Carla Kihlstedt

Carla Kihlstedt (born 1971)^[1] is an American composer, violinist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and currently working from a home studio on Cape Cod.^[2]

Carla Kihlstedt
Carla Kihlstedt performing with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Austria, November 2007
Background information
Born	1971 (age 53–54)[1] Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Avant-garde, experimental, free improvisation, contemporary classical
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instrument(s)	Violin, keyboards, vocals
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Tzadik, Twelve Cups, Intakt
Website	www.carlakihlstedt.com

She is a founding member of Tin Hat Trio (1997, renamed Tin Hat), Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, The Book of Knots, Causing a Tiger, and Rabbit Rabbit Radio. Other musical projects include 2 Foot Yard, Charming Hostess and Minamo (Carla Kihlstedt & Satoko Fujii). She is a recognized classical composer who has performed with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE),^[3] has worked occasionally on projects with Tom Waits, John Zorn, and Fred Frith, and recorded numerous albums as a guest or session musician. Kihlstedt has studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Oberlin Conservatory of Music.^[4]

In February 2012 she founded Rabbit Rabbit Radio with her husband (and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum drummer) Matthias Bossi. Rabbit Rabbit Radio released their debut album, Rabbit Rabbit Radio – Vol. 1 in 2013. The band revolves around a song-a-month subscription through their Bandcamp profile.

Personal life

She is the sister of American actress Rya Kihlstedt.^[5]

Discography

Collaborations and bands

Phil Gelb, Carla Kihlstedt, John Shiurba, Matthew Sperry

• 1998–99 – Smoking Balance: The Complete Recordings (Limited Sedition, 2011)

Charming Hostess

• 1999 – Eat (Vaccination)
• 2004 – Punch (RēR)
• 2004 – Sarajevo Blues (Tzadik)

Tin Hat

• 1999 – Memory Is an Elephant (Angel)
• 2000 – Helium (Angel)
• 2002 – The Rodeo Eroded (Ropeadope/Rykodisc)
• 2004 – Book of Silk (Ropeadope/Rykodisc)
• 2007 – The Sad Machinery of Spring (Hannibal)
• 2007 – La giusta distanza (OST, Radiofandango)
• 2010 – Foreign Legion (BAG)
• 2012 – The Rain Is a Handsome Animal (New Amsterdam)

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

• 2001 – Grand Opening and Closing (Seeland/Belle Antique/Chaosophy)
• 2003 – Live (Sickroom)
• 2004 – Of Natural History (Web of Mimicry)
• 2005 – The Face with Shinichi "Momo" Koga (DVD, not on label)
• 2007 – In Glorious Times (The End)
• 2024 – of the Last Human Being (Avant Night)

2 Foot Yard

• 2003 – 2 Foot Yard (Tzadik)
• 2008 – Borrowed Arms (Yard Work/CD Baby)

Lesli Dalaba, Fred Frith, Eric Glick Rieman & Carla Kihlstedt

• 2003 – Dalaba Frith Glick Rieman Kihlstedt (Accretions)

The Book of Knots

• 2004 – The Book of Knots (Arclight)
• 2007 – Traineater (ANTI-)
• 2011 – Garden of Fainting Stars (Ipecac)

Carla Kihlstedt & Shahzad Ismaily

• 2004 – Flying Low (Holy Night in the Outhouse)

Carla Kihlstedt, Fred Frith & Stevie Wishart

• 2006 – The Compass, Log and Lead (Intakt)

Carla Kihlstedt & Satoko Fujii

• 2007 – Minamo (Henceforth)
• 2009 – Kuroi Kawa ~ Black River (Tzadik)

Cosa Brava

• 2010 – Ragged Atlas (Intakt)
• 2012 – The Letter (Intakt)
• 2024 – Z Sides (Klanggalerie)

Causing a Tiger

• 2010 – Causing a Tiger (Les Disques Victo)
• 2011 – How We Held Our Post (Twelve Cups)

Carla Kihlstedt & Matthias Bossi

• 2008 – Ravish (And Other Tales for the Stage) with Dan Rathbun (Twelve Cups)
• 2011 – Still You Lay Dreaming: Tales for the Stage, II (self-released)
• 2012 – Niagara Falling: Tales for the Stage, III (self-released)
• 2016 – Grace and Delia Are Gone: Tales for the Stage, IV (self-released)

