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Melanie O'Reilly
Melanie O'Reilly concert, Saturday evening, November 17th
7:30 PM
One of the most sensational musical pioneers to explode on the Irish scene, Melanie O'Reilly is now firmly established in the pantheon of creative Irish artists. As a performer/singer-songwriter, her exhilarating and unique blend of Irish traditional music and jazz creates a powerful and haunting soundscape, exploring untouched frontiers, and which captivates audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
Born in Dublin, Melanie comes from a family of musicians and actors, and she spent most of her youth treading the boards as an actress and singer, while at the same time was a multiple award-winning singer in Dublin’s Feis Ceol competitions.
Her passion for jazz began when her sister Clodagh introduced her the sound of jazz singers at the age of 11. Intrigued by the rhythms and scat improvisations of Ella Fitzgerald, she decided then that she would become a jazz singer, and she immersed herself in the music of other jazz giants such as Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. She also absorbed much by listening to Irish groups such as Horslips, Louis Stewart’s Trio and the Sean-nós (unaccompanied traditional) singing of Sean O Riada.
"Spellbinding... uplifting music from a true innovator" -- Rough Guide to Irish Music
...A wondrous mix of what this fine singer is all about - a deep passion for Irish Traditional music and Jazz...with O'Reilly's voice weaving a spell..." --Matt Nugent, Evening Herald
"Breathtaking amazing emotional intensity...sheer virtuosity..." -- The Irish Times
“Undoubtedly one of the major talents to emerge in recent times, Melanie O'Reilly possesses a voice which is rich and resonant, and a song-writing talent which is going to ensure that we hear a lot more of her in the future."—In Dublin
"Melanie O'Reilly has studiously carved herself a considerable reputation as a jazz singer with a keen ear for the cross-currents that link jazz's lateral thinking with Irish folk and traditional music" —The Irish Times
"A work of special importance in the development of the sung Irish language...an uplifting celebration of Irish culture that is finding new feet upon which to confidently stride into the future."—Dublin Event Guide
[of her live performances] "...her pitch was impeccable, her timing totally secure, her phrasing ineffably right. More than this, however, was perhaps the most essential gift of all—her ability to read a lyric with an innate sense of its dramatic demands and to serve these accordingly." —The Irish Times
"O'Reilly's sensuous voice is the perfect vehicle for entwining jazz styles with Irish Celtic influences..." —The Scotsman
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