The Last Deal opens in theaters Friday February 3 and digital Tuesday February 7, 2023. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Sala Baker, known to Lord of the Rings fans as Sauron, stars in the non-stop action thrill ride The Last Deal, coming to theaters February 3 and digital February 7. (The Last Deal, 2023)
A captivating profusion of Heat and Savages, The Last Deal nabbed Best Director at the Boston Film Festival, and later, the Jury Prize for Best Performance at the San Antonio Film Festival.
Black market marijuana dealer Vince is living the high life in Los Angeles, but everything changes when new laws pass making cannabis legal. With limited dispensary licenses available, Vince may be squeezed out of the business. He is desperate to make one final score, but borrows money from the wrong people.
Directed by Jonathan Salemi, and also starring Anthony Molinari (Tenet), Mister Fitzgerald (“F.B.I.”), Jeffri Lauren (Inside & Out), Mike Ferguson (Ebola Rex), Conner Floyd (“The Young & The Restless”), and Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), The Last Deal is a Scatena & Rosner Films release.
Rated R for some strong violence, drug content, language throughout, brief sexuality, and nudity.
Living In A Song will be out February 10, 2023. Photo: Google
American roots music has seen its fair share of beloved duos over the years—from The Monroe Brothers and Flatt & Scruggs to modern-day pairs like Milk Carton Kids and The War and Treaty—but few leave audiences as amazed as Grammy Award nominees Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley. Built on the interplay of Ickes’s Dobro and Hensley’s six-string guitar, the only thing outshining the virtuosity of this group’s instrumental performances is their singing and songwriting prowess. On February 10, Ickes and Hensley are set to release a new full-length album via Compass Records, Living In A Song. Featuring ten original tunes plus two timeless covers, and focusing on a classic country sound as heard in contemporaries like Chris Stapleton, Jamey Johnson, Sturgill Simpson, and Jason Isbell, Living In A Song is a love letter to a bygone Nashville and an in-depth look at the wonderful interplay between two masters of their craft. (Rob Ickes/Trey Hensley, 2023)
Ickes and Hensley shared a sneak peek of “Living In A Song,” the album’s title track which grew out of their experiences as touring musicians. According to Hensley, the song practically wrote itself after a long day on the road driving through Ohio. When Hensley digs into the lyrics there is no question that he has lived the story he is telling, lifted up even further when Ickes’ tenor harmony enters the chorus. Fans can check out “Living In A Song” and pre-order or pre-saveLiving In A Song ahead of its February 10 release.
Their brand new album Living In A Song clearly illustrates the breadth of the musical vision of Grammy Award nominees Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley and their depth as practitioners of their craft. It is no wonder that between them they are two of the most sought-after musicians in Nashville. Ickes co-founded the highly influential bluegrass group Blue Highway and has been an A-team Nashville session player and performing musician for decades, with credits including Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, and Alison Krauss. Hensley, a three-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year nominee, has been called “Nashville’s hottest young player” by Acoustic Guitar magazine and his soulful baritone vocals have received widespread notice as well. Influenced by repertoires as diverse as The Allman Brothers Band, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hensley has shared stages with artists such as Johnny Cash, Steve Wariner, Peter Frampton, and Old Crow Medicine Show.
Living In A Song track list: Living In A Song Deeper Than A Dirt Road Backstreets Off Broadway Way Downtown I’ve Given All That I Can Take Moonshine Run Just Because I’m Working On A Building Is The World Still Turning Louisiana Woman I Thought I Saw A Carpenter Thanks
Catch Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley on tour (more dates to be announced soon): February 10 – Johnson City, TN – The Down Home February 16 – Knoxville, TN – Barley’s February 17 – Cartersville, GA – The Booth Museum’s Boots & Saddles Pre-Gala Party February 18 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic February 22 – Washington, DC – City Winery February 23 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery February 26 – Portsmouth, NH – The Music Hall Lounge February2 7 – New York, NY – City Winery March 24 – Raleigh, NC – Private Event March 31 – Phoenix, AZ – MIM: Musical Instrument Museum April 1 – Tucson, AZ – Tucson Folk Festival May 11 – Athens, AL – Fiddlers Concert Series October 14 – Williamsburg, KY – River Stomp Bluegrass Festival
Silent Thunder is the new instrumental single by Omer B. Photo: Google
Omer B is an independent musician, guitarist, and amateur race driver. He frequently works together with other musicians and singers and always welcomes new collaborators. His music varies between rock, pop, blues, gospel, funk, and jazz. His new instrumental single is Silent Thunder. (Omer B, 2023)
Silent Thunder is dedicated to all those around us who are silent, but on the other hand, the most talented and influential. Omer B perfectly proves this statement through the use of graceful vocals accompanied by an impressive guitar solo. He has always been passionate about music since a young age and has gained many friends and idols who have inspired him such as Cory Wong and Yossi Fine, who has worked with David Bowie and others.
