A note from Jamie. First of all…Mazel tov to daughter Nia and son-in-law to be Casey Brazeal on your engagement! Happy 50th to my twin sisters, Bernadette and Bridget (4/8). Happy 90th to my Mom, Winifred (4/18). My extended family now nears 90 in number! thank you for all your love of our traditions. Family. Music. Theater. Language. Community. What we produce together and apart are a source of pride and awe for me every day.

My own news?  Well, while we were shoveling snow and waiting out the winter Roots Salon “gave birth” to 3 new collaborations, and added 5 new faces to my artist roster!  “Ancestors 2014” is Roots Salon’s year-long cultural arts series that investigates the source of the art we produce in a variety of ways: through our heritage, traditions, history, language, music and the seasons of life.  At the invitation of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Old Irving Park, Roots is co-producing some of our Salon Series there! The launch will be a May Day event, (May 3), with stirring musical and literary fare focusing on rebirth, the tradition of the May Festival, and the glory of spring.  We return to St. John’s in October with the End of Life/Afterlife series, featuring original work of the women of Roots Salon, and Epitaphs and Apparitions, a dramatic reading of work by 18th & 19th c American authors, and featuring a formidable group of Chicago area actors and musicians.

In August, Anne Hills & I will be artists-in-residence, presenting Rekindling the Salon, retreat and soiree, for the HotHouse Lakeside Studios program in Lakeside Michigan. Guest presenters include Judie Anderson (illustrator, former art director of the Chicago Tribune), Sue Demel (singer/songwriter) and Beau O’Reilly (playwright/writing teacher/actor). 

IRELAND.  Anne recommended me, and so I have been invited to lead a tour to Ireland June 15 – 23, 2015. A musical tour. It is a dream of mine was to return there and sing again, possibly with my daughters.

Take note of two events coming up, showcasing the work of my roster artists. Zoe Keithley, April 26, leading a writer’s workshop at Roots and reading from her new novel on Kindle. AND go see Catherine Gallogly, hospice nurse turned storyteller (whose play I developed with her back in 2010), when she brings Tying Up Loose Ends to the Admiral on the Lake on April 25, at the invitation of Women’s Salon member Lois Hobart, who also brings her singing talent to the piece.

Happy Spring. Happy Passover and Easter dear ones! -jamie

LISTEN. Leavin’ on a Jetplane, with my vocals, niece Katrina on harmony and Peter Swenson, guitar.  The 50th Birthday CD from Bernadette & Bridget, a Private recording.
LISTEN. To podcast Salon Special, Jamie with Rick Kogan After Hours on WGN Radio.
TUNE IN. Live radio. Our May Day segment, Sun April 27 WNUR 89.3 fm The Folk Show with Ron Lewis.
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Roots Salon Writers Series Presents

Zoe Keithley, Master Speaker
Sat. April 26 – 2 events
Workshop 4-6 pm; Reading 7:30 pm
at Roots Salon (my private address)
Reservations PH 773-203-7661;
Email: roots@jamieoreilly.com
$25 workshop only. $20 talk only. $30 both events.
We serve dessert. You BYOB. Seating is limited. Street parking. Purchase tickets ahead.
Blog: https://www.jamieoreilly.com/roots-writer-series-workshop-zoe-keithley/

May Day. Music. Poetry. Stories. Shakespeare.

Roots Salon at St. John’s
Presents May Day
Saturday, May 3 at 7 o’clock pm
St. John’s Episcopal Church
3857 N Kostner, Chicago, Il
$18/45 family adv $20/50 door
PH: 773-203-7661; Info: roots@jamieoreilly.com
stjohnschurch.com
With Jamie O’Reilly, Michael Smith, Peter Swenson, Kathy O’Neill, Mark Piekarz, Victor Holstein & The Go Way Girls: Meg and Nia O’Reilly Amandes
 BLOG: https://www.jamieoreilly.com/may-day-at-st-johns-salon-series/