Gunhild Carling

Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Gunhild Carling returns to the intimate Joe Henderson Lab for a four-show residency featuring her New Orleans jazz ensemble and new material shaped by the unique Bay Area setting. Known as "Sweden's Queen of Swing" and "the Wonder Woman of Jazz," Carling commands the stage with virtuosity across trombone, trumpet, bagpipes, harp, harmonica, and more—sometimes playing three trumpets simultaneously while maintaining perfect pitch and harmony.

Carling approaches music as transmission rather than execution, treating each audience as participants in a shared experience. Her multi-instrumental prowess—compared to Rahsaan Roland Kirk—serves different expressive functions: the harp opens quieter spaces, the flute shifts atmosphere, while her trombone anchors melodic lines with weight and clarity. Her performances pulse with energy drawn from New Orleans traditions and vintage swing, delivered with theatrical flair that includes tap dancing finales and impromptu marches through the audience.

Joining Carling are trombonist Idun Carling (her daughter), drummer/banjoist Viggo Carling (her son), clarinetist Chloe Feoranzo, bassist LaMi Ram, and Bay Area pianist Neil Fontano. The intimate Joe Henderson Lab setting allows for the close-range interaction Carling thrives on, where subtle shifts in phrasing and dynamics create immediate feedback loops between performers and audience.

Fresh from sold-out runs at Birdland and preparing for summer jazz festivals across the U.S. and Europe, Carling brings material from her acclaimed album Jazz Is My Lifestyle, featuring eleven original compositions rooted in New Orleans jazz. Her work with Postmodern Jukebox has gained her international recognition, while her live performances are celebrated for their joyful energy and jaw-dropping musical shenanigans. As one reviewer noted, "Carling brought the joy back to jazz"—an experience that transforms traditional repertoire into present-tense celebration.

Each of the four performances will introduce new material alongside jazz standards, with sequencing determined in real-time based on reading the room and maintaining the shared energy that defines Carling's approach to live music.