Listen to the timeless tale of a great gift of love. Available now on Compact Disc.

Produced and distributed by J. O'Reilly Productions

J. O'Reilly, J. Svalander, Present The World Premiere of

Music for an Americana Ballet Featuring Jamie O'Reilly & Michael Smith, Lead Vocals.

With Michael and Pat Fleming (guitars), Miriam Sturm (violin), Bob Weber (cello), Katrina O'Reilly-Greene (piano), Al Ehrich (bass), Anne Hills (guest vocals). 15 tracks. 13 danceable tunes, from waltzes to swing. Michael reads several excerpts from the O. Henry story.

The Music on the "Gift": The songs on the recording hearken back to the halcyon days of parlor songs and vaudeville- the pre-radio era- when novelty songs and waltzes could be heard wafting through the air in the 'tin pan alleys' of overcrowded New York City, and even the poorest of young lovers had a song in his heart! The stellar musical ensemble performs delightful, danceable tunes, from waltzes to swing; a soft shoe, a foxtrot, a gypsy dance, witty novelty songs and tender love duets. Songs are performed on a variety of guitars, violin, cello, bass and piano. Jamie and Michael provide the lead vocals.

Titles include I Wish Someone Would Take Me Dancing, Nineteen and Five, You Gotta Like a Guy, Long-haired Woman, The Pawnbroker’s Lullaby, Madame Sofronie, Troika Ride, The Magi and the powerful love duet On Our Own. Adding charm to the recording are gorgeous arrangements of Christmas carols: Silent Night, We Three Kings and I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (with guest vocalist Anne Hills) and the stirring finale, which begins with solo violin and features Jamie singing of Smith’s lush Christmas ballad A Wanderer Am I.

The Story in Song O. Henry, one of America’s favorite writers, tells this classic story with candor and grace, providing a message of generosity and hope. The story is retold in countless storybooks and short story collections. It is the story of Della-who sacrifices her long hair for Jim-who pawns his heirloom pocket-watch for Della, and it celebrates true love's triumph over adversity. Set in an era of economic hardship and struggle -turn of the century New York City, the music draws from musical hall tradition that was New York in 1905. The lyrics tell of a city boasting modernization and new invention, from the trolley to the telephone and of neighborhood flats bursting with activity. They do business with: Madame Sofronie, once a gypsy princess in old Russia now relegated to making wigs for society ladies, the sly, deal-making Pawnbroker whose watches are all set to the time of President Lincoln's death and we meet Jim and Della, , the down-on-their luck newlyweds taking refuge in the wonder of Christmas. “Thinkin’ about the three kings and Christmas with no money and folks who won't accept defeat.”

The Synopsis The scene is New York City. It is Christmas (We Three Kings). The James Dillingham Youngs are a young married couple living in a furnished flat (I Wish Someone Would Take Me Dancing) at the beginning of the twentieth century (Nineteen and Five). Jim's prized possession is his gold watch, which was his father’s and grandfather’s (Gotta Like A Guy). Della’s prized possession is her beautiful long hair (Long-haired Woman). On Christmas Eve afternoon Della visits the hair salon of (Madame Sofronie) a displaced gypsy princess, (Troika Ride) now a lonely old woman, then buys a gift for Jim. Jim in the meantime visits the pawnbroker’s shop (Pawnbroker’s Lullaby) and then buys a gift for Della. Arriving home that evening, (I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day) they discover that Della has sold her hair and bought Jim a fob chain for his watch, and Jim has pawned his watch to buy Della a present: tortoise shell combs for her long hair. (The Magi) (On Our Own) (Silent Night) (A Wanderer Am I). The Gift of the Magi story by O. Henry, original score by Michael Smith, conceived and commissioned by Judith Svalander for the Judith Svalander Concert Dancers. O. Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi published in 1905 is still in print and in bookstores and libraries. “Best Short Stories of O. Henry” (Modern Library Series) O. Henry, Van H. Cartmell, Cerf. Bennett A., Hardcover, June 1994

About the Musicians, their ensembles and other CDs/projects with us. Vocals: Jamie O’Reilly Vocals, Narrator, Guitars: Michael Smith Guest Vocalist: Anne Hills, Award-winning Folk Artist, and Scarlet Confessions Guitars: Pat Fleming: Freelance jazz, Michael, Margaret, Pat and Kate, There Violin: Miriam Sturm, Mellancamp Band, Michael, Margaret, Pat and Kate Cello: Bob Weber, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, The Way the Heart is Sculpted Piano, Vocals: Katrina O'Reilly-Greene, Pasiones: Songs of the Spanish Civil War Bass: Al Ehrich, Sons of the Never Wrong, Weavermania! Hello Dali, Scarlet Confessions

Production Personnel: Executive Producer: Judith Svalander Producer, Co-Creator: Jamie O’Reilly, J. O’Reilly Productions Composer/Musical Arranger: Michael Smith Recorded in 2003, Dr. Caw Recording, Northbrook, IL, Craig Williams, Engineer Creative Consultants: Pat Fleming, Miriam Sturm, Anne Hills

Design: Compact Disc Graphic Design: Grace Amandes and Colm O’Reilly Logo: Colm O’Reilly J. O’Reilly logo: Rodger Lueras Photography: Iwona Biedermann, Susan Berg, Robin Pendergrast

Design: Compact Disc Graphic Design: Grace Amandes and Colm O’Reilly Logo: Colm O’Reilly J. O’Reilly logo: Rodger Lueras Photography: Iwona Biedermann, Susan Berg, Robin Pendergrast

To order the compact disc by mail: send $22.50 (Holiday Gift Wrap $2.00 extra) to J. O'Reilly, J. O'Reilly Productions PO Box 25675 Chicago, IL 60625 (Allow 2 weeks to receive order.) For questions, email Jamie at: jamie@jamieoreilly.com For information about booking Michael Smith’s The Gift of the Magi ballet or concerts, See our cultural arts programs page.