JUNE - JULY 2017 by Legends Magazine

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JUNE.JULY 2017

GREEK Infused Jackson cuisine

[Jackson Rhythm

g Blues Festival Celebrating the City with Soul

Visit The Pointe, the newest condo along Florida’s scenic 30A drive M I S S I S S I P P I ’ S A W A R D - W I N N I N G C O N S U M E R T R AV E L P U B L I C AT I O N W W W. R E A D L E G E N D S . C O M

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MISSISSIPPI 1 8 1 7

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LAND OF PLENTY, PAIN, AND PROMISE T H E A N N I E L AU R I E S WA I M H E A R I N M E M O R I A L E X H I B I T I O N S E R I E S

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After the game, come home to Meridian Hilton Garden Inn

U.S. Hwy. 11 and 80 – Meridian • 601.485.3506 www.hgimeridian.com

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Meridian

PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT ��Marianne Todd ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER ��Chris Banks LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER ��Shayne Garrett WEBSITE DESIGNER ��Kevin Chertkow

Win two VIP tickets to the Jacskon Rhythm and Blues Festival, two t-shirts and a festival poster.

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Contributing writers: Meghan Holmes, Riley Manning, Suzannah Patterson,Julian Rankin Contributing photographers: Dianne Barrett, Michael Barrett, Joe Worthem LEGENDS welcomes your calendar submissions. Submissions are posted free of charge on our website at www.ReadLegends.com. Calendar submissions for consideration in LEGENDS’ print calendar may be sent to

Editor@ReadLegends.com. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without express permission from the publisher. The opinions and views expressed by our contributors, writers and editors are their own. Various views from other professionals may also be expressed. Neither LEGENDS nor Blue South Publishing Corporation is endorsing or guaranteeing the products or quality of services expressed in advertisements. All advertisers assume liability for all content (including text representation and illustration) of advertisements printed and assume responsibility for any resulting claims against LEGENDS or its affiliates. Materials, photographs and written pieces to be considered for inclusion in LEGENDS may be sent to P.O. Box 3663, Meridian, MS 39303. Unsolicited materials will not be returned. Blue South Publishing Corporation provides thousands of free copies in its coverage area to tourism offices, welcome centers, hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, galleries, coffee shops, casinos and institutions of higher learning. If your business, agency or industry would like to be considered as a LEGENDS distribution point, please contact us at Editor@ReadLegends.com. For more information, write to Editor@ReadLegends.com. More information, including a comprehensive, up-to-date calendar, may be found at

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CONTENTS JUNE | JULY 2017

MUSIC 22 COVER STORY: Celebrating the City with Soul The Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival

40 Jackson's Frank Jones Corner

Blues & Boogie in the Little Blue Club

CULTURE 10 The Bittersweet Work of Asia Rainey

Healing Hearts and Mending Minds through Spoken Art

14 The Pointe at 30A

Inlet Beach's newest condo along the famous Florida scenic drive

28 Painted Melody

with Sanders McNeal

32 FestivalSouth

Celebrating Mississippi's Bicentennial

WIN TICKETS TO THE JACKSON RHYTHM & BLUES FESTIVAL! SEE INSIDE!

JUNE.JULY 2017

GREEK Infused Jackson cuisine

[Jackson Rhythm

g Blues Festival Celebrating the City with Soul

6 • JUNE | JULY 2017

ABOUT OUR COVER Pictured here at Jackson's Iron Horse Grill are Mississippi heavy blues hitters Bobby Rush, Eddie Cotton and Jarekus Singelton, who will be featured at this year's Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival, scheduled for August 18 and 19. (Photograph by Marianne Todd)

CULINARY 34 On the Jackson Dining Scene Fabulous Greek Eats

EVENTS 47 What's Shakin' in the Cradle Calendar of Events

40 48

www.bcbsms.com Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, A Mutual Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

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QUINN SULLIVAN Thursday, June 15, 2017 | 7:30 p.m. When guitar prodigy Quinn Sullivan takes the MSU Riley Center stage, he will be only 18. But here’s what counts: Sullivan can really play the blues. At age 8, he so impressed legendary bluesman Buddy Guy, his idol, that Guy invited the youngster to play onstage with the old master. Sullivan is spreading his musical wings, writing more of his own songs and incorporating diverse musical influences, such as his love of the Beatles. He’s also working hard on his vocals, adding emotional resonance as he matures. See him now, because he’s going places, and you’ll love being along for the ride. For Fans of: Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang

SCOTTY MCCREERY Thursday, July 20, 2017 | 7:30 p.m. After you win the 2011 American Idol competition while still in high school, what do you do for an encore? If you’re Scotty McCreery, you release three straight number-one albums with such hits as “I Love You This Big,” “See You Tonight,” and “Feelin’ It.” You amass more than 3 million followers on Facebook and Twitter and more than 150 million YouTube views. And you win hearts with your guynext-door looks and North Carolina drawl. McCreery wraps his deep, resonant voice around a lyric with relaxed assurance, and he stays true to his country roots. Winning a national talent contest wasn’t the peak of his career. It was just the start. For Fans of: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Billy Currington

MSU Riley Center Box Oﬃce | 2200 Fifth Street | Meridian, MS 39301 Facebook.com/RileyCenter 601.696.2200 | www.msurileycenter.com READLEGENDS.COM •

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THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL OF MUSIC PRESENTS

October 26 and 27, 7:30 p.m. October 29, 2 p.m. and November 2, 3 and 4, 7:30 p.m.

TICKETS ON SALE JULY 15

FestivalSouth SAVE-THE-DATES

800.844.8425 601.266.5418 www.usm.edu/music/phantom

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festivalsouth.org @festivalsouth #festivalsouth

WHEN YOU THINK ARTS THINK SOUTHERN MISS

GIACOMO PUCCINI’S

TURANDOT

T W E N T Y- E I G H T H

SEASON

April 24, 2018

Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium Hattiesburg, Miss.

April 28, 2018 Thalia Mara Hall Jackson, Miss.

First Saturday in May through the Last Saturday in May

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These events are supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. READLEGENDS.COM •

“That’s one of the biggest questions I get from teenagers — ‘Why are we still talking about this? Why do we still have to address things like slavery?’ At the last conversation, we put all of that on the table and said, ‘Ok, what are we going to do about it? How do we change our behavior from our own personal workspace to a larger, systemic change?’ ” - Asia Rainey

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STORY FROM TUPELO, MISS.

