A Weekend of Jazz Rock Alchemy to Open in January at WICA
Two nights of reimagined blues and rock classics that blend jazz, groove, and fusion will open at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) on January 2 for the first ever ReShaped series in Langley. Guitarists Troy Chapman and Honza Kourimsky will bring to the WICA campus a weekend celebrating the music of icons J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton, reinterpreted with improvisation, rhythm, and soulful energy—a delightful take on upbeat classics, reimagined for the WICA audience.
Programming kicks off with a January 2 performance at 7:30 p.m. featuring TC Ryder and The Groovetones. With a stellar core of musicians, TC Ryder—also known as Whidbey’s own Troy Chapman—Greg Beck, Brad Thomas, John Stawarz, and David Malony will delight audience members with “a heapin’ helpin’ of the best grooves ever to come out of the Southwest.” According to the group, “you’ll feel the deep groove from your toes on up, and maybe even sing along with a chorus or two.”
On January 3 at 7:30 p.m., Kourimsky, a Czech-born guitarist and composer, will bring to the stage his fusion project Riding With The King, which first debuted in Scotland. An electrifying reinterpretation of Eric Clapton’s legendary catalog through the lens of jazz, funk, and soul, Riding With The King is a performance that bridges improvisational depth with the emotional heart of Clapton’s music. A previous Scottish Jazz Awards and Peter Whittingham Jazz Award nominee, Kourimsky’s work has been featured on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM, and RFI France. He’ll be joined by an outstanding ensemble of local and regional talent: Keegan Harshman (bass), Roy Gabelein (drums), Grant Neubauer (piano), and Seattle saxophone legend Alex Dugdale, recipient of multiple Earshot Jazz Awards. Special guests include violinist Gloria Ferry-Brennan, violist Marena Salerno Collins, vocalist Audrey Stangland, and guitarist Troy Chapman.
For Kourimsky, this powerhouse lineup of Riding With The King “blends expressive solos, lush harmonies, and groove-driven energy to honor Clapton’s timeless music in a bold, contemporary style.”
In addition to the performances, Kourimsky will host an Improv Lab: A Practical Workshop for Guitarists on January 3 at 11:00 a.m. Open to all levels, this workshop provides attendees with a hands-on session focused on rhythm, harmony, melody, scales, phrasing, and building your improviser voice. Attendees will explore improvising over blues and rock forms, how to outline and hit chord changes, and how to intentionally play outside without losing the thread.
Tickets for ReShaped are selling quickly, with fewer than half still available for purchase. To learn more about the events and to purchase tickets, visit wicaonline.org/reshaped.