Author Archive
Gabriela Mistral – Forever Inspiring
[caption id="attachment_2527" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Gabriela Mistral, Chilean Poet"][/caption]
"Beauty shall not be an opiate that puts you to sleep but a strong wine that fires you to action, for if you fail to be a true man or a true woman,
you will fail to be an artist."
I was first introduced to poet and Nobel Prize winner Mistral in the 1980s, when my voice teacher set her poem Apegado a Mi to music, sang it. This is one of the my favorite pieces of writing by one of my favorite writers.
Decalogue Of The Artist
I. You shall love beauty, which is the shadow of God
over the Univerese
II. There is no godless art. Although you love not the
Creator, you shall bear witness to Him creating His likeness.
III. You shall create beauty not to excite the senses
but to give sustenance to the soul.
IV. You shall never use beauty as a pretext for luxury
and vanity but as a spiritual devotion.
V. You shall not seek beauty at carnival or fair
or offer your work there, for beauty is virginal
and is not to ...
Michael P. Smith – May Concert Dates
Michael is appearing in Eastland, a new musical play and is in rehearsals. He will perform this month in a few select locales.
Keep updated on FACEBOOK
DETROIT, MI area
Sunday, May 20, 2012
3-4 & 5-6 pm two sets
West Bloomfield Public Library
4600 Walnut Lake Road
West Bloomfield, Michigan 48323
Information PH 248.851.0463;
Email kaufmanL@dteenergy.com
http://www.wblib.org
Evening House Concert
Sunday May 20, 2012
8 PM
Detroit, MI
Host and Performer Sigrid Christensen opens
Call for address 313-345-1225
website www.stonehouseconcerts.com
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Chicago area
Michael Smith with Small Potatoes
Thursday, May 24
8:00 PM
Fitzgerald’s
6615 W Roosevelt Road Berwyn, IL
fitzgeraldsnightclub.com
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Wed Jun 6, 2012 - Sun Jul 29, 2012
Lookingglass Theatre
Eastland: An Original Musical
Water Tower Water Works
821 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL
Ph: 312.337.0665
http://lookingglasstheatre.org
With Michael Smith as the Ship Captain
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Sing an aria. Gwendolyn Brooks stamp. Poetic justice.
“We think of lukewarm water, hope to get in it.”
Today the Gwendolyn Brooks stamp goes on sale at the Post Office,
along with those of 9 of her esteemed colleagues, as Poetry Month 2012, winds down.
Brooks is “best remembered for distinctive, lyrical portraits of everyday urban life”.
To me, she is Gwendolyn Brooks, personal hero, and coincidentally the cousin of my sister’s life-partner.
It was her poem Kitchenette Building that we performed in Between the Times, a musical I toured with, throughout the US in the mid 80s. The power of that poem gave us the courage to speak to reluctant Catholic audiences about the inequity. About the haves and have-nots. About the power of hope.
Last week I told my own stories of growing-up poor – in a huge family, in a Midwestern town in the ‘60s. The show is Songs of a Catholic Childhood. I shared the stage with Michael Smith, a New Jersey native. He talked about his family memories. Of collecting dimes, and the reaction of a stoic Grandpa, who was a miner in the Pennsylvania hills. Of strolling down Main Street in Pittston, PA with ...
Listen to Studs. The First Hundred Years
Studs would have been 100 this May 16.
Here's my comments on his centenary site, on the right of the page. http://studsterkelcentenary.wordpress.com/
[caption id="attachment_2441" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Read more http://studsterkelcentenary.wordpress.com/"][/caption]
Let's say he IS 100 this May. Because Studs is a forever-kind-of thing.
Postscript to 2008
I sang at his 90th birthday, and his 93rd. Then we lost him in the fall of 2008, and I sang at his Memorial. Before Obama was President. Before the Arab Spring. Before the Iraq war ended. Before the housing crisis would beat down the spirit of the working people.
Before 99% vs 1% was a rallying cry for a new people's movement!
Peter, my nephew whom I mention in the re-posted blog below, stayed a few years at the US Patent Office, went on to get his Masters in Green Technology, and is now working as a systems engineer for eSolar, http://www.esolar.com.
One of the good ones, Studs would say. The hope is in our young people.
Studs told me that the US would go to war, and it would be devastating. ...
The Songs of “SONGS”, program & fan mail
“Together Smith and O'Reilly have created a two-hour song tribute to the American Catholic Experience".
Songlist from Songs of a Catholic Childhood
Comments about our "hit" showcase:
"Gorgeous, glorious, heart-breaking/warming/stopping, tears of laughter and sorrow performance last night! Would not have missed it for the world. So many, many memories. Thank you and Michael for your beautiful voices, music, and souls." - B. Bremner
"I laughed and cried tonight at your lovely and beautiful show. " - K. O’Neill
"I too laughed and cried. A beautiful show indeed." - L. Smith
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From a Blog by Pat Hickey:
“The Sunday afternoon at Chief O'Neill's was a real palate cleanser. The fine restaurant and pub named in his honor was a wonderful venue for celebrated songwriter, singer, guitarist and unapologetic Catholic Michael Smith and songstress Ms. Jamie O'Reilly. Together Smith and O'Reilly have created a two-hour song tribute to the American Catholic Experience. This is not a nun-bashing, priest eviscerating abattoir, but a banquet of sacred and touching memory of Catholic Childhood. The songs and tone itself was ...
