Of The Devil is available on DVD and digital. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Kelton Jones’ new movie Of The Devil features The Exorcist’s Eileen Deitz and was released this week. The film, written by Jones and based on a story by James Cullen Bressack, has a cast that includes Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior), Devanny Pinn (Crossbreed), and Robert LaSardo (The Mule). It is available on Vudu and Amazon Prime Video. (Uncork’d Entertainment, 2022)
Of The Devil – A desperate mother and father attempt to cure their eight-year-old son’s brain tumor by enlisting the help of a shamanistic healer. When the ritual results in the child being possessed by an ancient demon, the father must now face his own demons and return to his role as a former priest in order to save his son’s soul and to protect humanity from the evil that he has unleashed.
Carmen will open theatrically in major cities and on Video on Demand on September 23, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Carmen is perhaps veteran director and accomplished actor Valerie Buhagiar’s most joyous film outing yet. Set in a sun-dappled village in Malta in the 1980s, Natascha McElhone gives a career-best performance as a 50-year-old woman finding a new start in life through romance. Carmen will be released in the US Theatrically in major cities and on VOD in the US and Canada on Friday, September 23, 2022. (Good Deed Entertainment, 2022)
In a small Mediterranean village, Carmen has looked after her brother, the local priest, for her entire life. When the Church abandons Carmen, she is mistaken for the new priest. Carmen begins to see the world, and herself, in a new light. In Malta, it is tradition for the younger sister to devote her life to the church when an older brother enters the priesthood. Inspired by true events, Carmen lives a life of servitude from the age of 16 until 50, when her brother dies. Realizing her own mortality, she leaves the church and makes up for lost time.
Carmen is Buhagiar’s third feature film as a director. She first burst on the scene as a performer in such classic Canadian films as ROADKILL (1989) and HIGHWAY 61 (1991). Other indelible feature performances include EXPECTING (2002), A WINTER TALE (2007), and ADRIATICO MY LOVE (2011). Malta, Canada- 2021, 88 minutes, in English and Maltese. Director: Valerie Buhagiar Starring: Natascha McElhone, Michaela Farrugia, Steven Love.
US Theaters include New York – Cinema Village and Los Angeles – Laemmle Monica with exclusive engagements in Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco (Bay Area), Columbus, and more. US Video on Demand platforms include Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, XFinity Cable, and more.
Good Deed Entertainment (GDE) is an Ohio based independent studio dedicated to producing, financing, and distributing quality entertainment for under-served audiences. Its distribution slate includes recent releases Summertime, Ma Belle, My Beauty, and Lucky Grandma, in addition to the Academy Award nominated, Loving Vincent, and Spirit Award nominated, To Dust.
Fiona Apple Joins Watkins Family Hour On “(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You” From Upcoming Album Vol. II due out August 19, 2022. Vol. II features guests Jackson Browne, Lucius, Madison Cunningham, and many more. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Watkins Family Hour is a collaborative musical project founded by musicians and siblings Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins and traditionally held at the beloved Los Angeles club Largo. Since the first Watkins Family Hour show in 2002, the duo has released three studio albums, debuting with their self-titled album in 2015, following with Brother Sister in 2020, and, most recently, releasing Vol. II in August 2022. Sean and Sara recorded Vol. II at Los Angeles’ East West Studios in early 2022 alongside a stacked roster of longtime and new Family Hour collaborators, including Fiona Apple, Jackson Browne, Madison Cunningham, Lucius, Jon Brion, and more. As with their debut, the band will tour in support of Vol. II, bringing the Watkins Family Hour experiences to stages far and wide. Vol. II will be released August 19, 2022. (Watkins Family Hour, 2022)
The group shared “(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You” from Vol. II; a track that features former Family Hour touring band member, longtime fixture at Largo, and wholly singular artist in her own right, Fiona Apple. Watkins Family Hour’s “(Remember Me)” kicks off with long-time Heartbreaker Benmont Tench’s honky-tonk piano and ends with Greg Leisz’s slinky pedal steel; the two enveloping a smile-inducing performance crowned by Sara, Sean, and Fiona’s three-part blend in the song’s iconic choruses. “I first heard this Stuart Hamblen song while going down an Ernest Tubb rabbit hole,” remembers Sara. “It’s hard for us to resist a country shuffle with attitude like this one. It’s our favorite kind of thing to sing with Fiona Apple.”
