Kevin Holland, Troy Kunkler, and Jennifer Dutiel make up October Ember, bringing their energy and connection to Charlie’s Stage at Natalie’s Grandview. Credit: Mike Furman

Jennifer Dutiel and Kevin Holland have been making music together since 1997, when they met as undergraduates at Ohio State’s School of Music. However, their band, October Ember, didn’t form until 20 years later.

After six years of releasing music to a largely virtual audience, Dutiel and Holland, along with percussionist Troy Kunkler, are bringing their eclectic-folk sound to Natalie’s Grandview, located 945 King Ave., every Friday of April. As three Ohio natives and veterans of the Columbus music scene, October Ember said it’s grateful for the opportunity.

“Natalie’s is such an important institution in this city, how much they promote not just local music, but local original music and touring acts. It feels very much like a community institution, even though it’s operated by Natalie and Charlie and the rest of the team,” Dutiel said. “When we were invited to do the residency, we felt very honored to be a part of it because it is such an important spot.”

In the years before October Ember began, Dutiel said she went through a period during which her confidence shrank, keeping her away from the stage for nearly 10 years.

“I just got really cold feet about whether or not I had a seat at the table. I lost all of my confidence about all of that,” Dutiel said. “Kevin kept inviting me to come back, you know, ‘play music with me,’ and I think I had too much fear about it. I pulled back a long, long time.”

Through the 2000s, Dutiel and Holland taught piano and guitar lessons, respectively, before moving to California to “try on different career hats” in the tech industry, Dutiel said.

“We moved out to San Francisco in 2015. We shut down our teaching studio and sold all of our belongings,” Holland said. “We almost didn’t make it as a couple and as individuals. It was a dark time for us, which was really disappointing because we spent all that time getting ready to go and try something new. We decided to move back to Ohio, but we said, ‘Hey, if we’re gonna do this, we should really make it worth it. Let’s try and steer the ship in a different direction.’”

After posting a video on Facebook of them singing “The Christmas Song” in 2016, the positive feedback from family and friends encouraged the pair to pursue October Ember, Dutiel said.

“Writing songs for the band was a catharsis, to come back together after that hard period and to rekindle what we feel passionate about with each other, in life, in artistry and creativity,” Holland said.

The pair met Kunkler at a house show in Old North, Dutiel said. She said his improvisational skill and distinct voice adds a uniqueness to the band’s nebulous style. With Kunkler’s help and the desire to process the tumultuous year, Holland said the two began releasing vulnerable music and doing their first live shows together.

“There was also a kinship that I think was formed with audiences, because we were being pretty open and honest,” Holland said. “Instead of hiding that pain, being more forthcoming about it helped us to heal, but also garnered the type of people that we resonate with that are also on those journeys of struggle and joy.”

Dutiel said knowing Holland for 25 years allowed them to grow their personal and working relationship simultaneously. Dutiel recalls a specific song, “My Devil’s the Storm,” that details Dutiel and Holland’s emotional connection. The song has garnered over 12,000 streams on Spotify.

“For us, it’s this reaching across to the other person when they seem to have fallen into a bit of a hole and the inability of the person who’s struggling to receive that love or that help in that moment,” Dutiel said. “That song, even though it’s about the person not being able to receive in that moment, ends up being a point of connection for us over and over again.”

Dutiel said the band streams on Twitch three times a week, an avenue it pursued in the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed it to grow a global fanbase, with Kunkler joining whenever able. While the transition from live gigs was challenging, the pair said they found a loyal and interactive community online.

“It can be kind of a perfect audience sometimes, because a lot of times when you’re playing a live situation, sometimes people are coming out to see you specifically and sometimes they just happen to be there,” Holland said. “With Twitch, there’s no reason for anyone to be there unless they want to be there or interested in the specific work that you’re doing.”

While appreciative of their listeners from countries like Singapore, Brazil, Canada and more, members of October Ember said they’re stoked to return to their roots with their month-long residency at Natalie’s at Grandview.

“We’re not necessarily playing like a singer songwriter, but it’s not quite jazz, and it’s not quite indie — it’s in between a lot of different genres,” Holland said. “It’s nice to have a place that’s so supportive, that is interested in things that are maybe a little off-kilter.”

October Ember will be performing on Charlie’s Stage during Natalie’s free happy hour from 5:15-7 p.m.