Listen to ‘Sweetheart’ by Sarah White

Virginia singer-songwriter Sarah White hails from Charlottesville, Va., but spent her formative years in Monroe County, W.Va. With influences ranging from traditional bluegrass to new wave, she’ll sing a Carter Family gospel song as easily as a Blondie cover. After releasing two solo records, Sarah put out her first record with her rock band The Pearls last year. The record, entitled “White Light,” has earned her compliments from no less than Dave Matthews: “Sarah’s music kills me,” he says, “beautifully from the ground up, no plastic. I got stuck behind a logging truck today. I was listening to Sarah. It was great.”

In September, she won ‘Best Song‘ at the 2007 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest international finals in New York City for her song “Sweetheart,” which you can listen to right here. In December, she’ll bring her Fourth Annual Country Christmas show to the Purple Fiddle in Thomas, W.Va., with a troupe of her favorite Charlottesville musicians. For this show, you can expect traditional songs of home, hearth and warm fires, all done in the old country way.

For more on Sarah White, click here to visit her Myspace page and here for her website.

The Voodoo Katz perform at Capitol Roasters and the Empty Glass on Saturday to mark the release of their new “Glimpse” CD. Photos by Jeff Pierson

Listen to the title cut off the new Voodoo Katz “Glimpse” CD

By Adam Harris
For the Gazette

When the Voodoo Katz release their new CD “Glimpse” this Saturday, Nov. 3 they’ll be celebrating more than their own musical accomplishments. “Glimpse” contains some of the last recordings made by local music luminary Derick Kirk (at right), who played in numerous area bands before succumbing to cancer at the age of 28 in July.

It’s a bittersweet celebration. The album stands as a worthy testament to a talented musician. The sound reflects the positive outlook he personified in the face of his illness. Read the rest of this entry »

By day, John Lilly is editor of Goldenseal magazine on the living history and culture of West Virginia. Outside the office, he is an award-winning touring musician and performing songwriter. Lilly will release his latest CD, “Haunted Honky Tonk,” with a concert and party at the LaBelle Theater in South Charleston on Sunday, October 28, at 7 p.m., along with guest performers Ginny Hawker, Buddy Griffin, Robert Shafer, and others. Admission is $5. For more on the artist (be sure to check out his infamous George Bush song “W”) visit johnlillymusic.com.

For a taste of the new CD, we asked Lilly if thegazz.com viewers might hear his song, “Bohemian Boys” and have him tell about the story behind the song. Click here to listen and read on below: “Bohemian Boys”

JOHN LILLY says:
I wrote “Bohemian Boys” a couple of years ago after attending the first NewSong Festival at Claymont Court in Charles Town, W.Va. Actually, I started writing it at NewSong and had the chorus written before I left the parking lot. I had been inspired especially by Johnsmith and Darrel Scott and their original songs based on family history. My family history is quite complex, but I decided to make my best effort to put the story of my grandfather’s early life into a song. “Bohemian Boys,” therefore, is a true story. Read the rest of this entry »

The gazz audio blog SoundCheck is back on the web. We begin with an occasional “Song of the Day” feature on area musicians with “Theme Park” by Andy Park of Charleston, W.Va. Beware! The song’s hook may lodge in your brain all day: “Your love is a theme park — of personality disorders…” Hear him perform this and other songs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Sat., Oct. 6 at Bluegrass Kitchen in the East End of Charleston, W.Va.

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We asked Andy to introduce himself to those who don’t already know his stylish guitar work with Voodoo Katz and Crazy Jane. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s SoundCheck for Aug. 2-9, samples some music from the Jubal Kane Blues Band (photo at right) coming to the Empty Glass on Saturday; Sissonsville’s own Shortthrow and Burna; and 69 Fingers, The Concept, Holden Caulfield and more. Host T.J. King reveals where 69 fingers got its name and it’s not a pretty sight.

NOTE: Click on ‘Audio mp3′ to listen to the 18-minute show now, or ‘Download’ to listen to it later.

This week’s SoundCheck is now live. The gazz podcast returns with interviews and clips on live, local music in Charleston-area venues in the week ahead. Hear it online or download it for later listening to your iPod or other essential listening machine. Host T.J. King reports that this show begins with a note on the passing of area musician Derick Kirk, and then a segment on Adamfest IV, a benefit for Adam Weaver featuring Hillbilly Deathride and many other local bands. Says T.J:

“I’ll be interviewing Adam’s mom, JoeLene Harrah Weaver, along with others to promote the Fourth Annual AdamFest on Saturday at Coonskin. AdamFest is a day-long music fest chock-full of mostly hard rock and metal to benefit Adam, a local music fan battling cancer. Also, I’ll be talking with reggae-man Shayar about living in West Virginia, his music, and his show Friday night at the Empty Glass. Finally, we’ll touch base with Sean Richardson, a local singer-songwriter and heckuva good guy, who has several shows lined up all over Charleston in coming weeks.”

Let us know what you think and suggest future stories via e-mail to gazz@wvgazette.com or post a comment below.

NOTE: Click on ‘Audio mp3′ to listen to the 13-minute show now, or ‘Download’ to listen to it later.

Take a listen to the debut podcast of SoundCheck, featuring host T.J. King, with interviews, soundclips, sound effects, bad accents & more:

– A profile of the Wed., July 18 Sound Factory benefit concert for Derick Kirk, with interviews with Ammad Solomon and Ryan Kennedy
– A preview of the Mon., July 16 Sound Factory show featuring members of Trans Siberian Orchestra in a group called O’2L. (Would that be pronounced, like , ‘O’Toole’?)
– An interview with Greg Hunt, guitarist with the Beatles tribute band Rubber Soul, in advance of the band’s double-header show Fri. and Sat. July 13-14 at Sam’s Uptown Cafe.
– And heads up on lots of other live shows in local clubs this weekend.

Let us know what you think!

Coming up. It’s our first one, so we need some slack. (Meanwhile, you can listen to ‘The Hour of Slack’ from the Church of the SubGenius Radio Ministry while you wait). SoundCheck, Show 1, Numero Uno, the World Premiere, will be ready to hear by noon Thursday.

Welcome to SoundCheck, the new live & local music podcast of the gazz arts section of The Charleston Gazette in Charleston, W.Va. SoundCheck will be joined at the hip to music in clubs and on smaller area stages. The show’s hosted by T.J. King (that guy up there), who Charlestonians know as a DJ with Electric 102.7 and percussionist with the Spurgie Hankins Band. The 10-minute weekly podcast, give or take a few, will feature previews, interviews, songs, musical quizzes, mad scientist sound effects and anything else to do with live music on area stages. You’ll hear from gazz Local Music correspondent/blogger Bill Lynch, too.

This week’s show (online here by mid-day Thursday, July 12) features interviews with musicians Ryan Kennedy and Ammad Solomon, who play in a Wed., July 18 Sound Factory benefit concert for Derick Kirk, a beloved area performer battling cancer. There’s also a chat with Greg Hunt of local Beatles tribute band Rubber Soul. Hear them in a double-header Friday and Saturday at Sam’s Uptown Café, 28 Capitol St., in downtown Charleston.

Listen now or download the podcasts for later. And read band backgrounds, show details, production notes and give your feedback on this podcast thang right here at SoundCheck.

SoundCheck was born 4:49 p.m., Wed., July 11, 2007.