Antoinette Montague will be performing “Jazz Vespers” at Bethany Church, 275 West Market Street Newark, NJ, this morning, Sunday, August 25, 10am. For info call 203 820-8819
Tara O’Grady
Tara O”Grady and the Black Velvet Band will be swinging originals and standards tonight, Sunday, August 25, 8:30pm, at New York City’s best swing dance club, Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club located at 349 West 46th Street. Tara will also be appearing at Winnie’s Lounge at the Refinery Hotel, 63 West 38th St. Tuesday, Aug 27 from 5-9pm and on Wednesday, August 28, from 6-9pm.
Chris Stover
Artists Without Walls presents its “Showcase at The Cell Theater,” 338 W. 23rd St., NYC. Tuesday, 7pm, August 27th. Evening includes jazz musician and composer Chris Stover, singer/songwriter Jenai Huff, dancer Samara, chanteuse Marni Rice and more.
Honor Finnegan
Honor Finnegan will be performing at the CT Folk Festival and Green Expo in Edgerton Park, New Haven, Saturday, August 31, 4:30-5:30
What’s an Artists Without Walls gathering like? Is a picture worth a thousand words? This photo was taken at the Ed Romanoff’s performance at Rockwood Music Hall this past Tuesday night. A great evening of music, fun and laughter. Who can’t use a few hours of that?
Well, Saturday, beginning at 4:30, AWoW will be convening at NYC’s Swift Hibernian Lounge located at 34 East 4th St., between Bowery and Lafayette. All are welcome. If you’d like to bring an instrument–guitar, fiddle, accordion, bodhran, kamancheh, whistle whatever–or if you’d like to sing a song, recite a poem, or try something new go ahead, we encourage it. Maybe a collaboration between a musician and singer, or a storyteller or a poet might be fun. It’s all meant to be very informal. And, if you have a friend, musician or otherwise, who’d like to join us, bring them along.
John Steinbeck said, “We learn a great deal about people by listening to their music. Listen to their songs, for into the songs go the anger, fears and frustrations, the hopes and aspirations.”
I have created a series of videos that highlight the role of women in the labor movement. Each video portrays an event and includes a song that is related to the event or to the labor movement in general.
The subjects of this video, the fifth in the series, are the first woman on the cover of Time Magazine, Addie Wyatt, and the song “How I Got Over.” In addition to Addie’s work in the labor and women’s movements, Addie was deeply committed to the Civil Rights’ movement. She helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, which celebrates it’s fiftieth anniversary on August 28th.
As the audience was making its way to their seats at a recent AWoW Showcase, AWoW cofounder Niamh Hyland got everyone’s attention when she stepped on stage and, unannounced, belted out a few lines from “You Have No Idea Who I Am,” which opens Brendan Connellan’s comedy Pompa Pompa. Niamh co-starred in a New York City production of Connellan’s play earlier this year.
Niamh will be appearing with singer/songwriter Ed Romanoff tonight, Tuesday, August 20, at Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen Street, NYC, 7pm. Poet Liv Mammone will be joining Niamh and Ed as well.
John Steinbeck said, “We learn a great deal about people by listening to their music. Listen to their songs, for into the songs go the anger, fears and frustrations, the hopes and aspirations.”
I have created a series of videos that highlight the role of women in the labor movement. Each video portrays an event and includes a song that is related to the event or to the labor movement in general.
The subjects of this video, the fourth in the series, are the 1968 West Virginia mine disaster, a miner’s wife and the song “West Virginia Mine Disaster.”
Artists Without Walls’ member Honor Finnegan, a recent winner of the New Folk Song Songwriting Contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival, has been making a splash in the Northeastern regional folk scene with her original songs and ukulele playing. Combining elements of musical theatre, comedy, traditional folk, and poetry, Honor is “cooler than the other side of the pillow.”
Honor Finnegan was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and learned to appreciate a variety of people and music living in a mostly African American neighborhood and sitting in the back seat of her single mother’s car listening to the radio for long periods of time. When Honor was eleven her dream of being an actress came true when she was cast in the first National Tour of “Annie”.
