Songwriters Circle in the Round hosted by Noah Plotkin

Featuring

James Farrell

James Farrell is a seasoned singer-songwriter and musician who recently moved back to Chicago after spending the last 15 years honing his craft in Nashville. His career highlights include playing keys for Matt Nathanson, David Nail, and Brett Eldredge, and performing on shows like Conan, Jay Leno, and Jimmy Kimmel. He has produced records for multiple artists, scored the documentary "Quest of the Muscle Nerd," and his song "Words," recorded by Jacob Whitesides, has garnered over a million streams.

Music is my meditation. It helps me process life's highs and lows and bring order to my thoughts. I often don't fully understand my feelings until I sit at the piano and put them into words, distilling life's complexities into moments of simplicity and beauty.

Gordon Wright

While he loves singing standards as the frontman of The Chicago Jazz Dads, Gordon Wright has always been a songwriter. In his 20s, it was power-pop for his East Coast band, Fooled By April. In his 30s, it was singer-songwriter tunes to perform at Schubas and Uncommon Ground. Now in his 40s, he's somehow found himself writing a musical with blues legend Marcia Ball and his dad, New Yorker writer Lawrence Wright, based upon the latter's recent novel, "Mr. Texas." The thread through it all is the love of a strong melody and a commitment to never, ever forget the bridge.

Justyna Biala

Justyna is a Chicago based singer/songwriter, originally from Poland. Her songs express her personal experiences, her perspectives on life, contain the message of hope, the value of life experiences, and the beauty of human nature. The purpose of Justyna's songs is to inspire and find strength. Her music is a blend of musical styles such as reggae, blues, jazz, soul and funk.

Kory Quinn

In the mystical expanse of Americana, Kory Quinn emerges from the mirages as a beacon, a serenading coyote, weaving miraculous tales of life, love, and loss. Re-born in Texas 5 years ago, he now draws his inspiration from the vast and varied landscape of the American South & Southwest.

Host or Publisher Madame Zuzu's Tea House