The Bittersweet Work of Asia Rainey Healing hearts and mending minds through spoken art By RILEY MANNING Photography by Joe Worthem

he City of Tupelo is somewhat of a gem in Northeast Mississippi. As the birthplace of Elvis Presley and boasting a just-right size of about 40,000 residents, it is home to a popular shopping mall and an arena hosting everything from rock shows to college hockey games. You might hear residents of Tupelo mention the “Tupelo Spirit,” a vibe of hominess and good will prevalent among its populace and those who visit. Now, there’s a grassroots movement gathering steam in Tupelo to advance racial reconciliation through dialogue and spoken word storytelling, led by artist and New Orleans native Asia Rainey. Last summer, the Tupelo Spirit was tested with the death of Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert, an unarmed black man shot and killed by a white policeman in Tupelo. Shumpert’s death briefly drew the national spotlight to Tupelo. Rainey, just a few months on the ground in Tupelo, said her initial instinct as a spoken word artist was to speak out, but instead she decided to listen. The weeks following Shumpert’s death revealed a

town grieving over the death of one of its own and grappling with old Southern wounds. “The Tupelo Spirit is a very real thing. It’s what drew me here. It’s friendly and open and sweet,” Rainey said, “But some of the conversation gets lost when everyone just wants to keep the peace. Politeness can get in the way of authentic conversation.” Rainey works with Tupelo’s Link Centre after a 10-year stint with New Orleans’ People’s Institute, particularly with the institute’s Open Doors project. Open Doors is made up of a core of multi-racial trainers who conduct formalized workshops aimed at undoing racism. After serving as artist-in-residency with the Link Centre in Tupelo, Rainey took the Link Centre board’s offer to join them and conduct the workshop series. “What I saw was room to start an authentic community dialogue about race and racism and get creative about creating that platform in a place that isn’t accustomed to publicly doing that and see where it goes,” she said. “The first phase started in January.” READLEGENDS.COM •

The first workshop’s mission was to clarify terms and interrogate Rainey said she will employ humanities scholars to conduct the language we use around discussing race. research in the form of one-on-one interviews, culminating in an “We throw a lot of terms around – ‘race,’ ‘racism,’ ‘discrimination,’ artistic piece to push the conversation publicly. The biggest challenge 'bias,’—not necessarily making a distinction between them. So you for a small town like Tupelo will be moving outside of its own bubble and I could be having a conversation about and understanding its part in the context of 'racism' and be talking about two different the national conversation about race. Rainey things.” has conducted monthly open mic events The second workshop delved called Sessions, where attendees tell their further into the difference between bias, own stories discrimination and prejudice and connected A gap in the conversation Rainey sees those ideas to how individuals think and is the lack of a spoken word community – act. The third workshop moves into defining drastically different from her hometown, racism itself as a systemic issue. The fourth, where there are open venues for the art form the most difficult, Rainey said, refocuses every night of the week. It struck her as on the individual, and how they internalize odd. these factors and manifest them in their Whether a Southerner considers himself workplaces and neighborhoods. or herself an artist or not, storytelling is in “It’s hard for people to come to grips the Southerner’s blood. Rainey helped jump with where their head is and to admit their start Tupelo’s Story Porch events, monthly thinking,” she said, “But we did it. And it open mic events at the Link Centre where was great. We’re not going to erase racism attendees volunteer to tell stories around a this month, but the goal is to start the theme. conversation.” “When I teach spoken word, I ask, ‘How There are two more conversations to many of you think you’re story tellers?’ They be had: one led by ages 16 to 25, the other always say ‘No’ and I tell them they’re lying. led by the over 25 demographic. This is We’re colorful with our descriptions, our to draw a generational juxtaposition and rhythm, the way we make a horrible story understanding of how the conversation funny or vice versa. That’s what we naturally is moving forward, and for the younger do.” generation, why this problem is still here. Spoken word events are also the building “That’s one of the biggest questions I get blocks of what Rainey calls a “creative from teenagers—‘Why are we still talking economy.” They allow artists to meet other about this? Why do we still have to address artists, as well as other folks in the community. things like slavery?’” she said. “At the last As this connection grows, it potentially leads conversation, we put all of that on the table to further events and engagements, perhaps and said, ‘Ok, what are we going to do about festivals, and suddenly, artists have tools at it? How do we change our behavior from our Above: Participants in Asia Rainey's Spoken Word workshop their disposal to advance their art, and vice are sometimes not comfortable with the subject matter of own personal workspace to a larger, systemic racism, but Rainey says the workshop serves to remind people versa. they are not alone in their experiences. change?’” Furthermore, spoken word communities Rainey has received backing from the Mississippi Humanity allow its participants to realize they’re not alone in their experiences, Council to move forward to phase two, an effort to take the conversation from growing up to dealing with mental health or any other issue to a more public sphere. imaginable. “Not everyone will feel comfortable with coming to the table. “The coolest thing I see is, say, an elderly white woman and a Some people might think they don’t want or need to be there, but even young black man connect because he says, ‘Hey, you remind me of if people are disconnected from it for one reason or another, it still my grandmother.’ No matter the topic, you always come away with a affects them,” she said. “Whether it’s privilege, bias, anger, even the common thread you didn’t know was there.” L way you see yourself, no matter what race you are, race has affected you.”

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The

at 30A

Inlet Beach's newest neighborhood condo along the famous Florida scenic drive By MEGHAN HOLMES Photographs by Marianne Todd

or decades, the unique planned communities along Florida’s highway 30A have enjoyed a reputation for stunning and avantgarde architectures. Alys Beach boasts its imposing white stucco, Rosemary Beach recalls the wrought iron railways and courtyards of New Orleans and Inlet Beach unites quaint cottages with elements of modern architecture amidst 13 acres of protected dunes and the largest public beach access points along the scenic drive. This February, Inlet Beach welcomed a new condominium development: The Pointe at 30A. With its contemporary décor and internationally inspired architecture, visitors to The Pointe experience the area’s amenities and beautiful beaches in a new way. “Highway 30A is an 18-mile stretch of tightly controlled shoreline where little towns have been built called traditional neighborhood developments,” says Mark Humphreys, CEO of Dallas-based Humphreys & Partners Architects, L.P., which designed The Pointe at 30A. “These communities are designed to reflect the heritage of various places like the West Indies, Nantucket or Bermuda, with residences surrounding a town center. I bought my first home in Rosemary Beach about 15 years ago, and I’ve purchased several properties since, my most recent purchase being the land where The Pointe now sits.”

The Pointe’s resort style pool is one of the largest on 30A, featuring cabanas with day beds as well as terrace seating for 150. A sunbathing area eight inches below the water runs the length of one end of the pool, and directly adjacent, a large hot tub sits in front of a heated fireplace with nearby seating.

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STORY FROM SOUTH WALTON, FL.

