MSI Press Blog

  Black History Month: Honoring Black Musicians, Then and Now Black music is the heartbeat of American history. It has been a balm, a battle cry, a blueprint for survival and joy. From spirituals sung in bondage to hip-hop verses echoing through city streets, Black musicians have always done more than entertain—they’ve testified. Then: Architects of Sound and Spirit The roots of American music are tangled with the genius of Black artists who turned pain into poetry and rhythm into resistance. Mahalia Jackson lifted gospel into the heavens and carried the Civil Rights Movement on her voice. Louis Armstrong transformed jazz into a global language of improvisation and soul. Billie Holiday sang “Strange Fruit” with a haunting clarity that forced America to confront its sins. Nina Simone fused classical training with radical truth, declaring that an artist’s duty is to reflect the times. These musicians didn’t just shape genres—they shaped generations. Now: Innovators and ...

  GT Walker's book, Curse of the Maestro , recently received a great review from US Review of Books. "Readers with a darker sense of humor and a love of imaginative, even silly predicaments will be smiling throughout this riotous read." Read the whole review HERE . Book Description: A psychopath's scented love letters. Neo-Nazi music journalism. The museum guestbook, right beside a lifelike diorama of musicians in their natural habitat. This collection of hybrid fiction is all that remains of the Stonehaven Symphony Orchestra. In the aftermath of their fiery tour bus mishap,  Curse of the Maestro  documents the lives, loves, and musical pursuits of tuxedo-clad misfits in their own words, a shameless allegory for the performing arts today. Characters from the gamut of racial and sexual orientations drive these short stories, unreliable narrators exploring the secret trenches of high art. Fearless readers will embark upon an almost archaeological excavation of these art...

  Curse of the Maestro by GT Walker recently won a Literary Titan Silver Award. Book Description: A psychopath's scented love letters. Neo-Nazi music journalism. The museum guestbook, right beside a lifelike diorama of musicians in their natural habitat. This collection of hybrid fiction is all that remains of the Stonehaven Symphony Orchestra. In the aftermath of their fiery tour bus mishap,  Curse of the Maestro  documents the lives, loves, and musical pursuits of tuxedo-clad misfits in their own words, a shameless allegory for the performing arts today. Characters from the gamut of racial and sexual orientations drive these short stories, unreliable narrators exploring the secret trenches of high art. Fearless readers will embark upon an almost archaeological excavation of these artifacts, searching for clues to uncover answers to questions they did not know they had: Did Romeo and Juliet really text each other? How did Lil Skank end up overdosing on stage? And will t...

  Just in: Literary Titan's review of Curse of the Maestro by G T Walker. "...an imaginative and highly original dive into the bizarre...   kicks things off brilliantly, blending humor and absurdity with a clever reimagining of a classic “curse” tale... unconventional storytelling and a touch of the absurd... a unique and entertaining journey through one of the most peculiar fictional histories you’re likely to encounter. Walker’s vision is bold, and the book’s quirks are part of its charm." Read the full review at Literary Titan .   For other posts about GT Walker and his book, click  HERE . GET THIS BOOK FOR 25% DISCOUNT AT THE  MSI PRESS WEBSTORE ! USE COUPON CODE FF25. Want to buy Ken's books and not have to pay for them? Ask your local library to purchase and shelve it. Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter (recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date)   Follow MSI Press...