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A Note from Jamie
May, 2022
Bon Appétit
I am facing my 64th birthday with calm. My birthday’s always Mother’s Day weekend. I get plenty of attention and the best of the spring flowers. I just read Julia Child’s memoir My Life in France. No feeling sorry for herself or settling for the mundane, Julia was a seeker and truly inspires me. Her lust for life and fascination with food resonates with how I view my music. With similar relish. I choose the crème de la crème of my songs. With Anne’s songs on the menu May 19, it’ll be a veritable feast! Tre magnifique. — jamie
This Mother’s Day I’m celebrating my daughters Margaret and Epiphania!
LISTEN to The Swallow, with Lily on flute, Jamie on vocals, Michael Smith on guitar
SongNotes
Jamie O’Reilly
Unforgettable. Reimagining The Swallow
I don’t want them to turn my little girl into a swallow
She would fly far away, into the sky
And never fly again to my straw bed
Or she would rest in the eaves
Where I could not comb her hair
I don’t want them to turn my little girl into a swallow
I recently asked flutist Lily Floeter to arrange The Swallow song for voice, flute and piano. I’m preparing a May 19th garden concert and singing lullabies in honor of Mother’s Day and my daughters; mothers now themselves.
Like so many of the pieces Michael Smith wrote that we performed together, the song is deceptively complex and timeless. It’s also well suited for my current repertoire with pianist John Erickson. The Swallow, a setting of the poem Fear by Gabriela Mistral, was written for my Trio that included Michael, Peter Swenson on guitars, and cellist Bob Weber. He originally composed and arranged it for three voices and guitar.
In the recording I share here is the song from my 2001 Swimming Deeper album, with the original track now enhanced by Lily’s ethereal flute, weaving in and out with my voice. As the swallow flies, so do our aspirations for our children. Michael’s rhythmic guitar makes the tune tender and dreamlike, with a little bit of the Afro-Cuban tune Drume Negrita heard near the end.
MORE to the story, please read the full blog.
https://www.jamieoreilly.com/events/anne-hills-jamie-oreilly-songbirds-series/
Upcoming Concert & Events
RADIO!!
Sunday, May 1 at 11 am
WNUR The Folk Show
Anne Hills and Jamie O’Reilly
Interview with Ron Lewis
wnur.org
89.3 FM Evanston
Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 PM
SongBirds Series
Roots in the Garden
Anne Hills & Jamie O’Reilly sing
Songs of Resilience and Spring
with John Erickson and Judi Cogan Heikes
Tre Kronor Swedish Bistro Garden
3258 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Reservations suggestedhttps://www.jamieoreilly.com/events/anne-hills-jamie-oreilly-songbirds-series/
Thursday, June 9 at 7 PM
Roots Salon Special Event
The Joycean Circle
Writers and readers, from Jamie’s über talented siblings read, listen and chew on the words of 20th century literary master James Joyce, presenting original work as well. Limited audience. Locale TBA. Stay Tuned.
Friday, July 15 at 7 PM
Jamie O’Reilly’s SongBirds Series
Tough Broads & Tender Lasses: Songs of Resilience
St. Giles Church Courtyard
1045 Columbian Ave
Oak Park, Il 60302
https://www.jamieoreilly.com/events/jamie-oreilly-at-st-giles-church-courtyard-oak-park/
Sunday, July 17 at 7 PM
Midsummer Celebration
Jamie O’Reilly’s SongBirds Series
Tough Broads & Tender Lasses: Songs of Resilience
Tre Kronor Swedish Bistro Garden
3258 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625.
Reservations suggested
Tickets https://w.
ww.jamieoreilly.com/events/jamie-oreilly-midsummer-concert-tre-kronor-swedish-bistro/
ROOTS IN IRELAND SALON EVENT
Save-the-Date June 9
Jamie hosts a Joycean Circle of über talented siblings and friends: writers and readers, who read, listen and chew on the words of 20th century literary master James Joyce, presenting original work as well. Among them will be Joyce Scholar Bridget O’Reilly who will be a presenter at the XXVIII International James Joyce Symposium in Dublin. May be part-virtual.
Stay tuned for deets.
Poster and ad by Nia O’Reilly Amandes
Anne poster photo by Irene Young
Jamie poster photo by Monica Rogers
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lilyfloeter.com
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