Daily Press - Sound Check (Sam McDonald)

The late, great Michael Jackson came to Hampton Roads to tap local recording expertise

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

My personal encounter with Michael Jackson mania took place in a less than glamorous place: a parking lot off Virginia Beach Boulevard.

Krall brought night of cocktail hour jazz to Portsmouth

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Diana Krall's jazz has always been more about soothing than sweating.

Bryan Forrest's first solo album features progressive pop without boundaries

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:58:00 -0400

Newport News guitarist and songwriter Bryan Forrest is a Poquoson boy to his core.

Sound Check: New music from Peninsula songsmiths

Thu, 28 May 2009 22:01:00 -0400

It's true that a sour economy weakens the arts. But it can't kill 'em.

Singer's tragic loss opens new window on Virginia Peninsula's music scene

Thu, 14 May 2009 17:18:00 -0400

This column comes to you courtesy of a specific emotion: guilt.

Pawn Shop Lifters take aim with new CD of high-caliber hick rock

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:39:00 -0400

Branding is tricky, whether you're selling corn chips, computers or rock 'n' roll.

Fans and friends still saying goodbye to Hampton rocker Walt Redmond Jr.

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The funeral for musician Walt Redmond Jr. unfolded as a send-off fit for a rock star.

There's been good news and bad news in music

Sun, 30 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Winter - especially the post-holiday period - is a relatively quiet time for the music world. Hot new CD releases are few, major concert tours are fewer. For the most part, it's time to recharge those batteries - or recover from the Christmas bacchanal. There were heartening and disturbing events swirling around just underneath the season's blanket of ice and snow, however. Here's a look at a few of both. It's bleak enough these days, so let's start with the sunny stuff.