. It puts you in a nice frame of mind to gather your thoughts and energy for the day.
“On My Way,” “Drive” and “Anthem” are windows-down driving tunes that give you that great feeling of freedom. The wind in you hair (or in my case on my head), the sun on your face and the open road ahead that beckons you on as you thump your hand on the steering wheel.
“Blueberry Girl” was written for my mother. One of her favorite things is to pick blueberries in Michigan and, of course, eat them. This tender and sweet piece was a birthday gift to her and I wanted to include it on the CD so that I could share it with everyone.
Reviews
“Stryke’s new work BRUNCH is my album of the year so far! There is not a poor track on this album.”
Stewart Coxhead, smoothjazz.com
“The essence of a warm and sunny Sunday morning shines through on every track of Sam Stryke’s new CD, Brunch. Along with that cup of coffee and the paper, Brunch should be part of everybody’s Sunday morning routine.”
Rick O’Dell, 87.7 FM, Chicago’s Smooth Jazz
“delectable, ultimately listenable jazz that's ideal for a sunny morning or afternoon”
John Sinkevics, The Grand Rapids Press
“The unique sound of Brunch makes you forget the clock and what day it is. Sam Stryke’s latest musical endeavor finds a way to take you to a place where you just feel like starting a new day with a clean slate and a smile on your face.This is a must CD even if you aren’t a morning person.This by far is Sam’s best work and his maturation as an artist is evident on every track.”
Bill Simonson, The Huge Show
“A perfect Sunday morning? The Sunday “Press”, hot java, scrambled egg strata, and Sam Stryke’s BRUNCH as the headline! Stryke’s lastest release in BRUNCH will demand a second helping.”
Shelley Irwin, WGVU Morning Show
Musicians
- Sam Stryke
- piano
- Larry Kohut
- bass
- Tom Hipskind
- drums
Music
What I Like About This Album
This album represents a long journey that was inspired after a series of performances with John Varineau and the Grand Rapids Symphony in 2007.
I was invited to perform music from my first Christmas CD with the orchestra and I modified my arrangements to fit the larger ensemble. The resulting sound was thrilling to me and the experience of performing my music with a full orchestra was wondrous.
I have attempted to capture the magic of those performances with these brand new renditions of my favorite carols plus a new composition inspired by Christmas morning.
I wanted to create an album that was large in scope, cinematic and thrilling at times, lush and peaceful at others. It is my hope that this music will stir your soul this Christmas season and for years to come.
Reviews
“Pianist Sam Stryke creates the kind of Christmas music that’s at once traditional yet contemporary, soothing yet uplifting. His takes on 11 classic Yule offerings — from “O Come All Ye Faithful” to “Joy to the World” — will surely resonate with those drawn to holiday music and piano’s special charms.”
John Sinkevics, The Grand Rapids Press
“Holiday music with a personal and distinctive touch.”
John Varineau, The Grand Rapids Symphony
“Sam Stryke has managed to add extra vitality to holiday favorites, for a wonderfully rich, joyful experience. Dynamic Christmas songs may seem like a contradiction, but it works when Sam is ringing in your holidays with you. A must have in your smooth Xmas music stash!”
Maria Lopez, The Smooth Jazz Network
Musicians
- Sam Stryke
- piano
- Larry Kohut
- bass
- Larry Beers
- drums
- Sandy Torano
- guitar
- Jose Rendon
- percussion
- Jill Kaeding
- solo cello
- Tim Coffman
- trombone
- Thomas Yang
- strings contractor
- Violins
- Thomas Yang
- Katherine Hughes
- Jody Livo
- Andrea Tolzmann
- Jeff Yang
- Cellos
- Steven Houser
- Margaret Daly
- Jill Kaeding
- Richard Yeo
- Andrew Lewis
- chorus conductor
- Bella Voce
- chorus
What I Like About This Album
I love Christmas music. I love how when I listen to Christmas music I get transported back in time to wonderful memories of the Holidays. With this CD, I wanted to create a soundtrack for Christmas memories. For me, the best soundtracks are warm and nostalgic, so I wanted to set that tone and really stay with it.
All of my favorite Christmas carols are here as well as a few new ones. There are several gentle solo piano tracks that I really like. In particular I like the extremely sparse and deconstructed version of “Still, Still, Still” which for me evokes the image of falling snow.
Alice Peacock performs "The Holly and the Ivy" which features my original lyrics to go with the traditional melody. I'm a big fan of hers and she sang beautifully.
My favorite track is probably “Remembering Decembers.” I love the melody and this track captures exactly what I was attempting to accomplish with this project - create music for memories.
- Sam
About the Artwork
The beautiful and peaceful image used for the CD cover is "Snowscape," a painting by artist, Bill Stone. Please check out more of his amazing work at billstonestudio.com.
Reviews
“Christmas is a fantastic, eclectic blend of new age and jazz, a marriage that is neither boring nor predictable. Stryke is an accomplished pianist whose intensely creative arrangements make these holiday standards vibrantly alive. Excellent!
Music like this just makes me feel good."
Carol Swanson, ChristmasReviews.com
(November 2006)
“From beginning to end, Christmas never strays from its purpose — providing enjoyable, good music that goes well beyond what we shall hear at the malls this holiday.