Vol. II follows Watkins Family Hour’s sophomore album Brother Sister, which they released as the COVID-19 pandemic began taking hold of the globe and, in turn, shut down the live music industry. That record was, serendipitously, a quieter affair, showcasing the musical interplay between Sara and Sean that keeps the Family Hour heart beating. In many ways, it is also a successor to Watkins Family Hour, the self-titled 2015 album that introduced the band to a broader audience and sent them, along with some of their closest collaborators, out on the road to tour.
As both Sean and Sara continue to work on their own solo music, as well as with their other bands like Nickel Creek and I’m With Her, Watkins Family Hour remains an invaluable resource and respite for them both, offering a familiar but ever-evolving space to test new ideas, meet new collaborators and, most importantly, have a good time doing what they love.
“It’s been really exciting to be part of this thing that is happening and growing and enables us to dig deep into this musical community,” Sean says. “The consistency has been invaluable to both of us, as musicians.” Sara adds, “But also, in life, the Family Hour has been and continues to be a huge part of making us feel anchored in the crazy city of Los Angeles.”
Vol. II track list: The Way I Feel Inside (Ft. Lucius) Hypnotized Pitseleh (Feat. Madison Cunningham) Thanks a Lot (Ft. Jon Brion) The Late Show (Ft. Jackson Browne) Tennessee Waltz (Ft. Benmont Tench) She Left Me Standing on the Mountain (Ft. Willie Watson) We Were Meant to Be Together On the Outside (Ft. Gaby Moreno) (Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You (Ft. Fiona Apple) Grief and Praise (Ft. Madison Cunningham)
Catch Watkins Family Hour on tour: August 13 – Lexington, VA – Lime Kiln Theater August 14 – York, PA – Susquehanna Folk Festival September 16 – Cincinnati, OH – Longworth-Anderson Series at Memorial Hall September 17 – Nashville, TN – Americana Fest September 18 – Indianapolis, IN – The Toby Theatre September 20 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark September 21 – Kent, OH – Kent Stage September 22 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Clyde Theatre September 23 – Bay Harbor, MI – Great Lakes Center for the Arts September 24 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music September 25 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music November 13 – Beaverton, OR – The Reser
Jim Lauderdale’s new album Game Changer will be out August 26, 2022. That Kind of Life (That Kind of Day) is the new single from the album. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
In a flurry of steel guitar and raucous drum beats, Americana renaissance man Jim Lauderdale kicks off Game Changer—his 35th full-length album—with “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day),” a rollicking ode to what Jim calls “the sentiment and wishes for others to have a good life.” Lauderdale had the instrumental twin guitar/steel hook in his head when he sat down to write “That Kind Of Life.” American Songwriterpremiered the track and called it “a message of the times, delivered like only Lauderdale can in a blended Americana fuse.” Fans can listen to “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day)” now and pre-order or pre-saveGame Changer ahead of its August 26 release. (Jim Lauderdale, 2022)
In addition to the exciting news of Lauderdale’s new album, he has also just been named a 2022 nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Lauderdale, along with eleven other of his contemporaries, will be celebrated at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala in October where the Class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees will be announced.
Operating under his own label, Sky Crunch Records, for the first time since 2016, Lauderdale recorded Game Changer at the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, co-producing the release with Jay Weaver and pulling from songs he had written over the last several years. “There’s a mixture on this record of uplifting songs and, at the same time, songs of heartbreak and despair—because that’s part of life as well,” he says. “In the country song world especially, that’s always been part of it. That’s real life.”
