By Andrew Poretz . . .

Gunhild Carling is an enormously talented and appealing Swedish jazz star who has made a splash on the New York jazz scene, with many shows at Birdland. A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, she has impressive chops on trumpet, trombone, ukulele, banjo, drums, recorder, medieval flute, and bagpipes. She also plays some piano and bass. She often appears with her extended family in shows recalling the wild acts of the vaudeville circuit a century ago, or The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s. Carling and her brother Max Carling (clarinet and violin) made their debut at the Loft at City Winery on September 18 with a trio of local musicians: pianist Neil Fontano, bassist Nimrod Speaks, and drummer Daniel Glass. The first set was mainly traditional jazz, with the wildest stuff saved for the second. This reviewer stayed for both sets.

Gunhild Carling and the band looked as if they were playing a speakeasy. She wore a blue sparkly dress, while Max looked debonair in a light blue pinstriped gangster suit and a Panama hat. The raucous opening number, with Fontano playing stride piano, was ostensibly “Bill Bailey,” with new lyrics.

Gunhild showed her tender side with a lovely ballad, “Tenderly” (Walter Gross/Jack Lawrence), which she sang beautifully. She was accompanied only by Fontano and her own muted trumpet before the full band swung it. Her newest original tune, “I Thought We Were a Thing,” had a New Orleans/Louis Armstrong feel, with a 2/4 double-time rhythm. This was a terrific number. Even better was the traditional gospel and New Orleans jazz standard “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” played initially in a New Orleans funeral style, with Gunhild on trombone. In a solo, she made it sound more like a musical saw.

Throughout the set, Gunhild deftly switched from instrument to instrument, including the recorder and blues harmonica. On the latter, she performed a Cab Calloway-esque “hi-de-ho” number with audience participation. At one point, Gunhild somehow played three trumpets simultaneously! The band closed the set with a number featuring drummer Daniel Glass, who was on fire.

Gunhild appeared for the second set in a hot red dress that foreshadowed just how wild things would get. Back on trombone, she joined the band for “While We Danced at the Mardi Gras” (Alfred Opler/Johnny Mercer), while Max juggled balls, bowling pins, and blocks.

Later in the set, Gunhild borrowed the standup bass. She balanced the trumpet upright and somehow played it while simultaneously playing a simple bass line. Afterward, she took to the piano for a Bix Beiderbecke medley, entirely solo, before, amzingly, playing both piano and cornet simultaneously. She conjured Billie Holiday in perfect vocal impressions on “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “In My Solitude,” with nary a trace of her Swedish accent creeping in.

Things came to a fever pitch on a three-pianist boogie number, with Fontano and the two Carlings taking turns at the keyboard and at least two pianists playing at a time.

Just when you thought things could not get wilder, Gunhild brought out her bagpipes. She pretended she would play a 20-minute Celtic number before turning it into a rocking blues number. At another point in the set, she played three horns at the same time!

Fontano played and sang a killer stride/ragtime version of “Honeysuckle Rose” (Fats Waller/Andy Razaf) while Gunhild put on her tap shoes to bring things to a spectacular finish.

As always, Gunhild Carling and company delivered an amazing evening of music and old-school entertainment. Whether with a local band or the entire Carling family, she is not to be missed.

For more information about Gunhild Carling, visit https://carlingjazz.com. For more great shows at City Winery, visit https://citywinery.com/pages/events/new-york-city.

Photos: Andrew Poretz