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Tucked away at the western edge of 30A where the road intersects U.S. Highway 98, Humphreys saw The Pointe’s location as invaluable. “It was the only place on 30A where we could build a resort of this size, with 130 beds. The next largest in the area has 40 or 50, ” he says. Humphreys envisioned two- and three-bedroom units, different from the majority of the area’s large homes available for rent, with four or five bedrooms. “I encountered a lot of families who were vacationing with another family and splitting a large home. I wanted to offer them something smaller that still felt like Rosemary or Inlet Beach,” he said. Humphreys assembled a team and traveled to resorts around the world, incorporating elements of the architecture as well as flora and fauna of the Caribbean into The Pointe’s design. They elected to keep the natural vegetation surrounding the property, allowing live oaks, pine trees, palomino bushes and wild rosemary to keep the resort partially concealed from nearby roads. “The last time I was on the rooftop I could hear birds chirping in the woods. It feels hidden and natural,” Humphreys says. From Highway 98, The Pointe is a large, stark white structure with the majority of its many amenities hidden from view. Giant bowls of fire, with gray stones surrounding their bases, cast shadows onto

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The pool is really the focal point of the resort. Impressive palm trees surround the water and jasmine and bougainvillea grows up from the base of wooden trellises covering the surrounding walkways. In coming years the plants will provide ample shade as well as fragrant blossoms. The Pointe is a large, stark white structure with the majority of its many amenities hidden from view.

The Original Museum Mile– see how deep the Delta really is.

From art to aviation, and hometown heroes to literature, there’s something for everyone on the Delta’s Museum Mile. Greenville History Museum 409 Washington Avenue, Greenville

William Alexander Percy Memorial Library & Delta Writer’s Exhibit 341 Main Street, Greenville

The Patriot at Greenville Cemetery South Main Street, Greenville

E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center / Armitage Herschell Carousel 323 South Main Street, Greenville

Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum / Outdoor Hall of Fame

Leland, (Grand Opening June 2-3, 2017)

Winterville Mounds 2415 Highway 1 North, Winterville

“Century of History” Hebrew Union Temple & Museum

Highway 61 Blues Museum

Greenville Air Force Base Museum

1927 Flood Museum

Jim Henson Delta Boyhood Exhibit

Lake Washington Historical Museum

504 Main Street, Greenville

118 South Hinds Street, Greenville

307 North Broad Street, Leland

206 Broad Street North, Leland

www.visitgreenville.org • (800) 467.3582

Mid Delta Regional Airport, Greenville

Glen Allan

Convention & Visitors Bureau

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the buildings at its entrance in the evenings. Just inside the lobby, Humphreys installed a Peter Lik photograph of a Caribbean beachfront, one of the many reminders of the hotel’s design inspiration. “You can’t see the pool from the outside of the resort, but it’s only three feet from the lobby inside the courtyard. We had wan doors installed that open all the way across the lobby, which creates an open experience that’s unique to this property. I can feel the guests excitement when they arrive to check in and look out at the pool and surrounding green space,” he says. The Pointe’s resort style pool is one of the largest on 30A, featuring cabanas with day beds as well as terrace seating for 150. A sunbathing area eight inches below the water runs the length of one end of the pool, and directly adjacent, a large hot tub sits in front of a heated fireplace with nearby seating. “The pool is really the focal point of the resort,” Humphreys says. Impressive palm trees surround the water and jasmine and bougainvillea grows up from the base of wooden trellises covering the surrounding walkways. In coming years the plants will provide ample shade as well as fragrant blossoms. Nearby amenities include a fitness center and yoga studio, Weber gas grills and stainless steel cooking prep areas, as well as La Cava: a covered, open air lounge with eight televisions. “It’s just another place for family and friends to gather. I like to call it the SEC conference room because people will watch four or five different games at once.

Rooms feature private balconies with stainless steel rails, chic contemporary accents courtesy of Restoration Hardware, and all gas cooking appliances. The understated décor uses color and material to conjure the feeling of a beach getaway. It’s subtle and refined.

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It’s a way to be part of the activity of the pool, but not out in the sun,” Humphreys says. The pool area also features outdoor seating for one of The Pointe’s two on-site restaurants, Big Bad Breakfast, which serves breakfast and lunch poolside as well as in a large nearby dining area. The resort will soon break ground on the site’s second restaurant, the Latin-inspired Little Donkey, set to open later this year. People have frequently called, inquiring about the opening of Big Bad, says Chris Abbott, broker with Sotheby’s International who handles sales at The Pointe. “We have also had an enthusiastic response to our rooftop viewing area. There were hundreds of people up there during our grand opening party, so it’s a great space for an event like a wedding reception.” The Pointe’s rooftop lounge features seating for large groups as well as panoramic views of the surrounding gulf and natural vegetation. It’s ideal as a wedding reception area following a ceremony in the resort’s greenspace, which accommodates a 40-60 person wedding tent. When events aren’t taking place, guests throw Frisbees or play catch. The Pointe’s lower level rooms feature access to the pool and surrounding amenities via individual balconies, and a small, select number of three bedroom units feature private plunge pools. “We’ve included some things that we consider hidden surprises. We want guests to feel like they’re having a special experience.” Another unique detail is the use of recycled glass in the countertops. “We take things like damaged bottles from whiskey distilleries and broken glass from car windshields and integrate them into the design,” says Humphreys. “When you take tiny pieces of that green glass and add some mother of pearl, you get a contemporary surf and shell feeling. We wanted a fresh design that tells a story, not the feeling of an old

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school beach residence where you see the starfish and the lighthouse and the life preserver,” Humphreys says. Rooms feature private balconies with stainless steel rails, chic contemporary accents courtesy of Restoration Hardware, and all gas cooking appliances. The understated décor uses color and material to conjure the feeling of a beach getaway. It’s subtle and refined. ResortQuest manages rentals on the property and also offers bike rentals for quick access to nearby beaches and restaurants. In under five minutes guests can enjoy 30A’s beautiful blue green waters or shop in downtown Rosemary Beach without ever taking their car out of The Pointe’s parking lot. There are dozens of nearby restaurants and locally owned shops. “The restaurant scene here is phenomenal,” says Humphreys. “We’re so excited for people to explore what’s available nearby.” After nearly two decades spent on 30A’s beaches, Humphreys wants to recruit visitors from around the region to experience what has kept him coming back. “People ask why I did this, and I tell them it’s because this place is my solace. I love Rosemary Beach and 30A, and I think a lot of people feel the same way. I want everyone to be able to relax and enjoy life here.”

Want to go? For more information about The Pointe at 30A, visit thepointeon30a.com

“We had wan doors installed that open all the way across the lobby, which creates an open experience that’s unique to this property. I can feel the guests excitement when they arrive to check in and look out at the pool and surrounding green space.” - Mark Humphreys

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Pictured here at Jackson's Iron Horse Grill are Mississippi heavy blues hitters Bobby Rush (center), Eddie Cotton (right) and Jarekus Singelton, who will be featured at this year's Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival, scheduled for August 18 and 19 at the Jackson Convention Complex.

