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Melanie
O'Reilly is
one of the latest musical pioneers to explode on the Irish scene
and is now recognised as one of Ireland's finest singer-songwriters.
Born in Dublin, Melanie's musical life began by singing in choirs
and then progressing to jazz singing when she moved to Edinburgh,
Scotland thirteen years ago. Melanie's career choice was in nursing
originally and she sang in various jazz bands part-time. Her professional
singing career began some eight years ago and she has built up phenomenal
respect and notoriety within jazz circles in that time.
Melanie's stunning debut album "Tir na Mara" received the critical
thumbs-up from the artistic community as well as garnering wide
radio play and has contributions from a host of renowned musicians
such as Larry Coryell, Tommy Hayes and Eileen Ivers. It also features
songs which were the result of her collaboration with top Irish
poet, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill. Two of the tracks were chosen to appear
on the best-selling compilation "Celtic Woman" which includes tracks
from Loreena McKennitt and Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill. "T’r Na Mara"/"The
Sea Kingdom", certainly reflects her jazz influences as well as
re-introducing some of her past traditional and contemporary Irish
influences.
Past performance venues include Lincoln Center, New York; London-Irish
Arts Festival, Edinburgh International Arts Festival; Cork Jazz
Festival, Silda Jazz Festival, Norway; Celtic Connections, Glasgow;
London Barbican Festival; Temple Bar Festival, Dublin; Dublin Jazz
& Guitar Festival.
At present, in addition to performing with her band at various venues
around the country, Melanie is writing and developing new material
for another album.
See http://users.dna.ie/mistletoe/
for more information about Melanie or to purchase her albums.
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