Rabbit Rabbit Radio

• 2013 – Rabbit Rabbit Radio – Vol. 1 (self-released)
• 2014 – Rabbit Rabbit Radio – Vol. 2: Swallow Me Whole (self-released)
• 2015 – Rabbit Rabbit Radio – Vol. 3: Year of the Wooden Horse (self-released)
• 2018 – Black Inscription (self-released)
• 2019 – Music from "Life On Wheels" (self-released)
• 2021 – Rabbit Rabbit Radio – Vol. 4: The Animal I Am (self-released)
• 2022 – Rabbit Rabbit Radio – Vol. 5: Love is Code (self-released)

Carla Kihlstedt & Rafael Osés

• 2021 – Necessary Monsters (self-released)

Carla Kihlstedt/Present Music

• 2025 – 26 Little Deaths (Cantaloupe Music)

As a guest or session musician

• 1994 – Carnival Skin – Dreamchair Music
• 1998 – Twelve Minor – Ben Goldberg
• 1998 – III – The Grassy Knoll
• 1998 – What Is the Difference Between Stripping & Playing the Violin? – Masaoka Orchestra
• 1998 – Buddy Systems – Selected Duos and Trios – Gino Robair
• 1998 – Sonarchy 1998 – Sonarchy Trio: Kihlstedt, Gino Robair, Matthew Sperry (released 2008)
• 1999 – Beauty and the Bloodsucker – Eugene Chadbourne and the Insect and Western Party
• 1999 – Half-wit Anthems – Deadweight
• 1999 – Bryant Street – Dubtribe Sound System
• 1999 – California – Mr. Bungle
• 1999 – Blue – Third Eye Blind
• 1999 – Pokey in the Bobo – Baby Snufkin
• 2000 – Revolver (A New Spin) – Ann Dyer
• 2000 – Shuffle Play: Elegies for the Recording Angel – John Schott
• 2000 – American Pi – Austin Willacy
• 2001 – This Ungodly Hour – Mumble & Peg
• 2002 – Alice – Tom Waits
• 2002 – Trilectic – Jewlia Eisenberg
• 2003 – Rybi Tuk – Už Jsme Doma
• 2003 – Ghost Taxi – Eesk
• 2004 – I'm Gonna Stop Killing – Carla Bozulich
• 2004 – Timelines – Lesli Dalaba
• 2004 – To Each According... – Redressers
• 2004 – An Alligator in Your Wallet – Rova::Orkestrova
• 2005 – Tommyland: The Ride – Tommy Lee
• 2005 – Love Songs – Peter Garland
• 2005 – Motel – PAK
• 2005 – Electric Ascension – Rova::Orkestrova
• 2005 – Thin Pillow – Thin Pillow
• 2006 – There Be Squabbles Ahead – Stolen Babies
• 2006 – The Door, the Hat, the Chair, the Fact – Ben Goldberg
• 2006 – Half the Perfect World – Madeleine Peyroux
• 2006 – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards – Tom Waits
• 2006 – Dreaming Through the Noise – Vienna Teng
• 2006 – The Happy End Problem – Fred Frith
• 2007 – A Distant Youth – Wu Fei
• 2007 – A Handful of World; Kafka Songs – Lisa Bielawa
• 2007 – Two Rooms of Uranium Inside 83 Markers – Moe! Staiano's Moe!kestra!
• 2008 – Unsquare – Maybe Monday
• 2008 – Our Bright Future – Tracy Chapman
• 2008 – Diana and James – Greg Copeland
• 2009 – Sugar – Mary Bragg
• 2009 – Fear Draws Misfortune – Cheer-Accident
• 2009 – Nowhere, Sideshow, Thin Air – Fred Frith
• 2009 – Bare Bones – Madeleine Peyroux
• 2010 – Eye to Ear III – Fred Frith
• 2012 – Secrets of Secrets – Aaron Novik
• 2015 – Orphic Machine – Ben Goldberg
• 2020 – Super Meat Boy Forever - RIDICULON^[6]
• 2021 – The Binding of Isaac: Repentance - RIDICULON^[7]
• 2022 – Séances - Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant avec Folie à Quatre

See also

• Romantic Warriors II: A Progressive Music Saga About Rock in Opposition
• Romantic Warriors II: Special Features DVD