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STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

Ludacris

Fantasia

Celebrating the City with Soul By MEGHAN HOLMES Photographs by Marianne Todd

he Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival celebrates five years this August 18 and 19 when more than 30 performances happen across five stages inside the city’s downtown convention complex. The festival brings nationally recognized acts to Jackson, like this year’s headliners Ludacris and Fantasia, while also acting as a platform for lesser known musicians to perform with A-list talent. The end result is a compelling mix of the traditional blues and soul sounds expected in Jackson along with contemporary hip-hop, jazz, funk and pop. Yearly performer Bobby Rush represents the quintessential bluesman on the festival’s lineup. He arrived at the Iron Horse Grill for this issue’s cover shoot wearing a black t-shirt, white slacks and black

suede boots. When it was time for photographs, he slipped on a black, rhinestone studded sports coat. “People accept me for who I am and what I do,” Rush said, settling into his chair after posing for a selfie with two departing customers. He reflected on his Grammy win for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2017. “I haven’t crossed over, but I have crossed out,” said the 83-year -old performer. “I remember when people wanted to hear my music but not see my face. I had to perform behind a curtain, and my family couldn’t come to some of the clubs. Those things have changed. We aren’t where we need to be, but things are a lot better.” Rush’s music incorporates several genres including Cajun, reggae, funk and blues, producing a distinct sound that’s given him staying READLEGENDS.COM •

Jarekus Singleton is a featured performer at this year's Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival. Singleton’s influences include B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Twista and Jay Z, reflective of his penchant for integrating different contemporary styles into traditional blues.

power throughout several decades. He acknowledges borrowing from many cultures to create his songs, but emphasizes that Mississippi birthed the blues. “People ask me the difference between Mississippi and Chicago blues, and I say guys left here and then got slick with it, but it ain’t nothing but Mississippi. When you learn better you do better, and they learned some more notes up there, but it was just us turned upside down,” Rush said. Rush was born in North Louisiana, but has lived in Jackson for decades, recording with Malaco Records in the 1980s as part of Jackson's distinctive blues sound, distinguishing it from Delta and Hill Country music. Rush and musicians like him, who often came to Mississippi’s capitol from the rural Delta, were part of a thriving scene that influenced scores of younger musicians, some of whom now perform at the festival, like Eddie Cotton, Jr. “When I was 17 years old, I saw Bobby Rush on the Capitol Street Stage at the 1987 Jubilee Jam, and I’ll never forget it,” said Cotton. “It’s that thing. The music is as funky as the show. I’d never seen anything like it close up. Certain musicians you have to see live, like

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Jimi Hendrix. I’d put Bobby in that category. Some musicians express the licks through their body.” Cotton, a minister’s son, grew up playing in church and later studied musical theory at Jackson State. From a young age he recognized the close ties between the blues and gospel. “At Sanctified Church on Sunday we’d go get the blues guy who had played at the club the night before when we didn’t have enough musicians,” he said. “Black church and the blues are the same; the words and intention are just different.” Cotton points to contemporary technological advances he incorporates into his lyrics, like cellphones, that distinguish his songs from traditional blues, but ultimately express similar emotions. “Either way, my woman is talking to another man. The times have changed; the technology has changed, but the situation hasn’t,” he said. Growing up in Jackson offered Cotton opportunities to see visiting musicians from around the state. “I had uncles who would take me to see people from all over Mississippi. Jackson was like the hot bed, where musicians eventually migrate. The style is mixed with jazz and all the gospel cats,” he said.

AUGUST 18 th Ludacris Jazmine Sullivan Ro James Doug E. Fresh Eric Roberson Bobby Rush 601 Live Band DJ Unpredictable Eden Brent Jason Turner Band Jonte' Mayon Nellie "Tiger" Travis Selwyn Birchwood

AUGUST 19 TH

Fantasia Eric Benet Calvin Richardson Dreezy DJ Luke Nasty AJC & The Envelope Pushers Angela Walls DJ Scrap Dirty Eddie Cotton Jarekus Singleton Karen Brown Los Brown Rita B. The Black Bettys The Cash Box Kings READLEGENDS.COM â&#x20AC;¢

Many of Jackson’s notable performers come from musical families, where everyone plays in church and influences mingle. One of the festival’s younger performers, Jarekus Singleton, grew up with a minister grandfather who was ordained at the same time as Eddie Cotton’s father. Singleton’s great uncle Emmett, who went by Uncle Honey, instructed Cotton. “My dad would drop me off and Uncle Honey got me started. Later I taught Jarekus’ uncle my style, and he taught his style to Jarekus, and we all ended up influencing each other. The styles are kindred,” Cotton said. In 2008, Singleton was living in Lebanon and playing professional basketball when an ankle injury led to his return to Mississippi. “All I knew was basketball and music, and a lot of times I still think of myself as a basketball player. I look at guys like Bobby and Eddie and see them as the musicians, not me.” After returning to Jackson, Singleton naturally turned to family members he grew up playing with, including his cousins Ben and Constable Sterling. “I started playing bass with Jarekus six or seven years ago,” said Ben. When we were growing up we played in our grandfather’s church five nights a week. He was strict and didn’t want us listening to anything other than gospel, but by the time we were in middle school our uncles were helping us sneak off and go to shows.” Some of Singleton’s other influences include B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Twista and Jay Z, reflective of his penchant for integrating different contemporary styles into traditional blues. “I’m inspired by the masters, but I’ve always wanted to create something as original and new as what their music was like in that era, which means also looking forward,” Singleton said. Performers like Bobby Rush appreciate their role in today’s popular contemporary music, influencing performers like Singleton while continuing their own blues traditions. “Even the rappers got that stuff from James Brown and people like myself. Without these older generations of musicians there wouldn’t be 50 Cent; he’d just be a dime or a quarter,” Rush said, laughing. “I love looking at these guys though, like Eddie, and seeing how they’ve come up. It’s part of passing the torch.” This year’s Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival will also feature Jazmine Sullivan, Eric Benet, Ro James, Calvin Richardson, Doug E. Fresh, Dreezy, DJ Luke Nasty and dozens of other talented musicians. “I’m so proud of the City of Jackson and the organizers who put this festival together,” Rush said. “The blues is a rhythm, and so is soul, and some places have the blues rhythm, and some places have the soul, but Jackson has both. It’s a special place.” L

ABOVE: Eddie Cotton, a minister’s son, grew up playing in church and later studied musical theory at Jackson State. From a young age he recognized the close ties between the blues and gospel. He was influenced largely by Bobby Rush, below, a JRBF yearly performer who represents the quintessential bluesman on the festival’s lineup. He won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2017.

