BBC World Service handed Karina Rykman the aux on Thursday to host an episode of the Music Life podcast. The Marco Benevento bassist and solo bandleader shared a seven-song playlist of some of her favorite female bassists from around the globe.
“I’m featuring various female musicians throughout the years who I find inspiring and who have made it all happen,” Rykman said to start the session. “They’ve walked so we can run, shall we say.”
Rykman began the podcast with one of the fastest-rising female bassists who also happens to be a close personal friend, Laura Lee of Khruangbin. “Even Finds The Third Room”, taken from 2018’s Con Todo El Mundo, contains what Karina calls the “signature, sulky, sexy bassline.”
Karina also showed some love to some fellow New Yorkers, including Adeline and her song “Mystic Lover”. The 2021 single was inspired by 70’s funk and features a “bassline you wanna live inside,” per Rykman. Another fast-rising female bassist, Blu DeTiger, also got handed the spotlight with her song “Mad Love”. Blu and Karina go way back to when they met as just 10 and 14-year-olds, respectively, at rock school in Manhattan.
“It’s so nice to see people you grew up with continue to do music,” Rykman said. “Because so many people here in New York City become investment bankers and that’s not inspiring.”
Moving on, Rykman went abroad for Elephant Gym‘s “Finger”. Featuring bassist KT Chang, Elephant Gym is an experimental math rock trio from Tawain. For those who like what they hear, Karina begs, besieges, and implores you to check out the band’s Audiotree session. Along with the crop of rising musicians, Karina also had to pay tribute to one of the greats with Tina Weymouth‘s irresistibly dancey bassline in Tom Tom Club‘s “Genius of Love”.
Though not explicitly a bass player on her track “Jeannie Becomes A Mom”, Caroline Rose goes above and beyond as a musician. She writes the music, programs all of the synthesizers, and produces everything, with Rykman observing “she really steers the ship.” Finally, Karina closes her Music Life podcast with one of her own tracks (as requested), “Elevator”.
Click here to listen to Karina Rykman on BBC World Service’s Music Life podcast. Karina will return to the road with a headlining show at Brooklyn Bowl on February 24th before joining up with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong to provide opening support throughout March. For tickets and a full list of tour dates click here.