Talk about a holiday stress reliever—I would recommend snagging a few extra copies for family and friends as musical therapy through the upcoming hectic days.”
Joanne N. Bailey, On-The-Town
(November 2006)
“Stryke wants to offer a musical antidote to typical holiday madness.”
Brigid Sweeney, Chicago Magazine
“For Chicago pianist Sam Stryke, recording that first holiday album came down to musically expressing the timeless romance of the season and his fond recollections of Christmases as a child in the Grand Rapids area.”
John Sinkevics, The Grand Rapids Press
Musicians
- Sam Stryke
- Piano, Hammond B3
- Alice Peacock
- Vocals on “The Holly and the Ivy”
- Sandy Torano
- Acoustic guitar on “O Tannenbaum,” “Deck the Halls,” and “Carol of the Bells/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
- Fareed Haque
- Classical guitar on “Carol of the Bells/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “Good King Wenceslas,” and “Remembering Decembers”
- John Rice
- Fiddle, mandolin, and acoustic guitar on “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High”
- Steven Houser
- Cello
- Winston Damon
- Tuba, trombone
- Larry Kohut
- Acoustic bass
- Larry Beers
- Drums
- Jose Rendon
- Percussion
- Thomas Yang
- Strings Contractor
- Violins
- Karl Davies, Teresa Fream, Katherine Hughes, Rika Seko, Jeff Yang, Thomas Yang
- Cellos
- Steven Houser, Margaret Daly, Jill Kaeding, Richard Yeo
What I Like About This Album
This album represents a change in philosophy from my first CD, In the Wind. I left behind all of the synthesizers and samplers in favor of all live musicians.I love the “organicness” of the album. Although it has some electric instruments (guitar, organ, wurlitzer) it still feels very acoustic and unplugged.
I like what is going on harmonically in many of the tracks. There are some very unusual chord structures in “Emerging” and “While I Wonder” that I think are cool and inventive.
I’m told over and over that “Lullaby” is a favorite. I really enjoy performing that one solo. Sandy Torano sounds amazing on “Words You Meant to Say.”
I feel this album brings a freshness to contemporary instrumental music in the way that it brings an alternative rock sensibility to what is traditionally a jazz/new age genre.
- Sam
Reviews
"[Emerging] is closer to a blend of jazz and rock, with some orchestral arrangements as well. He set out to create an instrumental album with an 'unplugged' feel, something that was accessible yet had technical elements.
It's crafted as more than a simple instrumental album, and has a fuller feel. This effort is technically appealing and tightly arranged."
Tom Disselkoen, Grand Rapids Advance
(May 14, 2002)
Named “Best Album of 2003”
Jamey Osborne, Audiosyncracy, KTEP, El Paso, TX
“Sam Stryke is a gifted musician, a sensitive composer, and he arranges with ingenuity.”
Darryl Jones, bass, The Rolling Stones
Musicians
- Sam Stryke
- piano, wurlitzer, Hammond B-3, trumpet on “Words You Meant to Say”
- Sandy Torano
- guitar on all tracks except “Unraveled”
- Fareed Haque
- guitar on “Unraveled”
- Steve Eisen
- tenor and soprano saxaphones
- Mark Ohlsen
- trumpet on “While I Wonder”
- Steve Berry
- trombone
- Steven Houser
- cello
- Darryl Jones
- bass on “Words You Meant to Say” and “Lullaby”
- Dave Brooks
- bass on “Emerging,” “Lately She’s Living Well,” “Brown Butterfly,” “You and Me,” “And There I Go”
- Bob Lizik
- bass on “Unraveled” and “While I Wonder”
- Larry Beers
- drums
- Jose Rendon
- percussion
- Thomas Yang
- strings contractor
- Violins
- Thomas Yang, Mark Agnor, Amy Cutler, David Katz, Kjersti Nostbakken, Michael Shelton, Paul VanderWerf, Jeff Yang, Jeri-Lou Zike
- Violoncellos
- Steven Houser, Jill Kaeding, Lincoln Smelser, Richard Yeo
What I Like About This Album
This album was quite an accomplishment for me. I had finished my freshman year at Northwestern University and spent the summer working harder than I ever had in my life to create my first CD.
I think this album shows my sense for melody and phrasing. I still really enjoy the compositions.
When I look back at this CD I recall the incredible adventure that we had on its journey.
My years as a jazz pianist in Chicago in the mid-nineties shifted my focus from using synthesizers and samplers and created a love for recording with live musicians. My next two CD’s, Emerging and Christmas are a testament to that.
- Sam
Reviews
"Is Sam Stryke jazz's next superstar? Only time will tell. But if there's any way to convert moderate airplay and less than stellar record company promotion into a major musical splash, Sam's sure to find it. And the scariest part? As good as Sam is at present, I'm sure he will only get better with time."
David Taylor, Chicago Jazz (March 1992)
Musicians
- Sam Stryke
- piano, keyboards
- Mark Kieme
- saxophones
- Bill Vits
- percussion
Chicago pianist and keyboardist Sam Stryke (aka Sam Struyk, pronounced