There’s an angel on my shoulder
I wanted you to know
Winter brought a little treasure
mid January’s frost and snow
She’s the sweetest, tender flower
She’s our baby O
Olive Beatrix Broz born Jan 12 to Meg and Alex
Jamie O’Reilly
March E-News and Blog
Artist Round-Up
MARCH ARTIST ROUND-UP!
My March E-news and Blog is an update on my clients and collaborators who are doing some real good in the world. My honor to know ’em. J. O’Reilly Productions, (that’s me, Jamie O’Reilly) brings an expanding roster of fine writers, performers and programs to print, music venues, theaters, radio and recordings. I book and showcase artists who possess originality and a strong work ethic. I also provide project development, advising and referral services. I produce artist showcases on a regular basis at Roots Salon and other venues.
Keep-up with the Artists-on-the-Roster via the Blog, Linked-In and FACEBOOK.
Here they in alphabetical order…Sue Demel, Catherine Gallogly, Anne Hills, Ben Hollis, Comfort Food: Rich and Vicki Ingle, Zoe Keithley, Loretta Line, Willa Moore, Nia O’Reilly Amandes, Willem O’Reilly and Michael Smith.
Sue Demel, Vocalist, Songwriter, Teaching Artist, Visual Artist
Her body of work achieves a rare peace between the boundaries of love, despair and redemption.
A key player in our Roots Artist Retreat in Lakeside, MI last summer, workshop leader Sue Demel has been taking her “Vocal Improvisation for singer/songwriters” workshop on some wild road trips; recently she taught it at Northern Michigan University’s Beaumier Center to an enthusiastic crowd, DePaul University’s Theater Department to the vocal studies program, and then with her bandmates in Sons of the Never Wrong at Roosevelt University. Her new 4 week class for songwriters is an intensive based on the writings of Italo Calvino’s cult classic: “6 Memos for the Next Millennium” at Old Town School of Folk Music. Aside from gigging with her band Sons of the Never Wrong in the midwest, Sue’s gospel/jazz septet – Come Sunday, heads to Colombia South America again in March to play the Sacred Music Festival in Bogota! Sue is also still a freelance illustrator finishing up a children’s book and a painting for a Pete Seeger memorial… and of course trying to master a lasagna recipe! You can catch up with her at: http://www.suedemel.com
Listen to Sue sing her song Ring
Catherine Gallogly, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller, Playwright, End of Life Advocate
By looking at end of life, we can live life fully now, moment to moment.
This fall Catherine directed “Wonders of End of Life”, an original production with the Roots Women’s Salon for the End of Life/Afterlife Arts Festival at St. John’s Church. In November, her play Tying Up Loose Ends received a wonderful reception at St. Nicholas Church in Evanston, Il and later at Bon Secours Hospital in Richmond Virginia. This spring Catherine begins work on Stories and Songs of Undying Love, an audio book and CD, featuring her stories and music by celebrated songwriters, produced by J. O’Reilly Productions, in a collaboration with Breathe Life Productions. Read more at Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/catherine-gallogly/5/932/540
Anne Hills, Singer/Songwriter, Writer, Workshop Leader
wild winds blow the snow, over the windows and doors, we drift into sleep
Anne remains the busiest person on the scene with cross-country tours, much to the appreciation of her fans. Her Tracks CD, released in October, was very well received, winning awards and getting lots of airplay of folk shows. In 2014 Anne also appeared with the Mock Turtle Marionette Theatre in The Morningtime of Now, based on the writings of Opal Whiteley, with Touchstone Theatre in her hometown of Bethlehem, PA. See her lovely video of “Now it is Winter”, with lyrics by Opal and music by Michael Smith. Locally, Anne and Michael Smith appear together at West Suburban Temple Har Zion on April 18. http://wsthz.org/
Ben Hollis, Singer/Songwriter
New to the Roots community, Ben began working with Jamie on a new one man show. He is one of the diarists for the Roots Winter-Rising: Snowbound Artist Diaries project and appeared at Roots Salon in January. Read more: http://benhollisworldwide.com
Comfort Food:Vicki and Rich Ingle, Singer/Songwriters
Comfort Food, an acoustic music duo comprised of Rich and Vicki Ingle, is finalizing plans to record their second CD with John Abbey in Chicago. The two-CD album, “Double Helping,” will include tunes with Mark Dvorak on banjo, Joe Wadz on fiddle and Jamie O’Reilly on harmony vocals, among others. Release date is March 2016. Vicki is one of the diarists for the Roots Winter-Rising: Snowbound Artist Diaries project. Photo taken at JustGoods in Rockford last year. Read more: http:// www.comfortfoodmusic.com
Zoe Keithley, Writer and Workshop Leader
Live and it expects something from you.