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(800) 256-2931 • www.cajuncoast.com READLEGENDS.COM •

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

“The Rehearsal” from the collection of Mississippi Museum of Art.

Painted Melody with Sanders McNeal By JULIAN RANKIN

he elephants are on the levee, the locals would say, when the pickers and night owls gathered clandestinely on the levee in Greenville, Mississippi, burning fires in trash barrels and playing the bottleneck blues. This was the early 1950s, and an 11-year-old Sanders McNeal – the celebrated Mississippi artist better known as Sandy – snuck up through the shadows on the outskirts of the f lames under the big dark Delta sky to bathe in the seductive waves of the music. The light pitterpattered on the faces of the musicians. She most remembered their eyes, shut tight, trance-like. They swayed in the night, possessed by spirits. “It’d almost break your heart,” Sandy said, to witness such raw reportage, a music birthed from the very earthen plane on which they stood. Growing up with the authenticity of the

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Delta blues – pioneered by some who were only semi-literate or not at all – Sandy became enchanted by universal languages that transcended words: melody, composition, improvisatory brushstroke, oil and pigment. “The blues singer became a spokesman for the black community,” writes folklorist William Ferris in his inf luential 1978 book, “Blues From the Delta.” From the beginning, these musicians gave voice to the marginalized and downtrodden. Though Sandy was inherently removed from the roots of this black tradition, her exposure to it taught her about the artist’s role as obser ver and recorder of Southern life. She connected with the songs’ aspirational qualities that made revelry out of troubled Mississippi circumstance. Sandy’s subject matter would

become the people, places and roughage of her home state. She It’s well known that the blues came from hardship and focused her academic art training on this fertile environment, absence, folks orphaned of economic mobility, social standing lifting humble Mississippi in classical reverence. Sandy loves and self-worth, as well as simpler things, like food on the landscapes, and she likens her Mississippi inspiration to walking table, swaddling for the babe. That age-old pursuit of the love through a field of wildf lowers in untended bloom. “You don’t of a good woman, echoed through the genre from its earliest know which smell to take in first, and which f lower to look at, beginnings, is that desperate human need to find solace on earth and which insect and which bird. You’re bombarded by all these – however temporary – from loitering sorrow. Sandy McNeal’s incredible sounds, smells, tastes, sights.” proverbial lover was Mississippi; in every sketch and painting, As a developing art form, the blues was largely self-taught she courted it, tried to communicate it, in portraits of musicians, and passed down. Blues musicians quick sketches of men on trial, and acquired the craft through any evocative landscapes of mysterious accessible means and mined their rural coordinates. Like those who own experiences for stories: lost love, huddled together on porch fronts locomotives, barroom romances, toil to hear the bluesman play, Sandy in the field. The late Mississippi searched for feelings of home. blues musician Son Thomas adapted Son Thomas first played the one tune from a poem he recalled blues on a one-strand guitar on the from his first-grade reader about wall of his house, made of a broom cowboys and the West and buffalos wire, nails and a rock between the wall and rumbling trains. The lyrics stuck and wire. Slide the rock up, he’d get with him and evolved through time. a low tone. For a high tone, he’d slide Similarly, Sandy McNeal found early it down. And with a bottle for a slide, art inspiration in the illustrated pages and intuition in his hands, he had all of household volumes. “I defaced a lot he needed to make music. In painting, of my mother’s books,” says Sandy, Sandy explains, once you master the “by ripping out what I wanted and art of altering temperature through asking, ‘Why does this affect me?’ degrees of warm and cool pigment, I knew all my life I wanted to be a you unlock the simple medium’s own painter.” She was thought dumb as a exponential possibilities. Using four child because she didn’t like to read. colors, Sandy made 27 colors; from She preferred pictures, that was all. further combinations, 49; then 100; Through her mother’s vivid evening and so on. These simple building poetry recitations, which gave her blocks, in blues and painting and brilliant nightmares, she came to in all art forms, leave space for the ABOVE: Sandy McNeal (Photograph by Michael Barrett) appreciate the written word as well. artist’s own individual genius. Or, OPPOSITE: Her painting of Russell Thomas depicts the Mississippi Words, like music, could paint you as Sandy puts it, even though you’ve jazz saxophonist, who played alongside B.B. King, Little Milton and a picture, too. From that early age, heard a thousand covers, “have you Dizzie Gillespie, and who has taught generations of artists in the music department at Jackson State University. Sandy devoted her life to art so that ever heard anybody do ‘The Thrill is she might revisit that night on the Gone’ like B.B. King?” levee, a pure distillation of Mississippi expression. “Even though blues music was played and sung before “The best thing for an artist is to not have any money and 1900,” writes William Ferris, it likely developed as a genre in the best thing for an artist is to have a home,” Sandy says. The the aftermath of the Civil War when black musicians were free closer one gets to the bottom, to the ground f loor of the story, to move and travel. Urban centers provided a broader audience the purer the story becomes. One of Sandy’s early works depicts and created opportunity for artists, many of whom had honed church-goers walking home from the sanctuary. They pass a their crafts on Delta plantations or Hill Country porches far mimosa tree. Cotton fields stretch for miles into the distance. beyond the reach of city lights. Jackson, Mississippi, has been The austere vista is accented by an intruding propane tank. an important crossroads for the blues and artistic exchange. READLEGENDS.COM •

Sandy McNeal’s “Outback Mississippi.” The Mississippi artist could have moved on to a bigger metropolis – and she did travel to New York and Paris and Rome – but she chose to put her roots in Jackson, where she rubbed shoulders and collaborated with the other creative artists, like painter Richard Kelso, playwright and actor John Maxwell and author Willie Morris.