‘The House at the End of the World’ is the new suspense thriller from Dean Koontz. Photo: Amazon
My favorite suspense author is Dean Koontzand I am so excited that he has a new suspense thriller out. International bestselling author Dean Koontz was only a senior in college when he won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition. He has never stopped writing since. Koontz is the author of “The Big Dark Sky,” “Quicksilver,” “The Other Emily,” “Elsewhere,” “Devoted,” and seventy-nine New York Times bestsellers, fourteen of which were #1, including “One Door Away from Heaven,” “From the Corner of His Eye,” “Midnight,” “Cold Fire,” among others. He has been hailed by Rolling Stone as “America’s most popular suspense novelist,” and his books have been published in thirty-eight languages and have sold over five hundred million copies worldwide. In “The House at the End of the World,” soon no one on Earth will have a place to hide. It is the new novel about fears known and unknown by #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense. (Amazon, 2023)
“The House at the End of the World”– In retreat from a devastating loss and crushing injustice, Katie lives alone in a fortress like stone house on Jacob’s Ladder island. Once a rising star in the art world, she finds refuge in her painting. The neighboring island of Ringrock houses a secret: a government research facility. Now two agents have arrived on Jacob’s Ladder in search of someone―or something―they refuse to identify. Although an air of menace hangs over these men, an infinitely greater threat has arrived, one so strange even the island animals are in a state of high alarm. Katie soon finds herself in an epic and terrifying battle with a mysterious enemy. But Katie is not alone after all: a brave young girl appears out of the violent squall. As Katie and her companion struggle across a dark and eerie landscape, against them is an omnipresent terror that could bring about the end of the world.
Masqued Emotions is the debut album by Masque. Photo: Google
Masque is a gay singer/songwriter who began making songs in 2020. A student of classical piano since a young age, he has long written original compositions for the keyboard. Once he took the plunge into singing, he began writing songs as well, with several dozen songs currently under his belt. He typically performs in a signature ‘masque,’ using a variety of hats and wigs in his ensemble, and uses these outfits when vocally promoting lgbt+ rights on social media. (Masque, 2023)
‘Masqued Emotions’ is the debut album by Masque – an exploration of hope and struggles in the modern world through the use of rock, pop and alternative sounds.
‘Meditation for People Who Can’t Meditate’ is a beginner’s guide to meditation. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Dr. Samuel Samtosha Steinberg is a graduate of the Cornell University Plant Based Nutrition program and has a doctorate in Metaphysics. He is a special education teacher, a Yoga Alliance certified 500 E-RYT yoga teacher and educator and a meditation consultant to mental health practitioners and pain support groups as well as a relaxation teacher. Currently he is completing a doctorate in Naturopathic Psychology. He is the author of “Meditation For People Who Can’t Meditate” and “Free Bird,” a children’s book about freedom. He also authored “Parents Guide to Helping a Child With Learning Disabilities,” “Everything You Wanted to Know About Veganism,” “The Why’s and How’s of Vegetarianism,” “Anxiety, Depression & Panic Attacks,” “Promoting Positive Self Esteem In Children,” “A Guide to Autism in the Workplace,” “What Are Chakras and Why the Heck Should I Care?,” and “Weight Lost & Fitness.” His new book “Meditation For People Who Can’t Meditate”is an uncomplicated beginner’s guide to meditation. (Dr. Samuel Samtosha Steinberg, 2023)
New to meditation? Want a moment of peace from the chaotic world? Not sure how to focus? Discover how to meditate with this uncomplicated beginner guide. Dr. Samuel Steinberg presents meditation as an exquisite approach to attain peace, healthy, stress-free life by keeping it simple through basic techniques.
“Meditation For People Who Can’t Meditate” is a perfect guide for beginners tangled between the right time, place, position, group, and props to meditate with. Let this book walk you through the core of how to meditate correctly, the benefits of everyday practice, and the diverse styles of meditation in a fun way.