Honor is a regular attendee at the late, great Jack Hardy’s songwriter’s exchange, which has nurtured the talents of Suzanne Vega, and Shawn Colvin to name but a few. Honor recently performed this incredible version of Hardy’s “Aint I A Woman” at an AWoW Showcase at NYC’s Cell Theater.
For more information about Artist Without Walls contact info@artistswithout walls.com
Many reading this have attended an Artist Without Walls’ Showcase but a number, for a variety of reasons, haven’t. So what can you expect at a Showcase? Well, just about anything. We have professionals and amateurs, dancers and spoken word artists, jazz, cajun and Persian folk musicians, poets, novelists and playwrights and collaborations that cannot be categorized. And somehow, it all works.
Noel Lawlor had attended many Showcases but had never presented. Finally, to the delight of the most wonderful audience an artist could ask for, Noel stepped forward and presented the opening prologue of Shakespeare’s Henry 5th. Noel gave a beautifully paced and compelling performance from the play, which focuses on events during the Hundred Years’ War.
Join us at the next Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 West 38th St., Tuesday, August 27th, 7pm. Everyone is welcome. For more on presenting at an Artists Without Walls contact info@artistswithoutwalls.com
Why become an Artists Without Walls’ member? Here’s what some of our friends are saying:
Eimear O’Connor
“The atmosphere is electric; it encourages creativity, imagination, and very importantly, friendship and discussion between like minds amongst the audience and the performers. Everybody is welcome at Artist’s Without Walls.” Eimear O’Connor, Ireland, author, Sean Keating: Art, Politics and Building the Irish Nation.
Jack O’Connell
“This is a note of thanks for supporting my efforts through pictures and words these past months. I’ve been working as an actor for at least twenty five years now and I’ve never before been involved in anything quite like this. AWoW is a unique blessing. So happy to be a member.” Jack O’Connell, actor, New York
Koro Koroye
“Artists Without Walls feels like home to me. I just feel like I belong there.” Koro Koroye, poet and spoken word artist, Nigeria.
Jim Rodgers
“I’m always amazed at the talent AWoW gathers, and I’m honored to share the same stage with such talented artists. Once again AWoW proved they are the United Nations of the NYC cultural scene at NYC’s “Living Room.” The performers and audience included folks from Germany, Israel, Egypt, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Ireland and the United States. Great night!” Jim Rodgers, writer and attorney, New York
Carl Capotorto
“Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to present to the group, last night. And I was delighted to read a few pages from my book Twisted Head for the wonderfully diverse and highly sophisticated audience. It’s great work that AWoW is doing!” Carl Caportorto, “Little Paulie” in the Sopranos, New York
Colin Broderick
“It was a privilege to read for a packed house at the Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre. It feels like home to be in the midst of such talent and support. Artists Without Walls is a family that I’m extremely grateful to be a part of.” Colin Broderick, author That’s That, Belfast, Ireland and New York.
Barbara Rick
“It was great to see AWoW in action once again at Lehman College doing what it does so beautifully – making great art accessible and connecting artists with each other and with new audiences.” Barbara Rick, filmmaker, New York.
Tzila Levy
“I was very impressed by the talented individuals I met when I attended one of your “Showcases.” I would love to become a member and participate in the upcoming showcases. I am a screenwriter and playwright from Israel, with professional experience in the Israeli film and theater industry.” Tzila Levy, filmmaker, Israel.
Ed McCann
“An enthusiastic, standing-room-only crowd filled the Cell Theater last night — an evening showcase of writing, acting, music, and dance. Founders Charles R. Hale and Niamh Hyland’s focus on the interests of the group’s membership suggests that members will shape AWoW’s development — an “open source” approach that foreshadows a future of diverse and experimental performances spanning multiple artistic disciplines.” Ed McCann, writer/producer/editor, New York
John Steinbeck said, “We learn a great deal about people by listening to their music. Listen to their songs, for into the songs go the anger, fears and frustrations, the hopes and aspirations.”
I have created a series of videos that highlight the role of women in the labor movement. Each video portrays an event and includes a song that is related to the event or to the labor movement in general.
The subjects of this video, the third in the series, are the Harlan County Coal Wars, Florence Reece and the song, “Which Side Are You On?”