Everyone came through Jackson, including Sandy McNeal. Like a troubadour with a guitar on her back, Sandy brought her passion with her to the city. She collaborated and taught and learned alongside painters and sculptors and photographers and playwrights from all over the state and region. She could have moved on to a bigger metropolis – and she did travel to New York and Paris and Rome – but she chose to put her roots in Jackson. Sandy graduated from Mississippi University for Women (MUW) in Columbus in 1971 before moving to the Jackson area. She opened her first downtown studio and gallery in 1976 – after stints working at University of Mississippi Medical Center (she couldn’t stand the blood) and as a bank teller (not her brand of creativity) – in a building across from the Old Capitol that she describes as next to the old Lamps Galore, Tucker Feed and Seed, and Indian Cycle. The building had a huge skylight, 20 feet up, and Sandy could walk out onto its edge and look over the city. One evening in the late ‘70s, she and the other artists at the gallery threw a party. They asked Son Thomas to play the blues. The partygoers were antsy. They didn’t think Thomas would show. He was late. They’d put out a big bag of peanuts and tapped the keg. Around ten o’clock, he finally walked in, alone. He sat down in a chair, deftly tuned his guitar and played until

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two in the morning like a man possessed. Sandy watched from afar in deference, like she’d done that night on the levee. When he was done, he left with little more than a farewell nod. “He was a man of few words,” Sandy says. “He spoke through his music. He went for it. And it was magic. You don’t have many of those moments in your life.” In 1986, Sandy moved her studio into the space above Hal and Mal’s, the landmark Jackson music venue and restaurant. From there, she could hear the evening concerts. The sounds carried up from the main stage and through the walls of the old warehouse as she mixed spirits and oils on her palette. In this way, she attended hundreds of concerts and heard musicians of all varieties. During that period, Hal and Mal’s hosted the likes of Mac McAnally, Emmylou Harris, Steve Forbert, The Neville Brothers, Warren Zevon, and Blues Traveler. Sandy rubbed shoulders and collaborated with the building’s other creative tenants, like painter Richard Kelso, playwright and actor John Maxwell and author Willie Morris, who took up residence at the bar for daily viewings of the O.J. Simpson trial. Donald Sutherland, who was in town shooting “A Time to Kill,” sat for a portrait session. This creative cross-pollination fed Sandy. In 1994, three decades after the crime, Sandy sketched the trial of Byron De La Beckwith, convicted for killing the Civil

Rights leader Medgar Evers. It was a reminder of the dark and one another. persistent history that that made Mississippi art and blues so “Even if you’ve never been in a place that some of the downtrodden heavy, powerful and important. musicians were, you become one with their music,” reflects Sandy, Sandy would remain at Hal and Mal’s until 1996 when she thinking back to the levee, where she stood on the hillside as a young moved again to another former Jackson industrial space, the old Mississippian and saw, in the light of the flames, her own future. Dickies building on President Street where they’d manufactured “Where else could I have been born where I’d be more blessed with the clothing line. Needles from that work were buried in the the music around me than what I’ve heard in the Delta. It’s followed f loor boards. Over the years, they me everywhere. It comes out differently worked themselves back up through in artists [than it does in musicians], but the f loor like resurfacing splinters. it has the same root. It’s that spirit. That The space was bathed in light, perfect soul. It’s what binds us all together in our for a painter. It set the stage for one differences.” of her most accomplished periods to This year, after making and date, where she finally found what supporting Mississippi art for more than she was looking for. 35 years from within the city limits of “The Rehearsal,” commissioned Jackson, Sandy McNeal is relocating her by arts patron Melody Maxey to studio and gallery to small town Flora, commemorate Jackson’s Jubilee Jam, is 20 miles away. She’s moving out, but not one of the artist’s iconic paintings. It is moving on. The city means too much to a fitting title. In many ways, Sandy had her to ever really leave. Her transition been rehearsing for this 1997 painting her is only an evolution. Like an itinerant entire life. It was a perfect joining of art cartographer, Sandy will always search and music, but also the outgrowth of all for new lands. She’s staked her claim in the expectant context and memory that a storefront that was, until recently, an came before. The painting is of Russell H & R Block, along Flora’s main drag – Thomas, Mississippi jazz saxophonist, which as far as main drags go, is about who played alongside B.B. King, Little as long and wide as the stump of a handMilton and Dizzie Gillespie, and who rolled cigarette. Her work already has a ABOVE: McNeal’s depiction of “On the Bayou.” has taught generations of artists in the home here, like on the walls of The Flora music department at Jackson State University. He is depicted midButcher, where the pigs in her painting, “Sow and Son,” root around note against the backdrop of weathered downtown Jackson concrete. without the least bit of irony. Her art has always showed us glimpses of “I wanted him to be as if he were painted on the wall,” the artist says, how the sausage is made, inviting us to embrace all the discarded and “and the wall was painted on him.” wonderful and troublesome things that compose Mississippi identity: Thomas is frozen in time, but if you stare long enough and listen dirt and mud and rust; twist-your-ankle cracks in the sidewalk where with the right ears, he’ll burst to life and pick up the music where he they shouldn’t be; ragged, crumbling brick facades in the urban scene, last left off. “To me, it’s one of the most soul-lifting things that can pleasing in their decay; the blank places and empty lots and lost memory happen is for you to walk up on a musician on the street,” says Sandy. where those brick facades stood before folks knocked them down and “Be it in the subway at New York or down here on a cotton-field road or paved them over for development; fields – endless fields – of cotton or the sidewalk of Jackson. You walk up and all the sudden, you’re part of soybeans or nothing but chaff that beg to be plowed and picked and art. You’re part of what art can do for a community. For a people. For a plodded; the people, murderers and musicians and movie stars alike, nation. And it takes the bad away for a little bit.” as close to home as if they were our neighbors (and sometimes they Russell Thomas played for Sandy during their sessions, and the have been). Something that will never leave her, in addition to her love live performance became as much a part of the finished painting as the of this place, is the song. When Sandy readies herself for a night of paint itself. It was as though the sax piped out smoke rings of ethereal painting, she loads up a handful of her thousand CDs. Then she hits emotion that settled on and embedded in the canvas. When she was play. Tinsley Ellis and the Heartfixers, then B.B. King, Sarah Vaughan, done, Sandy stood back and looked at the painting. She had captured and Eddie Cotton’s “Live at the Alamo Theatre,” for a start. She’ll only the melody that connects art to music, literature to math, ourselves to stop painting when the music stops. And maybe not even then. L READLEGENDS.COM •

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STORY FROM HATTIESBURG, MISS.

FestivalS uth Celebrating Mississippi's Bicentennial By SUZANNAH PATTERSON

he state's heritage of arts and entertainment will be the theme and backdrop for this year's FestivalSouth, promised to be laced with special performances that celebrate the music for which Mississippi is famous. We Are Mississippi: A Bicentennial Celebration Concert, will be performed by the FestivalOrchestra in a showcase of 200 years of the music that influenced the world. The concert features blues, gospel, jazz, rock 'n' roll and country and salutes Mississippi’s greatest songwriters and performers, including Elvis Presley, Charley Pride, B.B. King, Jimmie Rodgers, Robert Johnson, Craig Wiseman, Glen Ballard, Tena Clark, Ben Peters and more. The event's Film Expo will run for five nights and will feature mostly films produced and directed by Mississippians and shot in Mississippi. Awards will be presented at The Thirsty Hippo in Hattiesburg the final night. A special tribute will be made to Mississippi native Jim Henson, a worldrenowned puppeteer best known as creator of The Muppets. Henson’s film, The Dark Crystal, will be shown at The Grand Theatre. Although this film features puppets, it is not a Muppets movie, but rather a dramatic

