On the ground floor, Sharyl developed both a one of a kind annual event in the Croquet Tournament and established a style of corporate and volunteer communication we still use 25 years later. Sharyl knows how to provide a solid non-profit process, with efficiency and great heart.
Lori Cannon, Program Coordinator, Heartland Alliance
EVENTS & CONFERENCES
Beyond Baroque
Beyond Baroque is one of the United States' leading independent Literary | Arts Centers and public spaces dedicated to expanding the public's knowledge of poetry, literature and art through cultural events and community interaction. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary, celebrating with the Beyond Gala: Bohemian Bacchanal, premier of the George Drury Smith, founder, documentary, proclamation by the City of Los Angeles declaring November 16 Beyond Baroque Day.
Through the years, Beyond Baroque has played muse to the Venice Beats, the burgeoning Punk movement and visiting scholars. Many of the city's leading literary talents, including Dennis Cooper, Wanda Coleman, Tom Waits, Exene Cervenkova and Amy Gerstler, are alumni of the Wednesday night poetry workshop. Many of the worlds most well known independent artists, including Patti Smith, Michael McClure, Dana Gioia, and Viggo Mortensen have performed on its stage; and home to the Mike Kelley Gallery for established and known and up and coming artists.
OCCASIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS
ARTIST MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
DARRYL JONES
Darryl's international recording and touring career took flight at age 21, with jazz icon Miles Davis. Gigs with Sting, Herbie Hancock, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Eric Clapton, and others soon followed, and since ‘93 he’s been the bassist for the Rolling Stones.
Born on the south side of Chicago into a musical family. His father taught him drums and xylophone at 7 years old. But when Jones saw his neighbor, Angus Thomas, playing bass in the school talent show, the nine year old foresaw his destiny. He immediately began studying with Angus, and within a year played his first gig, along with his brother on guitar, at the next school talent show. After completing the intensive music program at Chicago Vocational High School he attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Jones was guided with the firm and loving hand of his parents, and his reputation for passionately serving the function of the music got people talking. They played gigs around Chicago for the likes of Ghallib Ghallab, Otis Clay, Ken Chaney, and Phil Upchurch.
When his schedule permits, he performs with other artists, co-leads a couple of bands, serves the legacy of The Chief with the Miles Electric Band; and in 2017 he debuted The Darryl Jones Project, and founded the Jones Musical Instrument Company to craft custom basses and guitars.
VINCE BELL
"Vince is a poet"- Townes Van Zandt
"Ojo is shamanism” – T Bone Burnett
Vince Bell's career spans 40 years, born in the thriving Houston Montronse scene in the 70s. His songs have been performed and recorded by such diverse talents as Little Feat, Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith, and both a ballet and musical have been set to his work. A serious car accident led him to a 10-year recovery and brain injury, and the work continued. He made five critically acclaimed records and a live performance DVD, he is the author of an autobiography, One Man’s Music: The Life and Times of Texas Songwriter Vince Bell and one-man performance piece, One Man’s Music: A Monologue with Song.
His recent work Ojo is an improv, Bell’s poetry, yrics and hand written notes realized by a stellar collection of avant garde, jazz, and Americana musicians, produced by Bob Neuwirth, who also produced Bell’s first record, “Phoenix.” Together with producers Dave Soldier (Soldier String Quartet, owner of Ojo’s Mulatta Records) and Patrick Derivaz (engineer) brought 40 years of Vince’s words and the vision of Ojo to life.
Bell is currently writing Americana tunes for a new record with his first touring dates in 15 years in the US and Europe.
JULIE CHRISTENSEN
Julie Christensen’s story is woven into decades of the fabric of underground and roots rock ’n’ roll. Julie tells her stories, conveying the beauty of suffering with a subtlety that has become her signature, no matter what the genre they are sung in. "One of the truer singers you’ll ever hear — straight up, no mannerisms, perfect taste; recognize how she could sing with both Leonard Cohen and Chris D." LA WEEKLY
Julie is a founding member of the Divine Horsemen with Chris Dejardins, has toured extensively with Leonard Cohen. She has performed with artists including Iggy Pop, Public Image Limited, Van Dyke Parks, John Doe, Exene Cervenka, and k.d. lang. A Sad Clown is Julie's 7th release, her second with Nashville band Stone Cupid featuring Jeff Turmes (Mavis Staples) Julie appears on the Flesh Eaters new album, their first in 25 years, and has toured the US with the band.
Says Todd Rundgren, who produced Julie's first album in 1994, "It was her ability to sing with conviction in a variety of approaches that made her extraordinary to me."
Julie was inducted into the Iowa Music Association Hall of Fame, Class of 2018, an award and honor she shares with inductee, legend Wanda Jackson.
I called Sharyl yesterday, and she was doing production, lining up risers, ordering food, scheduling interview, all these things. She should be headlining this show! - Bun E. Carlos, Cheap Trick
ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO
A career spanning 40 years, from punk to americana, rock, one of our most beloved troubadors. His current record "The Crossing" (Yep Roc Records) is a critical smash, garnering raves from Rolling Stone, New Yorker, NPR and more. He is the recipient of the 2018 Townes Van Zandt Songwriter of the Year award to be presented at the Austin Music Awards in February 2019. Alejandro became a spokesperson in 2016 for Prevent Cancer Foundation's Think About the Link, and is currently touring worldwide in the US and Europe.
"Escovedo's art is in the literate storytelling that is implicitly wedded to a sonic tapestry that stuns." NPR MUSIC