Talking Roots and Wings with Nathan Barato

As we slide into another Canadian winter lets prepare ourselves for the unfathomable coat check lines, snow-covered everything, and the morbid realization that after the celebratory benders of December it's still going to be cold for three molasses-moving months. Yet, as the festive season is about to begin we should also take some time to catch up with family, in particular one of our homegrown favourites, Nathan Barato.

In his second installment as a resident at CODA, Nathan will take on the decks this Friday in a seven hour set [yup, that's open to close ladies and gentlemen]. As he describes this opportunity isn't just another gig, it's like coming home for the holidays to see the family, except with a ton of house and techno played real loud. "It's amazing, having a home base is something that I've always wanted," he stated.

And what a place to have it. Within a fairly new yet established venue, CODA has drawn the attention from the best of the best for good reason. It's a diamond. Maybe not in the rough, but it does shine. When Barato wants to DJ in the city, with CODA there is no contest.

"I'm not trying to hate on any other clubs in Toronto, but its not so much that I wanted a residency in the city, I wanted it at CODA. It's of that international level. The fact that it's in my hometown and I have a connection with those people. There is something that happens at a gig at CODA that wouldn't happen almost anywhere else for me."

With his residency he's not only playing a show, he's really giving back to the community that he has always been apart of. "I have the opportunity to add to Toronto's growth and I want to contribute. Try things if I get the chance and that's why I have an extended set, luckily they gave me the chance when I asked."

His seven hour open-to-close set will be a first for him (and us) at CODA, and although it's a welcome joy to have such a veteran control the night, its always an experiment to have someone play that long. In Barato's eyes it's the sign of a true craftsmen seeking a level of expression that is otherwise unachievable in two-hour slots. "The fact that they were able to let me try it, that makes me feel super lucky. If it was at other clubs in Toronto, I wouldn't really care to play seven hours, but CODA nails it on every aspect."

CODA is a very special place and its history didn't begin with its opening last year. The Footwork family may have served up a fresh new spot for the city, but it's one that undeniably took years of preparation both from the management and the community. Within Toronto it's surprisingly hard to maintain such a high quality venue, yet as Barato states the community has always been there for the right platform to tap into. "In terms of a real scene Toronto has lifelong members and some guys have lifelong careers within it. We've had a direct influence from New York and Chicago since day one, so we have it embedded into our consciousness."

As a seasoned Footwork fellow, Barato shed some light into his introduction to the family and the process he went through in becoming one of the gang. With "Footwork [for me] it took a little time, but eventually it built that true family feel. For me it was a real family. I met my fiancée there, who has been working [for Footwork] for seven years on and off. It was a place where they gave us the freedom to do our thing and through that we learned how to play the room properly," he stated.

When we asked him what his most pivotal moment was at the venue, he reverted to deep thought, undoubtedly flooded with memories, he emerged with his resolution, Carola! The night that sparked the beginning of Barato's relationship with Orbeat and the Music On family. Opening for Marco Carola was the precursor for the position he holds today, and that night in itself was the sum of a long extraordinary rise in Toronto.

With such a long history, Barato has seen clubs come and go, DJs rise and fall, and within his years he has even taken breaks from the industry. When he decided to split from the decks and focus more on other things, he established his label Roots and Wings to maintain a connection with the musical community. The label grew, yet when decided to return to the tables, so did he. It came to the point when he had to place it on the shelf as there are so many hours in the day. In his own words, "I hit a wall."

Looking to the future, however, Barato has no plans to slow down, and Roots and Wings will be an integral aspect of his growth. "I feel like Roots and Wings is a big part of the next shift for me," he explained. "Stamping myself as a rounded artist. This is me as a label owner, this is me as a producer, this is me as a DJ. Just try and push myself forward and show people what I'm about." With plans to release new works on his platform in the second quarter of 2015, Nathan definitely sees the significance in a triple threat. Nathan Barato, Renaissance man has a nice ring to it.

As we concluded our discussion and parted ways, we asked Barato what he'd like to say to the fans preparing for Friday's welcome home special set, his response "thank you to all, but I'll let the music do the talking."