RADIO INTERVIEWS – Songs of Catholic Childhood
SPRING SHOWCASE
Sunday April 15 at 7:30 PM
Listen for Jamie & Michael on Brian Noonan's radio show, WGN Radio 720 Am.
LISTEN TO INTERVIEWS AT LINKS BELOW
April 1, 2012
Jamie O'Reilly appears on WGN Radio The Sunday Papers, with Rick Kogan.
Rick plays her version of Song of Bernadette.
Listen here:
http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/sundaypapers/wgnam-kogan-120401-jamie-oreilly-michael-smith-songs-catholic-childhood,0,6139732.mp3file
***
April 8, 2012 Easter Sunday
Radio Broadcast from Evanston, IL
Length 50 minutes
WNUR 98.3 FM The Folk Show with Sue Kessell, Host – website wnur.com
Songs: Pagan Children, Holy City, Bells of St. Mary’s, Vaya con Dios
Part I. Michael and Jamie come on 28 minutes into this one-hour segment http://theradiotapes.com/wnur/wnur2012040811CDT.mp3
Part II. Jamie and Michael complete interview with Sue
http://theradiotapes.com/wnur/wnur2012040812CDT.mp3
***
August 2011.
Michael Smith and Jamie O'Reilly appear on WGN The Sunday Papers with Rick Kogan promoting and singing from the show. Michael sings Pagan Children. Jamie sings I Fell Out of Love With Sin Today.
Listen here : http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/sundaypapers/wgnam-kogan-uncut-110828-jamie-oreilly-michael-smith-songs-of-a-catholic-childhood,0,3544896.mp3file
Michael Smith April E-News & Spring Showcase
Songs of a Catholic Childhood is sold out for the run!
MAY - Read about Michael's Fitzgerald's gig May 24 and more.
Michael's latest Blog:
Life Lessons from Me and Rudy Vallee:
"So one of the big advantages to having the privilege of growing old is that you get new, presumably cooler ...
“Haute Hibernian” Menu for Songs Spring Showcase
Peat smoked shrimp, Shepherd’s Pie with veal, Penne Pasta with Stilton cheese in the sauce, Flourless chocolate tart with raspberry sauce and Frangelica whipped cream?
[caption id="attachment_2369" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Dining Rm at Chief O'Neill's"][/caption]
Foods of our Catholic childhoods – tuna casserole and fish sticks – NOT!
Chef Alan Lake, and the folks at Chief O’Neill’s “four forks” pub and restaurant, created a special pre fixe dinner-theater menu for our Spring Showcase of Songs Of a Catholic Childhood.
Read more about Chef Alan Lake http://irishpubsglobal.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/new-take-on-classic-irish-fare/
READ FULL MENU BELOW
“Jamie and Michael bring us to our lives:
to cherish what is simple, know what is lost,
and remember the best of times.”
Read more about the show
Jamie O’Reilly & Michael Smith
Songs of a Catholic Childhood
Thursday, April 19, 7 pm
Sunday, April 22, two shows 4 PM, 7 pm
Thursday, April 26 at 7 pm
Chief O’Neill’s Pub and Restaurant
3471 N. Elston Ave
Music Cover $20
Special Dinner Package $25 (see menu online)
Reservations Required PH 773.583.3066
www.chiefoneillspub.com
NOTE ...
MY Cultural Plan for Chicago? Share the Spoils
This is my submission to the request for a story or thoughts on Chicago's new Cultural Plan: www.chicagoculturalplan2012.com. Warning. It is fiery and opinionated and refreshing as hell to get it out of my system, since I gleefully, am an INDEPENDENT artist, and I ain't "workin for the man!"
I have been a celebrated cultural artist, producer and activist in Chicago for 30 + years. www.jamieoreilly.com. My family has been making art, working in newspapers, been part of the teachers, theater and electricians unions for over 120 years. Chicago is our town! I was on the Friends of the Cultural Center Board for five years with the late Fred Fine and Al Booth, developed classes on self-promotion and career development for the artist at Columbia College. I was a teacher at ArtScape Gallery 37 Chicago, a regular presenter at the Chicago Cultural Center, and was a contributor to Chicago Artist Resource. I am a contributing radio producer to WFMT Fine Arts Radio, and more.
I am also an arts activist. I run my own business J. O'Reilly Productions from my home, where I also host the Roots Salon. My paying clients are post-college age adults whom I successfully coach in artist ...
California Dreamin’- Michael P. Smith S. California Tour
March 1, 2012
CELEBRATED CHICAGO SONGWRITER MICHAEL P. SMITH
RETURNS TO S. CALIFORNIA IN SERIES OF FOLK CONCERTS
With the recent addition of an appearance on Tuesday, March 27 at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena, folk music legend Smith expands his roster of performances to 5 concerts in S. California this month: Tales from the Tavern series, in San Ynez (3/21), St. Matt’s After Dark, in Orange (3/24), Dark Thirty House Concerts, in Lakeside (3/25), and the Caltech Folk Society Concerts, in Pasadena (3/31).
To read about Michael, view videos; http://www.michaelsmithmusic.com
Hear his new single Michael Smith-Sure Has Grown © Bird Ave, ASCAP
The full list of California concert and weblinks appear below.
“When I was twenty-three or so I realized that I was probably a songwriter.
I was living then in Coconut Grove, Florida, and worked six nights a week for three years at a coffeehouse, The Flick…It took me quite a while but I finally picked up on The Beatles around Sergeant Pepper and now I will never be free.
Thank God for The White Album.” (M. Smith)
