Ollabelle was formed as a side project by a group of six New York-based singer/songwriters to play informally at the Sunday night gospel show of a local club.

Lead singer Amy Helm came from Woodstock, NY, where she had performed in blues bands; bassist Byron Isaacs was living in Brooklyn; drummer Tony Leone came out of jazz; singer/guitarist Fiona McBain had moved to New York from
Sydney, Australia; keyboard player Glenn Patscha had played extensively in New Orleans; and guitarist Jimi Zhivago was a producer and multi-instrumentalist.

All were pursuing various solo and group projects, but they had come to know each other and interact at 9C, a bar located at the corner of 9th Street and Avenue C in Manhattan's East Village neighborhood.

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