story that takes place in a dangerous otherworld where dark forces have taken over. Also at the Grand, catch The Muppet Movie, the first of a series of live-action musical feature films starring the Muppets. The classic film is a movie-in-a-movie, as Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets gather for the first screening of The Muppet Movie. Also in honor of Jim Henson, The Library of Hattiesburg will host nationally renowned puppeteer, David Stephens, as he reads “I am Jim Henson.” Stephens will also perform for children of all ages with his puppet show, “Billy Goats Gruff and Other Stuff.” Stephens, from All Hands Productions, will demonstrate his handmade puppets, sharing how Henson inspired his career, including Stephens' experience as a puppeteer on Sesame Street. Also part of the FestivalSouth Mississippi bicentennial celebration is Subway Doodle artist Ben Rubin, who will use images provided by Mississippi photographers and transform them into an in-depth commentary, promoting deeper thought concerning how Mississippians live today. During the run of the festival, these photographic works will hang in numerous locations throughout Hattiesburg. The Hattiesburg Craft Beer Festival will also salute the state’s bicentennial. The beer festival will serve beers from brewers across the nation, but will feature Mississippi’s craft breweries. L

This year’s FestivalSouth gives a nod to the state’s theater and performance heritage sites, such as the MSU Riley Center, pictured above left, and to other historical venues such as in Natchez, along the Gulf Coast and in Jackson. Far left, Mississippi bluesman Vasti Jackson is one of dozens of performers helping to showcase 200 years of Mississippi music history. Also honored at this year’s event is Jim Henson the Mississippi creator of The Muppets. David Stephens, left, will perform for children and demonstrate his handmade puppets, showing how Henson inspired his career on Seasame Street.

READLEGENDS.COM •

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

Fabulous Greek Eats on the Jackson Dining Scene

By MEGHAN HOLMES Photographs by MARIANNE TODD and MIKE AND DIANNE BARRETT

n the first quarter of the 20th century, around 500,000 Greeks immigrated to the United States, searching for economic opportunity. Recent arrivals also fled military conflicts, including World War I and later the Greco-Turkish War. Ninety percent of these immigrants were men who spoke little English and joined communities of other Greeks in population centers while assimilating to life in the U.S. Eventually, some of these men made it to the South, settling in cities like Jackson and Birmingham and opening restaurants where they served foods with both Greek and more traditionally American influences. In Jackson, restaurants like the Mayflower Café, Elite and Crechale’s have been part of the dining scene for more than 50 years. While they were started by Greeks, the cuisine also strongly reflects

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coastal Southern and soul food influences, heavy on the seafood as well as meat-and-three lunch specials. There are also recently opened casual Greek American eateries like Keifer’s, Zeek’z House of Gyros and Krilakis in the Jackson metro area. The city also has an authentic Lebanese and Greek dining option – Aladdin Mediterranean Grill. These restaurants reflect the long history of Eastern European and Middle Eastern migration to the area, which continues today, bringing new culinary options to Jackson as well as cities across the country. ABOVE: The Mayflower Café, begun by a Greek family, is one of Jackson’s oldest restaurants; guests enjoy Greek food at Keifer’s; baklava sits arranged on a dish at Aladdin’s. RIGHT: The Beef Kabob plate from Aladdin’s is made fresh from tender chunks of beef marinated in Aladdin seasonings and comes with hummus and warm pita bread.

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Mayflower Cafe George Kountouris and John Gouras arrived in the United States in the early 1930s from the Greek island of Patmos. They opened the Mayflower Café in downtown Jackson in 1935, originally as a hamburger stand that expanded to occupy the space a beer garden formerly held in the same building. Jerry Kountouris owns and manages the restaurant today; George was his great uncle. Jerry took over the restaurant in 1990 after a 20-year career as a pharmacist. During a typical lunch shift, Jerry greets customers and operates the cash register. After the rush dies down, he sits in one of the booths to eat his own lunch. When Jerry took over the restaurant he revamped the menu, removing less commonly ordered items and emphasizing fresh seafood and other recipes his father developed over the years. He didn’t change the décor; it’s been the same since they installed air conditioning in the 1960s. “I grew up in this restaurant, but I didn’t start working here until 1990,” Jerry Kountouris said. “My dad came up with a lot of the recipes we use today, like the sauce for our seafood. It’s a combination of butter, lemon, Worcestershire and herbs. I can’t tell you what herbs. It really lets the flavor of the fish or any kind of seafood shine through. We also

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use that on our oysters,” he said. Mayflower’s broiled oysters are delicious, served swimming in a buttery, flavorful broth and topped with browned breadcrumbs. The lemon cuts the richness just enough to keep it from being overwhelming, and the oysters are lightly cooked, still plump and briny. “We’re also known for our comeback sauce,” Kountouris said. “That’s something the Greeks brought to Mississippi. It’s similar to Thousand Island dressing.” The Mayflower’s Greek salads come undressed, with a bottle of comeback for the table. It’s a tangy, creamy, bright orange condiment, and you’ll find many diners dolloping it on top of Captain’s Wafers while they wait for entrees to arrive. During lunch, meat-and-three options like chicken and dumplings, hamburger steak, pot roast and catfish are the most popular. During dinner, people typically opt for steak or seafood. “We serve mostly saltwater Gulf fish, like redfish, speckled trout, flounder and cobia, as well as shrimp, oysters and softshell crab,” Kountouris said. The Mayflower’s décor reflects the restaurant’s preoccupation with the sea. Assembled wooden boats in bottles decorate an area behind the counter also covered with photographs of the Kountouris family

“The restaurant also offers Greek specials, including homemade spanakopita and baklava, an ode to Papa Vanelli’s Greek heritage."

and friends holding large freshly caught fish. The building’s exterior entryway is decorated with colored tiles, a light blue background with crawfish, crab and fish interspersed throughout as if the wall of the restaurant represents the water. There’s also a glowing neon sign. Inside, classic music from the '50s and '60s plays, and there is a coat rack attached to each vintage brown booth. The restaurant appropriately served as a filming location for “The Help,” written by Jackson native Kathryn Stockett, which takes place in 1960s Jackson. According to Kountouris, the Mayflower, “doesn’t have any Greek dishes,” and in some ways that’s true. Though the restaurant is Greek founded and Greek owned, most of the food reflects the regional availability of Gulf seafood combined with a strong soul food influence. Elements of Greek influence remain, though. There’s the feta and olives in the Greek salad, and the lemon and oregano in the seafood seasoning. The food could be on a New Orleans menu, but it would also make sense on a menu in Patmos, where Kountouris’s family often fished and ate ample amounts of seafood.

