GUNHILD CARLING: New Album from Sweden's Queen of Swing
by Nestor Jazz News
Gunhild Carling (photo: zvg)
Internationally-acclaimed superstar Gunhild Carling has released her new album, "Good Evening Cats!" She shows off her multilingual abilities on this spectacular record, which features original songs and classic favorites in English, French, and German. Guest artists include Grammy-nominated Billy Stritch, her daughter Idun Carling, Daniel Glass, Steve Doyle, Jason Bellenkes, and her sister Nanna Carling.
In February 2022, Gunhild recorded this album in the place she loves most, New York City: "We added more and more musicians. When there was a chance I picked up some new instrument and played a riff. So, here it is. The album with jazz music, happiness & love songs."
Her album opens with the title track "Good Evening Cats, " then moves into "My Lovin' Heart Can't Forget, " a tune reminiscent of Billie Holiday, one of her favorite artists. She showcases her German in "Mack the Knife" and her French in "La Vie En Rose." One song that she especially loved recording was "Att Angora En Brygga, " which features her daughter Idun Carling. Other wonderful tracks on the album include "Love Song From the Attic, " "Two Movie Stars, " "Monday - Sunday, " "Wave, " and "Million Stars Are Out Tonight, " for which her sister Nanna Carling flew in from Sweden to play the saxophone.
In addition to her many incredible albums, Gunhild is known for her breathtaking performances. Whether she's singing favorite swinging jazz standards, playing one of 11 instruments (trumpet, trombone, harmonica, oboe, harp, flute, recorder or jazz bagpipe, and piano, among others!) or juggling and tap dancing, Gunhild's sublime showmanship shines. And just wait for the finale of her show, when-spoiler alert-she plays three trumpets at once!
Carling competed as a celebrity dancer in Let's Dance 2014 on TV4 placing third. She was also on Sweden's Dancing with the Stars. Gunhild performed for Sweden's Got Talent in 2017 and on America's Got Talent season 2019. In 2013, she had the honor of performing with her "Carling Big Band" at the Royal Palace in Stockholm in the celebration of King Carl XV1 Gustaf's Ruby Jubilee. She has over 3 million views on social media and her presence is growing every day.
Between touring with her own band, she performs in several configurations from solo to orchestra to symphony, drawing from a seemingly endless repertoire of songs and playing memorable vintage classic such as "Minnie the Moocher, " "Sweet Georgia Brown, " "All of Me, " "It Had To Be You." She also frequently collaborates with Postmodern Jukebox as a featured singer and multi-instrumentalist on many of their popular songs, including a 1920's jazz swing version of "Material Girl" and a 1920's hot jazz cover of ABBA's "Dancing Queen". Like a one-woman time machine, Gunhild masterfully takes listeners back to another era as she serenades audiences in the U.S. and all around the world.
"An otherworldly multi-talented performer who seems with each recording and global performance to be gracing and wowing us from another dimension, Gunhild Carling - aka Sweden's "Queen of Swing" - is a show-stopping vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader who artfully and passionately bridges these 20s with the Roaring Twenties of a century ago. Whether she's regaling crowds with her soulful, high spirited originals or nostalgically jazzing up contemporary pop classics, she's the ultimate take away our cares crowd pleaser. When she greets us, as she does with the title of her new album, with Good Evening Cats, we know we're in for a grand old time like no other." - Jonathan Widran (JazzIz, Music Connection)
"Gunhild Carling has always been quite a character. Her musical abilities are simply brilliant (whether playing trombone, trumpet, flute or even bagpipes), she is a joyous singer who can put across a heartbreaking ballad or a joyous romp, she seems to have limitless energy, and her performances are always quite great fun with her foundation being New Orleans jazz and swing. Gunhild Carling's newest recording Good Evening Cats! is consistently exhilarating, swinging, and unpredictable. Joined by a top-notch and sympathetic band that includes pianist Billy Stritch, drummer Daniel Glass, and two up-and-coming members of the Carling family (Nanna on soprano and trombonist Idun on trombone who takes one vocal), Good Evening Cats features Gunhild Carling in prime form." - Scott Yanow, Historian (Downbeat, JazzIz)
"Good Evening Cats" is available on Apple Music and Spotify. Learn more about Gunhild Carling at thestandergroup.com.
