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Rick Scott and Nico Rhodes bring ‘Roots & Grooves‘ to Duncan Showroom

There are 40 years between their ages but who cares when there’s this much talent going around

Rick Scott and Nico Rhodes bring a night of Roots & Grooves to the Duncan Showroom Saturday, April 21, starting at 7:30 p.m.

So, what do you get when you combine a notorious folkie and a rising young jazz star 40 years apart in age?

Great entertainment, that’s what.

Roots & Grooves combines dulcimer maverick Rick Scott and young keyboard ace Nico Rhodes in an intergenerational smorgasbord of folk, blues, jazz and humour, and they’re bringing all that energy to Duncan.

Over the past year the duo has released a Roots & Grooves CD and performed 30 shows to ovations around B.C.

If you’ve ever heard either of them, you’ll know about the artistry they bring to a stage. Now see and hear the alchemy they generate onstage together.

Three time Juno nominee Rick Scott was a pioneer of rogue folk in B.C., with 19 recording and countless kudos, over 40 years he’s performed in nine countries. He lives on Protection Island where he’s the curator of the PI Museum.

According to the men, Rhodes wrote Scott a fan letter when he was eight and Scott wrote back. Later, at age 23, Rhodes arranged Scott’s music for the Vancouver Island Symphony.

By age 28, Rhodes has directed 25 musicals, 15 of them for Chemainus Theatre where he will devote this summer to leading the band for Grease.

In constant demand, Rhodes has just completed an island tour with Legends of Lightfoot and co-written a new musical. But for the last year he has taken every opportunity to perform in Roots & Grooves with his childhood idol, Scott.

“My childhood soundtrack was Beethoven, Oscar Petersen and Rick Scott. I used to listen to his cassettes in my car driving around Nanaimo and I never dreamed I would have this chance to play with him,” he said in a release about the upcoming show.

Scott agreed, saying, “Nico is on fire. Not since Pied Pumkin have I experienced such unfettered spontaneity and creativity. It’s a joy to play with this young genius and that joy is contagious!”

Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door.