Since moving to Philadelphia from Boston, Katie Barbato has been cultivating her unique style of heartfelt, socially aware folk rock and growing her audience. 2016 is turning out to be an exciting year. Katie’s unique angelic voice and soulful songwriting garnered the attention of Grammy award winning producer Obie O’Brien. Along with engineer Matt Teacher, they have teamed up to record her full-length album at Blackbird Studios and The Sound Emporium in Nashville. Her solo album “Times Have Changed” features 9 original songs and a cover of the Irma Thomas single “Times Have Changed”.
Katie was a finalist in the 2015 International Songwriting Competition and also writes for television and film including the theme to the movie “Sugar” starring Shenae Grimes and Marshall Allman.
Katie and her Philly based band Dirty Holiday released their debut EP “Nobody’s Sober” on January 1, 2016. It is available on ITUNES and at www.dirtyholiday.bandcamp.com. The EP layers psychedelic keys and guitars over an upbeat and driving rhythm section providing the landscape for Katie’s powerful and haunting melodies. Dirty Holiday is Mike Lawson on keys, Matt Teacher on bass, Georg Beck on drums, and features Rogers Stevens of Blind Melon on guitar.
Charlie Bell will be opening for Katie. Charlie has been playing professionally since 1965 and teaching full time since 1978. He studied at Granoff School of Music in Philadelphia and has taken lessons from masters such as Charles Hansen, Tony DaDonna and Jim Zaleski. He played in some foremost local bands: Majic Bus from 1970-1975 and Eazy Street from 1976-1978. He performed with Joe Cerisano, who has played with the Trans Siberian Orchestra.
Charlie teaches and plays all styles of music. Students range in age from six years to octogenarians. He teaches proficiently the guitar, bass, and mandolin. Over the years Charlie has taught hundreds of students. Recently he as taught music lessons at Ursuline Academy.
“I believe music lessons should be fun. I gear lessons toward the student’s personal goals, and at the pace the student would like to take.”
Take a moment to listen to these tunes played by Charlie Bell:
Charlie plays all instruments on Amazing Grace. Demonstrates bass skills in a Jam session
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The Presbytery of Philadelphia for their initial $9,000 grant in 2015 to help build the coffeehouse ministry. And their follow-on $5000 grant in 2016 and their follow-on $4000 grant for 2017.