Carmen Quill (formerly Carmen Q. Rothwell) is a double bassist, composer, singer and interdisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She is recognized for her sound and versatility on the double bass, her captivating performances as a solo artist, and her intuitive sensitivity as an improviser. Her debut solo recording, Don’t Get Comfy / Nowhere (2020), “thrives on the meeting of reservation and vulnerability, and its songs feel as emotional and virtuosic as a power ballad yet are sparse and withholding as a Rembrandt” (Pitchfork). In addition to producing and performing her solo music she performs and releases music as part of the bands tilt, Scree, and a host of other projects and collaborations.

Carmen is a regular collaborator with/performs in the bands and projects: tilt (Kalia Vandever, Isabel Crespo Pardo), Scree (Ryan El-Solh, Jason Burger), Citrine (Michael Gebhart, Ivan Arteaga, Greg Sinibaldi, Ryan El-Solh), Asa Horvitz’s GHOST (Wayne Horvitz, Ariadne Randall), Ictus (Chet Doxas, Jacob Sacks, Jesse Simpson), Allan Mednard Trio (Santiago Leibson), and Adeline Hotel (Dan Knishkowy). Carmen has also performed with musicians including David Murray, Chris Cheek, Cuong Vu, Ted Poor, Anna RG, Joey Baron, Ben Monder, Andrew D’Angelo, and Dave Douglas. 

In 2022, Don’t Get Comfy / Nowhere was set to a new ballet by the same name, choreographed by Tiffany Mangulabnan and premiered by the Brooklyn dance company Konverjdans.

In 2023, Carmen performed in Asa Horvitz’s interdisciplinary theater production GHOST which premiered in Vienna, Austria with support from Musiktheatertage Wien, Het HEM, Muziekgebouw Productiehuis, and more. In addition to performing in this music-based choreographic piece, Carmen contributed extensive musical direction alongside Horvitz during the creation of the work from 2019-2023. See the interactive digital version of GHOST here.

Carmen and her varied works as a leader and collaborator have been supported and shaped by institutions and organizations including Earshot Jazz Festival, Ruination Record Co., Seattle Improvised Music Festival, SPRING Performing Arts Festival, brutWien, The Owl Music Parlor, Whatever’s Clever, Winter Jazz Festival, The Stone NYC, Lions With Wings, DaCamera Chamber Music and Jazz, KNKX, and University of Washington (BM).

Carmen has taught at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Roosevelt High School (Seattle), and Seattle JazzED in addition to teaching private lessons, ensemble classes and workshops since 2014.

Carmen is currently working on her second album and is looking forward to several releases she is involved in coming out in 2024, including albums by tilt, Scree, and Ictus.