In this episode of Tales From The Green Room, recorded backstage at the 2025 High Sierra Music Festival, host Dennis Strazulo sits down with hardcore New Yorker and bad-ass bass player, Karina Rykman. Karina shares her experiences growing up in a highly intellectual family, her early start in punk bands at the age of 12, and her journey through various musical styles - including her experiences in the improvisational jam band scene - leading to her current solo projects and other collaborations.
The conversation delves into her time playing with renowned multi-instrumentalists and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s keyboard player, Marco Benevento, the influence of her professional background in the music business, and how that shaped her career as a performer. Reflecting on her influences and the eclectic style defining her performances, Karina also addresses the importance of songwriting - how she has developed that craft - and her approach to creating music that integrates structured songs with improvisational elements.
This fun and insightful interview captures Karina Rykman’s vibrant personality with rich dialogue highlighting her talent, adaptability, and dedication to her craft.
If you don’t find Karina playing around New York City while rejuvenating from her summer tour, catch her at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya January 20 - 24, 2026 as part of Widespread Panic’s Panic En La Playa
HIGHLIGHTS
And then for the next seven and a half years, I worked for Rocks Off and ended up as a GM. I made a whole salary. That was my whole life. I was working, working, working…and playing in five bands at the same time, and getting kind of cool illustrious gigs - I was on the Today Show with Julia Michaels backing her up and played on America's Got Talent in the backing band - like I was doing shit for sure - but I never ever thought that would parlay itself to where I would play music for a living. There was not a part of me that thought that would be a thing.
-Karina Rykman on the unexpected outcome of her music career.
It's very intoxicating to have people sing your songs back at you. It is very intoxicating! And to see Joy Ride, my song, being played on NFL football games. It’s being played on the radio. Like all these things where I'm just like, shit…that's crazy.
-Karina Rykman on writing songs.
I met my band mates, and I asked them to practice improvising with me because I got this crazy gig where it was gonna be an hour of improv. IAnd they were like, yeah. And then all of a sudden we got all these gigs and all this attention. We were just stepping on stage with no roadmap, zero, not an A section, not a B section, not a cover, nothing, and just improvising from the ground up. And people liked it.
-Karina Rykman on the genesis of her improv band
LINKS
Music, Videos, Press, Merch, Newsletter
Karina Rykman - “Joyride” (Official Music Video)
Joyride, Karina Rykman
Video by Charlie Caukin
Animated by Charlie Laud
Audio recorded by: Cam Keough
Vid Cap by Ted Silverman
AKA TedToob.com
See Karina at Panic en la Playa - Jan. 20-24, Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, MX
Connect with Karina Rykman
#KarinaRykman #HighSierraMusicFestival #TalesFromTheGreenRoom #JamBandScene #MarcoBenevento #JoeRussosAlmostDead #WomenInMusic #Joyride #BassPlayerLife #NYCMusicScene #ImprovisationalMusic #MusicPodcast #FestivalInterviews #MusiciansOnTour #SongwritingProcess #LiveMusicLovers #WidespreadPanic #PanicEnLaPlaya #BehindTheMusic #RockInterviews