Eleven New Originals from Gunhild Carling

Cover of the album being discussed (from the album’s Amazon.com Web page)

Swedish jazz musician Gunhild Carling is not only a vocalist but also a multi-instrumentalist unto an extreme. Her Wikipedia page credits her with a command of trombone, bagpipes, trumpet, recorder, banjo, ukulele, and harp. The title of her latest album is Jazz is My Lifestyle. Her big band consists of thirteen horns, augmented by a generous number of guest artists: Scotty Barnhart (trumpet), Idun Carling (trombonist and daughter), Nathan Tokunaga (clarinet), Chloe Feoranzo (clarinet), Viggo Blomé (drums and son), and Johan Blomé (banjo and husband). If that were not enough, the Prague Strings Chamber Orchestra also contributes to the mix. Finally, Carling herself is responsible for both music and lyrics on all thirteen of the album’s tracks (although I suspect I shall not be the only one to catch a bit of Maurice Ravel in the “Chanson” track).

Some might dismiss this album as too much of too much. However, Carling has enough of a command of pitch to deliver a clear vocal line with sufficient style to maintain the attention of the serious listener. Thus, while her lyrics may not hold up against the wit of someone like Cole Porter, she delivers a style that is more likely to encourage (rather than discourage) any seriously attentive listener. It is also worth noting that, while instrumental solos from the band may be limited, they always seize attention. This is particularly the case with “Cosmic Drive,” where Carling’s band accompaniment includes a theremin. Both style and rhetoric will probably strike seasoned listeners as familiar, but there is still enough freshness in everyone’s delivery to make listening to each track worth the while.

Those visiting Amazon.com will find the Web site for Jazz is My Lifestyle with little difficulty. As of this writing, only MP3 tracks are available, meaning that there is no account of any of the contributing performers other than Carling herself. Fortunately, the Web page on Carling’s own Web site provides a few informative images with useful texts that will be legible at full scale.