At any given time, you are likely to find Jim Lauderdale making music, whether he is laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. If he is not actively crafting new music, he is certainly thinking about it. “It’s a constant challenge to try to keep making better and better records, write better and better songs. I still always feel like I’m a developing artist,” he says. This may be a surprising sentiment from a man who’s won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. His forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft.
Catch Jim Lauderdale on tour: August 13 – Maggie Valley, NC – Songwriting Camp August 26 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry August 31 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley album release show September 11 – Bristol, VA – Bristol Rhythm and Roots September 13-17 – Nashville, TN – AmericanaFest September 24 – Nashville, TN – Tommy Emmanuel’s CMA Theatre September 25 – Nashville, TN – Tommy Emmanuel’s Guitar Camp October 7 – Augusta, GA – Summer Series October 8 – Pelham, TN – Cave Fest @ The Caverns October 12 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Blue Jay Listening Room October 13 – Live Oak, FL – Suwanee Roots Revival 2022 October 21 – Pomeroy, OH – Songwriter Weekend Fur Peace Ranch November 3 – Los Angeles, CA – Outlaw Country West 2022
The television adaptation of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper graphic novel is now on Netflix. Photo: amazon
Heartstopper is a young adult LGBTQ+ ongoing graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman. The novel follows the lives of shy and softhearted Charlie Springs and rugby player Nick Nelson who sit next to each other in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who does not think he has a chance. Nick is struggling with feelings of his own and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works. This coming-of-age story has been adapted into a television series and is now streaming on Netflix. It has received critical acclaim and has already been renewed for a second and third season. (amazon, 2022)
Heartstopperis a British coming-of-age romantic comedy television series on Netflix. Written by Alice Oseman herself, the series primarily tells the story of Charlie Spring, a gay schoolboy who falls in love with classmate Nick Nelson, whom he sites next to in school. Starring Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, and Kizzy Edgell, it also explores the lives of Tao, Elle, Tara, and Darcy.
Camping Trip – far from COVID, far from safe. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Fuica Film Pictures and 8Cube are delighted to share the new trailer and poster for their upcoming horror movie Camping Trip. Camping Trip stars Leo Zola (Leonardo Fuica), Caitlin Cameron, Hannah Forest Briand, and Alex Gravenstein and is directed by Leonardo and Demian Fuica, who both make their English language feature-length directorial debuts. The sinister thriller will be available on Digital Download in the USA & Canada (via Gravitas Ventures) starting August 19, 2022. (Gravitas Ventures, 2022)
Camping Trip – In the summer of 2020, two couples decide to go on a COVID era camping trip after months of being in lockdown. The freedom of nature and the company of their best friends offer the group a rare sense of normality, but though secluded, they are not alone. Nearby, during a botched drop off, two goons decide to go rogue; inadvertently, implicating the campers. What started as a fun-filled vacation quickly turns into a test of loyalty and survival. Suddenly the pandemic is the least of their worries.
The film was shot during the height of the pandemic in 2020, meaning requiring strict health and safety procedures were required, but this was not the only obstacle to overcome. Shooting was also forced to halt for a day when a scene sounded so real to the nearby member of the public, the police were called.
Camping Trip movie poster. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Jacob Jolliff’s new album The Jacob Jolliff Band is available now. Courtesy photo, used with permission
Known for his stunning cross-genre virtuosity and his collaborations with musicians from across the musical spectrum, acoustic musician Jacob Jolliff recently announced the release of his album The JacobJolliff Band via Adhyâropa Records. Featuring tight vocal harmonies as well as the customary instrumental fireworks of a collaborative ensemble made up of fellow young stars, this album marks a major milestone in Jolliff’s evolution and the arrival of an authority on bluegrass mandolin. The Jacob Jolliff Band is available now for purchase. (Adhyâropa Records, 2022)
With his new album releasing today, I recently asked Mr. Jolliff a series of questions regarding his background and musical inclinations and this is what he had to say:
Sandra Cruz: You are known as a mandolin player. Do you play another instrument? Which one would you like to learn to play, if any? Jacob Jolliff: I’ve mostly focused on the mandolin for the last 25 years. I play a bit of guitar, piano, and I sing. I’m finally moving in to an apartment that has a piano, and I’m really looking forward to practicing that!
