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