Alive will be available on digital platforms starting January 31, 2023. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Beware the infection this January! In movie news: in the tradition of 28 Days Later and Cabin Fever comes the new zombie horror movie Alive. It will premiere on digital platforms on January 31 from Gravitas Ventures. From writer/director David Marantz, and featuring an electric cast headed up by Ellen Hillman, Kian Pritchard, and Neil Scheffield.
Alive – Helen navigates a ravaged world with her boyfriend Kevin and her little brother Barney. Desperate to find help after Barney’s infection slowly turns him into a zombie, they come upon a house where Dan lives; he is a man harboring a heavy secret.
Alive, 2022 Horror/Mystery/Thriller – 1h 33m
Forest zombies in Alive. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Teddy Bear Stories 2 will be out February 14, 2023. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
If you are a fan of R&B and hip hop then do I have big news for you. Prince Casanova is an artist from Long Beach, California. He is also a singer, rapper, talented music producer, recording and mixing engineer, and writer in the genres of hip hop, rap, pop, country, rock, and R&B. He has a new album coming up next month: Teddy Bear Stories 2, an extended project from Teddy Bear Stories 1. (Prince Casanova, 2023)
Prince Casanova was once a part of a label called Upncomingrecords. He was a producer at the time while attending a Los Angeles film school later graduating and obtaining his Associates of Science Degree in Recording Arts; he was one of the top students in his class. He later started composing his own music and now has released 6 albums and 11 singles. His new album titled Teddy Bear Stories 2 will be released February 14, 2023.
Artist Name : JstLszn (Just-Listen) aka Prince Casanova Teddy Bear Stories 2 9 tracks
After an advanced screening of the new album I can say that overall the new music has a sharp, crisp, and grooving feel that will please fans of the genre. The artist’s hard work and dedication comes through in each song and I commended him for sharing his craft with music fans. If you enjoy hip hop and R&B, this album should be on your to buy list. It should be noted that it contains adult themes and language.
‘Sailing In Dark Waters’ is the new poetry anthology by Jordan Francis. Photo: Amazon
Jordan Francis has been writing poetry off and on for almost 20 years. He hit his stride during Covid when he created his website enabling him to share his poetry with the world. This enabled him to gain the confidence needed to write more and gain a bigger platform. Jordan has struggled with depression and anxiety for most of his life and his lessons learned through them shine through in his writings. Back in 2013 the author survived a suicide attempt which is written about in his poem “Once, Twice, Thrice.” He has been a champion for mental health for the last 6 years and openly shares his story. He served in Law Enforcement for almost 11 years before leaving to go back to school and is currently working towards a bachelors degree in computer science while continuing to write and promote his book. His new book “Sailing In Dark Waters: A Poetry Anthology by The Mad Poet” is a powerful anthology of poems dealing with a variety of topics. (Jordan Francis, 2023)
“Sailing In Dark Waters” – deals with mental health issues, the writers’ struggle with their faith, and life in general. The poems are beautifully written and thought provoking. Many of the poems are autobiographical, especially “Love Won and Lost,” and “Once, Twice, Thrice.” “Once, Twice, Thrice” tells the writers story of his own suicide attempt. All of the poems are written in free verse poetry though some do have a certain rhythm to them. This book of poetry is accessible to everyone and is truly written to be able to be appreciated by anyone.
The Governor aka The Gov is a multi-talented musical producer, songwriter, performer, music executive/CEO now author. Born and raised in Oakland California, he is involved in a variety of genres from poetry, comedy, and urban ghetto stories. He hopes that by pouring his street knowledge and musical career into his books, it will provide a vivid visual for connecting with viewers from the different aspects of life. (Amazon, 2023)
“Off The Dribble” – This is an excellent work of urban fiction that centers around young Maxwell Pixar who grew up in East Oakland, California. His story begins during his youth, as he references the days, and his life’s struggles, which he compares to basketball and uses sports metaphors throughout the book. Based on his knowledge growing up, his life is made up of four levels: the gansta, player, Mack and hustler and even as a young boy, he was always looking around, absorbing everything around him and he learned lessons that served him as he grew older. Some of these included how there are two sides to every story and the importance of getting both before forming an opinion and that ‘the hood’ needs to be openminded and optimistic in order to grow and progress.
Further, he comments on the biases and the justice system and how they effect different types of people and in multiple ways. It is an interesting take on the judicial structures through the eyes of a young African American male. It brings out topics such as the fourteenth amendment and the issue of privacy between a detainee and his/her attorney. There is very interesting word play, which I am only assuming the author uses to give the story authenticity. It is a quick read and should interest readers who like urban fiction, reflected through the views of Black/African American voices.
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
SA Examiner 