SC: You have played with many notable musicians; who is your favorite? JJ: I’ve been lucky to play with a lot of incredible musicians in my life—here are some that have had a huge influence: —My dad, Bill Jolliff. My first gigging, recording and touring experiences were with dad, and his musical sensibilities have a big impact on me to this day. —Alex Hargreaves. Alex is one of the best fiddlers in the world and we grew playing together, went to college together, and lived together in NYC. He’s been a huge influence. —Tony Trischka and Béla Fleck. I’ve been lucky enough to perform with Tony and Béla, and they’re both huge heroes of mine. —Some other peers of mine that have impacted me musically are: Wes Corbett, Stash Wyslouch, Mike Barnett, Grant Gordy, Lee Dynes, Mike Robinson, Sierra Hull, Michael Daves.
SC: Do you see yourself playing music many years down the road? Would you ever retire? JJ: Yes! I hope to play my whole life!
SC: Do you prefer playing in front of big audiences or smaller, more intimate venues? JJ: I like it all! It’s more dependent on who I’m playing with, and the level of attention of the crowd! I’ve really enjoyed everything from house shows to Red Rocks!
SC: What type of music do you listen to on your leisure time? JJ: Lots of stuff! I’ve been particularly in to Sonny Rollins, Mulgrew Miller and Jason Isbell these days!
SC: Is there anything you would like your fans to know about you? Any messages to them? JJ: Come to a live show! That band really brings it live!
‘Church Street Blues,’ featuring Molly Tuttle, is the first single from the EP. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Growing up, 14-time Grammy Award-winning guitarist and singer Dan Tyminski was not a six-string picker, favoring mandolin or banjo when he joined the jam—until he heard Tony Rice, that is. Hearing Rice kick-off “Ten Degrees and Getting Colder” with J.D. Crowe and the New South for the first time, Tyminski was overtaken by the sound, forever changing his trajectory as a musician. Like the rest of the tight-knit bluegrass world, Tyminski was devastated by the loss of his hero in late 2020. Upon hearing the news, Tyminski took to writing a song for Rice as a way to relieve some of his grief. “I cried all day on day one, and on day two, had written the instrumental part.” The song ended up being called “One More Time Before You Go,” and grew into the title track of Tyminski’s new EP One More Time Before You Go: A Tribute To Tony Rice. (Dan Tyminski, 2022)
Tyminski shared a taste of the upcoming star-studded tribute with his recording of “Church Street Blues” featuring the reigning queen of bluegrass guitar, Molly Tuttle. Sticking closely to Rice’s classic arrangement, Tyminski and Tuttle cross-pick their way through the long-beloved tune, trading solos and sharing vocals on the song’s iconic chorus. Fans can check out “Church Street Blues”now.
When all was said and done, Tyminski ended up with five songs featuring a number of fellow Rice devotees and friends. New guard pickers like Tuttle, Billy Strings, and Dan Tyminski Band-member Gaven Largent share space with Douglas, Bush, Dailey & Vincent, and more for a stunning all-star tribute to the man who influenced a whole genre of music.
