Imagine rock, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, jazz and a few other stray musical influences grated together with a sprinkling of Zydeco for extra seasoning, and the result is a genre that's been dubbed "blue-eyed prairie soul" by its instigator Tom Coryell and The Incorrigibles.

It's no accident that one of their diverse musical numbers is titled "Crawfish for Breakfast." But the fact that he and his friends are home-grown Casper folks gives the mixture a special appeal.

Guitarist/writer Coryell bought his first guitar when he was 18, and became consumed with blues and jazz, learning licks from horn players ranging from Miles Davis to Charlie Parker and others.

His wife-to-be, Margaret, grew up in a more classically influenced household where Schubert and Chopin were preferred listening, with some Brubeck and Gershwin thrown in for good measure. Not surprisingly, she started taking piano lessons at the age of seven and, in high school, won the Wyoming District Music Festival.

Then it was onward to Casper College, where she met Tom and his guitar stylings. Coincidentally, Margaret has recently gotten in touch with her own inner guitar love and now picks with the band. She lists her own musical influences as Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, Jay Graydon, Rickie Lee Jones, and Joni Mitchell.

 A reviewer describes their newest EP, "Four-eyes," as "Bob Marley channels Rod Serling reggae tunes with Steely Dan inflections." Not a mixture you hear very often, to say the least. Speaking of mixtures, Tom has played in the past with a number of bands: Wavelength, Red Rabbit, the Coolerators, and the humbly titled The Complete Unknowns.

Current band members include Charles Ledbetter on bass guitar and Dale Krasovetz on drums. They've only widened the group's diverse musical-influence scale; Dale has opened for Molly Hatchett and played with Cruise Control. He returned to Casper two years ago to reunite his bass-playing with friend Tom.

Charles is, like Margaret, classically trained. But jazz and funk both play a strong role in his preferences. He lists two of his main influences as Jaco Pastorious and Bootsy Collins. "I like to infuse jazz and funk in everything I do," he says.

The band's website confides, "A former band mate gave him the nickname 'Mr. Grizz' due to his appearance (presumably reminiscent of a grizzly) and aggressive bass style." His other musical influences include Sasquatch, Charles Mingus, and Ron Carter.

As Elton John sang, "When your friends are there / Then everything's all right..." That's especially true when Tom Coryell and The Incorrigibles take the stage at this year's Beartrap. Their Casper-bred gumbo mix of music is one of a kind.

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