Artist description Katy Pfaffl is the most important female performer to emerge. Take the passion of Alanis Morrissette, the virtuosity of Alicia Keyes, and the songwriting talent of Dave Matthews, and wrap them in a tiny power-packed bundle, and you've got New York's freshest new sound: KatyPfaffl. NY sensation Katy Pfaffl (pronounced FAH-full) writes all her own music like the big acts mentioned above, but she also does something that Alanis, Alicia, and Dave can't do. Sure, she sings with a “..voice that can dodge downtown traffic or float over autumn fields..” (according to Maximum Ink), while playing the piano and guitar, but she goes one better: she's a classically-trained violinist, and she also sings while she plays that! With her special blend of folk rock, jazz vocals, and world rhythm, this pint-sized powerhouse has developed a loyal following that packs in not only The Bitter End twice a month to jam to the full "Katy Pfaffl Band", but also Triad on W. 72nd to see the more mellow 5-piece "Katy Pfaffl & Friends", and The Living Room in the East Village to hear her perform solo. Once there, they're hooked. "Musically, everyone wins," proclaims Maximum Ink. Whether it's the funky jazziness of the crowd-pleasing "Walk Away", the haunting, dreamy "Sea of Change", or the bounce-in-your-seat celebration of freedom "My Favorite Place" which opens the album, there is something for everyone on Katy Pfaffl's self-titled debut.

Music Style Alternative pop with a jazz and world influence.

Musical Influences Peter Gabriel, Bobby McFerrin, Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell

Similar Artists Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel

Artist History Born and raised in Milwaukee, Katy Pfaffl grew up as a classical musician. She began studying Suzuki violin at age 6, piano at age 12 and by the age of 13 she was competing as a serious classical pianist throughout the Midwest. By the time college came around, she had taken a strong interest in composition for orchestra and choir, in addition to becoming a Downbeat Award winning jazz vocalist. Katy attended the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music for two years and then moved to New York to begin her life dream of becoming a professional performer. She took her first steps by working all over Manhattan as a singer/pianist/violinist performing regularly with the band SWIM, all the while earning a reputation locally as the therapeutic voice teacher and vocal coach she is to this day. Striving for musical freedom and in search of her own voice, she taught herself the guitar which began her journey into the local singer/songwriter scene. Eventually, this musical growth is what brought her closest friends and collaborators, pianist Scott Chasolen and bassist Justin Wallace (from ulu), together with her oldest friends, drummer Sean Dixon and guitarist Scott Sharrard (from The Chesterfields). Immediately a strong union of brilliant musicianship and friendship emerged between everyone, and upon adding percussionist Sebastian Guerrero and backing vocalist Tiffany May, the creation of the Katy Pfaffl Band was complete. Self sufficient from the age of 18, Katy Pfaffl has been working hard to follow her dreams and goals toward sharing her music with the world. Her strength and conviction along with her passion is what fuels her and ignites the fire that burns within her band-mates as well as her fans. Truth, hope and trust create the core of Katy Pfaffl and her music, and it is that core which touches the heart of every listener and everyone she meets. By existing without boundaries, she is quickly expanding and becoming a new voice and inspiration for the young female artists of today.

Group Members Katy Pfaffl - vocals, acoustic guitar, violin, piano Sean Dixon - drum kit, djembe, percussion Justin Wallace - bass Tiffany May - backing vocals

Instruments vocals, acoustic guitar, violin, piano, rhodes, organ electric guitar, djembe, cajon, conga, percussion

Albums Katy Pfaffl

Press Reviews Independent Songwriter Magazine Online Artist of January 2002 by Jan Best "Somewhere amongst the beautiful melodies and the optimistic lyrics, there lies a pinch of unresolved melancholy. Not detracting at all from the purpose of the album, it merely keeps the whole CD based in reality. The self-titled album is a rather poignant piece of work that showcases Katy’s unique vocal approach as well as her fresh style of songwriting. Hopefully we will hear more from this gifted you woman’s talent in the years to come. We need more visionaries like Katy Pfaffl." Maximum Ink Magazine cover artist - January 2002 by John Noyd http://www.maximumink.com/2002/covers/katy-pfaffl-1-02/ Light grooves and soaring melodies circle and dive with Latin jazz accents, soul throaty climaxes and soft, sophisticated pop. Fluid flowers of pan-global sensitivity blossom into polysyllabic rivers that dance among the keyboards, guitar, hand percussion and bass. Sounds conjuring wide-open spaces find strange bedfellows in Manhattan - a crowded city of subways and skyscrapers, but that is exactly where Katy Pfaffl found her muse - New York, by way of Amsterdam, Cincinnati and Milwaukee. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Katy was a Sukuzi violin student, competing as a classical pianist before she entered high school. While she feels lucky to have grown up in Milwaukee, she found the city's arts scene limited and more concerned with stability than change. "I've always had many interests and was always told I had to choose only one and commit to it," she explains, "I believe that if you have a lot of talents and interests then use them all, explore them all so you can keep growing and expanding." Her far-ranging talents found similar resistance in Cincinnati where she attended the University's Conservatory for two years. Cutthroat and competitive, the environment was more damaging than constructive to Katy's confidence and musical direction. Despondent and recovering from the last of several serious back injuries, Katy returned to Milwaukee, working long hours at a mindless job and hibernating creatively. A sad, bitter year away from music proved too much and Katy quit her job and packed her bags for New York, a place she happily admits ate her up and spit her out the first three years she lived there. Eventually she ditched her temp jobs and focused on working free lance as a vocal coach and voice therapist. She also taught herself to play the guitar and forced herself to play more gigs. One gig in Amsterdam brought Katy together with Scott Chasolen a keyboard player who introduced her to a Manhattan music scene she previously found inaccessible. Discovering like souls, assembling a band, playing out and cutting a disc seem to happen overnight though the band's been together for over eight months and the disc took less than eleven days. "I'm a very determined person," Katy says," my dreams keep me going and I'm the kind of person who uses hard times to inspire me, that's the theme of the album... choosing love over fear." The self-titled disc carries haunted, lofty vocals and smartly casual backing with beds of sad refrains and sentimental dreams, a cautious yet curious mixture of liberating grace and rippling effervescence. "I didn't want there to be any limitations," she says, "music should be about expansion and exploration - give more to the listeners so they can grow too." Driven by rhythms, the gentle filigree of acoustic guitar, the African assault of multiple percussion, Katy stirs a playful counterpoint with a voice that can dodge downtown traffic or float over autumn fields. "Although I've never listened much or studied the music from different cultures," she says, "living in Spanish Harlem and the Village, playing in the subways and having friends from around the world make the music and life of those cultures come through in my sound." For a taste of this Downbeat Award winning jazz vocalist check out her website, www.katypfaffl.com . A wandering spirit rooted in solid musicianship and a radiant optimism, Katy exemplifies the gung-ho spirit that conquers adversity and profits with exuberance. Musically everyone wins.

Additional Info a new voice for women in the music industry

Location New York, NY - USA

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