FOOD: Bilbo, Castro and Joe DiMaggioI came across a piece recently in the Jackson Free Press about one of the great journalists of our time and geography, Bill Minor. The story reminded me that Bill's first assignment in Mississippi was to cover the Aug. 23, …
Cotton Is King, by Steve CheseboroughEddie Cotton Jr. doesn't see any reason to leave Jackson. "Man, this town has been good to me," says the 32-year-old blues singer-guitarist. "They show appreciation. If you get to a place that's bigger, there's just more of nothing to …
Feeling the Indie Pulse, by Herman SnellThose of us old enough to remember W.C. Don's, Midnight Sun, Inez's, The Mosquito and the University Pub recall these ground-breaking Jackson music establishments with a nostalgic sigh of passing. In Jackson over the years I've seen The Strokes, Smash …
MUSIC: Sultry and Soulful, by Courtney LangeIt's another sultry Wednesday night on Northside Drive. Women dressed to the nines and men wearing slick suits and hats sit casually at bistro tables drinking fancy, colorful drinks. Red lights filtered through cigarette smoke create a ruby haze under …
Jazz Supreme, by Andy SajeFor many, seven is a lucky number, representing good fortune. In jazz, the seventh chords are one of the essential building blocks of improvisation. In downtown Jackson, Seven* is the latest urban jazz café. And for Seven*'s proud owner Ezra …
Singing the Gospel, by Stacia V. HunterI've been on the gospel scene in Jackson for almost 10 years as a gospel announcer, writer and an event planner; as a result, I've seen the ebb and flow of the rich gospel scene here. I've witnessed the birth …
Blessed By The Blues, by Herman SnellThough he's legally blind like many of the great bluesmen, Sam Myers made his way to the center stage mic at 930 Blues Cafe in November like he's lived there—at a mic—his whole life. In fact, he has. This Laurel, …
Edward St. Pé, by Todd StaufferEdward St. Pé, local weatherman-turned-CEO of WeatherVision, has another passion—singing American standards. St. Pé stopped singing nearly eight years ago, but he says he's always missed it. "If you sing, there's a certain channel in you that opens up," St. …
Braggin' in Brass, by JC Patterson<i>Hear, and dance to, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Friday night (Dec. 20) at George Street Grocery. </i>
Music: Les Kerr, Christmas On The CoastI heard Jackson native Les Kerr perform "Christmas on the Coast" this summer during a gig at Hal & Mal's and, despite the poor timing (of course, musicians rarely have the luxury of recording Christmas songs during the holidays), I …
They Call Him Mr. Bass, by Katherine R. DouganWhen I first met Raphael Semmes, I didn't realize he was a legend on bass guitar. My first impression: Semmes was a super-nice guy who played bass. Moments later, I learned better.
ART: Of Martinis and Mod ScienceArtist Ellen Langford told me recently that she was painting a violin for a symphony fund-raiser. I thought, "That's nice." I was picturing maybe a canvas with a vase of roses, a velvet curtain background and a violin, kind of …
Delicate Shades of Folk, by Katherine R. DouganJackson folks might remember Kris Wilkinson from her days with Perfect Strangers, a band formed in the mid-1980s while she was in college at Delta State University in Cleveland. After graduating, she lived and performed in Jackson for a couple …
"Twilight," Caroline HerringWhen Canton native Caroline Herring takes the stage at Hal & Mal's on Saturday night, she'll be riding in on a gentle wave of "Twilight" success. Singer/songwriter Herring, who now lives in the big alt-country city of Austin, Texas, captured …