Christine Dunford, head of Drama at U of Il Chicago, adapted Zoe’s short story “The Second Marriage of Albert Li Wu” for the stage. Zoe came to Chicago in December to hear the play read for the Lookingglass Theatre, where it is in consideration for a future production. The winter issue of Esprit de Coeur, the Sacred Heart School alum magazine, features an article on Zoe’s novel The Calling of Mother Adelli. Zoe’s next novel The Gathering Back is in final draft stage. Set in England and the Middle East, it is a fictional autobiography of a native of Exeter, Jophile Ballerais. Zoe has a new domaine name. http://zoekeithley.net Read Zoe’s recent post.
Loretta Line, Visual Artist, Workshop Leader
This series was birthed out of my ongoing quest to reconcile three threads that have woven themselves into my life: spirituality, feminist thought, and artistic expression.
A founding member of Roots Women’s Salon, Loretta Line led the ofrenda-making/Day of the Dead workshop for the Roots End of Life/Afterlife Arts Series at St. John’s Church last October. She was the featured visual artist for RootsFest in August, presenting “Connections”, a stunning work of embroidery and other pieces for an artist talk in the gallery. Loretta is one of the diarists for the Roots Winter-Rising: Snowbound Artist Diaries project. Her sketchbook drawings and photography, posted on Facebook, will be no doubt be fodder for our Winter-Rising Phase II exhibitions next winter. Email contact: lorettalinestudios@gmail.com
Willa Moore, Singer/Songwriter, Performance Poet
“…a compelling poet and performer. I didn’t take a breath during her reading!”
A favorite on the Roots Salon roster, Willa performed original work with Roots Women’s Salon last October in the End of Life/Afterlife Series at St. John’s Church, and for our Member Night in November. In recent months, Willa competed in her first Marc Smith Poetry Slam at The Green Mill, where she was an audience favorite, and read original work at the Tall Grass Guild Open Mic at the Bourgeois Pig. On February 27, she will sing a new song (with Beau O’Reilly’s lyrics) in the Beausongs concert at the Rhinoceros Theatre Festival at Prop Theater 3502 N Elston. Ave. Willa will be the Tall Grass Guild featured writer on March 22, at 2 PM at Powell’s Bookstore at 1218 S. Halsted, Chicago. Her second album Griffith Park is available on CDBaby.com and Amazon.com Read more: http://willamooremusic.com;
And http:// facebook.com/willamooremusic
Nia O’Reilly Amandes, Visual Artist, Singer/Songwriter
She is a fan of spontaneous photos that capture quiet moments and the beauty of everyday.
Nia is now Art Director of SPACE, the world class music venue in Evanston, Il. As co-curator and featured artist of Roots Winter-Rising: Snowbound Artist Diaries project, she is making good use of her camera-eye with startling photos of frozen ponds, stolen moments and dangling icicles. Her recent independent graphics jobs include the Winter-Rising logo and website, and songwriter Michael Smith’s The Selfish Giant CD artwork. And with great pleasure, she designed the birth announcement of her niece Olive Beatrix, born January 12 to sister Meg and her husband Alex. See photography here: http://littleepiphaniesphoto.tumblr.com/ See Nia O’Reilly Amandes Design on tumblr: http://niaoreillyamandes.tumblr.com/
Willem O’Reilly, Writer, Inspirational Speaker, Photographer
Now, her life is simpler, more routine, and much safer. And I ask all the time ‘Is she still Molly?’
A resident of Colorado, Willem was a featured artist, presenter, reader and narrator for the End of Life/Afterlife Arts Festival at St. John’s Church last fall. His photographs, featured in the art show, are now in the Roots Salon Gallery. Willem’s soon-to-be published book: What Do I Do Now? A Caregiver’s Journey with Alzheimer’s, is in final draft form. In a “Still Molly”, a recent blog, Willem shares his love and loss. His wisdom and grace. And the story of his wife. Read here: http://willemor917writer.com/http://willemor917writer.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/willemoreillywriter
Michael Smith, Singer/Songwriter, Theatrical Composer
One day the giant went to sleep beneath the tree where he’d met the little boy
the peach tree dropped its blossoms on him as if it was crying for joy
Michael spent the winter on stage at Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the hit production of The Selfish Giant, with Blair Thomas & Co. The 14 songs from the show are now a CD album. More about The Selfish Giant CD here. Michael was the featured songwriter for Epitaphs, Apparitions and the Wintry Guest, our production for RhinoFest at Prop Thtr. He appears with Jamie and Peter Swenson on March 5 at Chief O’Neill’s Pub. Next summer and fall, Michael with complete the musical score for the Blair Thomas & Co. ambitious production of Moby Dick, with their residency at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. http://michaelpetersmith.com, Michael and Anne Hills appear together at West Suburban Temple Har Zion on April 18. http://wsthz.org/
Listen to Michael’s A Good Long Life, from The Selfish Giant.
Jamie O’Reilly, Artist Services
“Making Art, Making a Difference”
e: jamie@jamieoreilly.com
Call 773-203-7661
Roots Salon Artist-Round-Up List
