New York, NY · jam · psych-rock

Karina Rykman

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A bassist-bandleader playing exploratory rock with the grin of someone who cannot believe this is the job — a jam-scene favorite on pure charisma and chops.

Karina Rykman, born Karina Rajchman, grew up in New York City as the daughter of two Columbia professors, her father the philosopher John Rajchman and her grandfather the computer scientist Jan A. Rajchman. Raised on classical music rather than rock, she became fixated on guitar after learning the White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army' in eighth grade, and started her first band, False Arrest, at thirteen, playing New York venues like the Knitting Factory and Don Hills.

Through a School of Rock program, she drew the attention of Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz, who invited her to play guitar in his power trio, Crescent Moon. When Dreiwitz stepped away from keyboardist Marco Benevento's band to focus on Ween, he recommended Rykman as his replacement on bass in 2016, a role that became her main touring gig for years afterward. She finished her degree at NYU's Gallatin School around the same time.

Her own material developed alongside that work: pop-length songs with sung hooks and effects-heavy bass sit next to open-ended jamming, delivered with a stage presence built on visible enthusiasm. She wrote her first original song, 'Plants,' in 2019, and had already opened for Khruangbin and Guster before she had more than two singles to her name.

Trey Anastasio, whom she had first met as a child through his daughters, later offered to produce her debut album, Joyride, recording it at The Barn, the studio where several Phish albums were made. She has also appeared repeatedly on Late Night with Seth Meyers as a substitute guitarist for the show's 8G Band.

She has since opened for My Morning Jacket, joining the band onstage for a Radiohead cover, and recorded a version of Billie Eilish's 'Ocean Eyes' with the band The Gaslight Anthem. Beyond her own shows, she remains a frequent guest with other players on the American jam circuit.

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jampsych-rock