One More Time Before You Go track list: Church Street Blues (feat. Molly Tuttle) One More Time Before You Go (feat. Jerry Douglas, Todd Phillips, Sam Bush, Josh Williams) Ten Degrees And Getting Colder (feat. Dailey & Vincent) Where The Soul Of A Man Never Dies (feat. Billy Strings) Why You Been Gone So Long (feat. Gaven Largent)
Catch Dan Tyminski on tour: August 12 – York, PA – Appell Center For The Performing Arts August 13 – Goshen, CT – Podunk Bluegrass Festival 2022 August 18-20 – Marion, NC – North Carolina State Bluegrass Festival 2022 August 25 – Middlesboro, KY – Levitt AMP Middlesboro Music Series August 27 – Lexington, VA – Lime Kiln Theater August 28 – Doylestown, PA – Bluegrass at the TileWorks Summer Series September 1-4 – Brunswick, ME – Thomas Point Bluegrass Festival 2022 September 1 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House September 3 – Plymouth, MA – Spire Center for the Performing Arts September 18 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pickin’ In The Pines 2022 September 27-29 – West Raleigh, NC – IBMA Bluegrass Ramble 2022 September 30 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center October 7-8 – Big Stone Gap, VA – Blue Highway Fest 2022 October 14 – The Woodlands, TX – Dosey Doe Big Barn November 10 – Wilmington, OH – Roberts Centre November 10-12 – Wilmington, NC – Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival 2022
Throughout his 30+ year career, Dan Tyminski has left his mark in every corner of modern music. Tyminski’s voice famously accompanies George Clooney’s performance of the Stanley Brother’s Classic song, “I’m A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey, Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed over 1 billion times to date. Dan has also contributed guitar and/or harmony to projects by Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Aaron Lewis, and Rob Thomas, to name a few. In addition to his highly successful solo career, Dan Tyminski has played guitar and mandolin for Alison Krauss and Union Station since 1994. His unmatched instrumental skills and burnished, soulful tenor voice have been key components of the band.
Scott Krokoff’s new single Fortunately. Cover art by enchanted.marvel.
With a rich sound drawn primarily from his love of 60s and 70s music, New Yorker Scott Krokoff weaves elements of folk rock and country pop into confessional and compelling Americana. He is an evocative and introspective songwriter with a style that is reminiscent of Tom Petty and James Taylor and a voice that sounds like a mix of Jackson Browne and Steve Winwood. People of all ages find Scott’s music appealing and inspirational, relating to his music not only because of the infectious rhythm and energy each song possesses but because he represents the desire we each have to dream big and live life to the fullest. His latest single Fortunately, is now officially out and available for streaming on all platforms. It is a love song written for his wife in the bossa nova style reminiscent of those classic bossa sounds from the 60s. (Scott Krokoff, 2022)
He will be appearing at the Mercury Lounge in New York on Friday, August 5 along with Rory D’Lasnow and Victor V. Gurbo. Tickets are $10 and are available through Ticketmaster. Each be playing 30 minute full band sets.
To date, Scott has released 3 albums and several singles, including three singles with over 100,000 streams on Spotify (Far Too Many Times, My Own Terms and Groundhog). PopWrapped calls Scott “an artist to watch” and Music Crowns calls Scott’s latest release – 2022’s Fortunately – “a song you’ll want to hold your loved ones close to, and find harmony with one another while swaying along to the music.”
A multi-award-winner on the festival circuit, The Andy Baker Tape premieres on the Terror Films Channel August 5 before a wide digital on August 12 and the Kings of Horror on August 19, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Alpha House’s Bret Lada writes, directs and stars in unnerving found footage horror movie The Andy Baker Tape, releasing this August from Terror Films. A multi-award-winner on the festival circuit, The AndyBaker Tape premieres on the Terror Films Channel August 5 before a wide digital on August 12 and the Kings of Horror on August 19, 2022. (Terror Films, 2022)
The Andy Baker Tape – On October of 2020 food blogger Jeff Blake and his half-brother Andy Baker hit the road on a food tour that had the potential to change their lives. They were never seen again. This is their footage.
“The Andy Baker Tape was written, shot, and edited in a 6-month period during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Created by a displaced screen actor, an out-of-work Blue Man, an Australian-based sound engineer, and a first-time female producer; this film is a testament to creation and keeping the artistic spirit alive while the rest of the world was forced into hibernation. Our story is a joyride of laughs, thrills, and suspense. My team and I are delighted to share it with you.” – Bret Lada
SA Examiner 