“Her personality is warm like sunshine and her voice is soft and sultry”  - Fairfield County Music Reporter

“You were truly a godsend for this event. It was a huge success! Your band was phenomenal!” - Stamford Downtown Special Services District

ABOUT BARBARA ESPINOSA OCCHINO

 "When I see someone smile, when I watch people having fun and dancing, when strangers come up to me and hug me saying I uplifted them and brought back fond memories, these are the reasons that inspire me to perform," says Barbara Occhino.

Barbara is a multilingual vocalist who performs jazz/swing standards, Latin favorites, blues, and soft rock/oldies music (sample song list). She manages an impressive roster of musicians for her Barbara's Serenade duos, trios, and full bands for private events, concerts, and retail venues (venues list).  See events. 

She has performed at Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival 50th Anniversary "the public domain" choir, the Rutgers University Puerto Rican Conference, and in Stamford (CT) at The Palace Theatre, Harbor Point, the Mayor's Afternoon of Jazz, the ARTWALK, the Mill River Collaborative Holiday Stroll as well as popular festivals, art galleries, yacht and country clubs, private parties, restaurants, schools, independent living and memory-loss residences, and other venues.

Barbara has served as a music and entertainment curator for the Stamford ARTWALK, Experience Greenwich Week, Sunday Afternoon Music in Latham Park, Friday Afternoon Music at Heritage Park, Make Music Day Stamford, Stamford Mayor's Afternoon of Jazz,  the Greenwich Annual Holiday Stroll, and corporate events.

Her commercial work includes co-hosting live auctions, acting in videos and commercials, public speaking, and appearing as on-camera TV spokesperson. She has been a session vocalist and bilingual voice-over talent in NY/CT recording studios. She studies jazz, tap, Flamenco, and ballroom dancing and has choreographed musical and choral performances. Barbara has performed leading roles in musicals and was a member of an improv musical comedy group. 

As an adjunct instructor at Norwalk Community College, she teaches entrepreneurship and marketing classes. She volunteers in the arts and serves as a business/marketing coach and competition judge for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) helping students to conceive and develop start-up businesses. 

​Barbara lives in Stamford, Connecticut, where she owns a full service advertising and marketing agency (VertexMarketing.com) with her husband, Ron. Her two daughters are Berklee College of Music alumni and music industry authors and entrepreneurs. Barbara earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and minor in Biology from Rutgers University. 

English and Spanish demos

Makin' Whoopee - 1928 jazz/blues song by American lyricist Gustav Gerson Kahn and songwriter Walter Donaldson

Quizás, Quizás, Quizás / Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps -1947 bolero by Cuban songwriter and composer Osvaldo Farrés, English lyrics by American music producer Joe Davis

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