OPPOSITE: The Mayflower’s décor reflects the restaurant’s preoccupation with the sea. Classic music from the ‘50s and ‘60s plays, and there is a coat rack attached to each vintage brown booth. ABOVE: The Greek salad is both nutritious and satisfying and is a customer favorite. The restaurant is also known for it’s fresh seafood and offers daily specials of fresh catch.

Mayflower’s broiled oysters are delicious, served swimming in a buttery, flavorful broth and topped with browned breadcrumbs. The lemon cuts the richness just enough to keep it from being overwhelming, and the oysters are lightly cooked, still plump and briny.

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Keifer's Another popular Greek eatery in Jackson is Keifer’s, which opened in 1981 and later added a second, downtown location with a similar menu. The restaurant is owned by Swede Rick Olson and his business partner Paula Coe, who quit their jobs in Atlanta and moved to Jackson to open a sandwich shop more than 30 years ago. Keifer’s is known for fast, Americanized Greek, primarily gyros served with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki (a sauce made from Greek yogurt, lemon, cucumber and dill). Their larger location on Poplar Boulevard has ample outdoor seating on two wrap-around porches surrounded by trees which shade diners. Their most popular items include the falafel, chicken and classic gyros. The latter, a combination of beef and lamb, is a favorite of Iron Chef and native Jacksonian Cat Cora, who substitutes the usual tzatziki with Keifer’s feta dressing. The chef promoted the sandwich on Food Network’s program “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” with extra feta dressing on the side. Keifer’s downtown location offers the same sandwiches, as well as burgers, like a Greek inspired mushroom mozzarella option. Housed in the Plaza Building, this Keifer’s is a quaint space with black and white checkered floors, plastic tablecloths and red vinyl chairs. Brick walls and high ceilings add a hint of sophistication. Both locations are also known for their cottage fries – large russet potatoes sliced lengthwise into large pieces and served with one of Keifer’s house-made sauces. Also popular are their pita appetizers, served like a flatbread with melted mozzarella and various other toppings with feta dressing for dipping. LEFT: Keifer’s is known for fast, Americanized Greek, primarily gyros served with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki and their delicious hummus, served with warm pita bread.

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Aladdin Mediterranean Grill For authentic Mediterranean cuisine, many Jackson residents turn to Aladdin Mediterranean Grill. Yusef Ali opened the restaurant 15 years ago and has since also added a Mediterranean grocery next door which sells ingredients otherwise rare in the region, including Middle Eastern spices, prepared spreads like baba ghanouj, Haloumi lamb cheese and Turkish desserts like baklava. Diners often begin meals at Aladdin with Lebanese mint tea with pine nuts, a refreshing and almost savory drink. Many consider Aladdin’s hummus to be the best in Jackson, (it won the Jackson Free Press’ 2017 Award for Best Hummus), and the appetizer comes with warm pita and a large circle of hummus, indented so that a well contains bright green olive oil as well as jalapeño pesto and powdered sumac. The hummus itself is almost impossibly smooth, and flavored with just the right amount of lemon, garlic and tahini. Unsurprisingly, Aladdin’s best entrees are the lamb dishes. The kebab plate features skewered balls of lamb, ground and seasoned, but the real star is the lamb chops: four large chops marinated in olive oil, herbs and spices, and then chargrilled and served over rice with hummus and a fresh vegetable salad. “We make everything from scratch,” says Gadelkarim Mohamed, a Syrian immigrant who arrived in the United States seven years ago and began cooking at Aladdin in 2012. “This is Lebanese and Greek style food, which is different from what I ate in Syria, but there are similarities.” As he speaks, Mohamed tends a large pot of red lentil soup, bright yellow from turmeric and served with crisp, fried pita chips. While they prepare food, several Middle Eastern men joke in the kitchen, speaking Arabic around him. The restaurant puts diners in the Mediterranean, with décor somewhat reminiscent of a hookah bar. The restaurant offers belly dancing lessons on the first Friday of every month from 7-9 p.m. Restaurants like Aladdin remind diners of the value (and deliciousness) found in appreciating new cultures, while the menu at the Mayflower illustrates that over time, immigrants dining habits tend to match those of everyone else in the region where they reside. Greeks become Mississippians, and as a result everyone benefits. It’s a valuable lesson in today’s charged political climate: immigrants bring richness to our culture, especially our culinary history. L

Want to go ‘ The Mayflower Cafe, 123 W. Capitol St., is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit mayflowercafems.com.

Keifer's boasts two locations, one at 710 Poplar Blvd., open Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. The downtown location, at 120 N. Congress St., is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information visit keifers.net or keifersdowntown.com.

Aladdin Mediterranean Grill is located at 703 Lakeland Drive, and is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m to 11 p.m. For more information, visit aladdininjackson.com.

RIGHT: Lamb chops from Aladdin’s are tender and juicy and inspire cravings. The décor in the Lakeland drive restaurant is reminiscent of the Lebanese and Greek fare they serve.

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STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

“Have you looked around downtown Jackson lately? A lot has changed. Some things have not. The 'City of New Orleans' still grinds down Mill and across Capitol. We all still lookup at the old clock and wonder if it's right. But recently, the old Capitol building has been standing a little straighter, the King Edward has been shining a little brighter and the faint sound of libations of yesterday echo down newly bricked roads. In the world there is no other Farish Street like this one. Small towns are fading into history and by God our Capitol Street is the 'Main Street.' Frank Jones Corner will bring new energy to a good fight. Mississippi is steeped in strong culture and rich heritage. To be one of 'us' is to have a keen sense of a few things: 1. Good food. 2. Good music. 3. Good people.” ~ Frank Jones Corner

Jackson's Frank Jones Corner Blues & Boogie in the Little Blue Club Words and Photos By MARIANNE TODD

he inviting sounds of the blues are wafting through the air in Jackson's historic music district. “We are a real representation of a Mississippi juke joint,” says co-owner Daniel Dillon. “We keep the music alive even after the commercial industry takes over.” From 10 p.m. to nearly 5 a.m., non-stop boogie ensues within the walls of the trademark blue building. Only authentic blues bands are welcome on the stage, and Frank Jones Corner customers have come to expect it. The crowd is a mix – old, young, male, female, rich, poor, black, white. The club's mantra is painted on a wall opposite the bar, “No Black, No White, Just the Blues.” Dillon and his business partner, Adam Hayes, mean it. “We have a zero tolerance policy for those type games,” Dillon says. “People come and expect to be safe, and we've succeeded in providing that venue.” As the grooves rise from the club and spill into the surrounding grounds, Dillon patrols the property with the tenacity of a junkyard dog. Most who wander by already know him, or know of him. In the wee hours of the morning, after other Jackson clubs have shut down, the party continues with Dillon on guard.

LEFT: Guests can nosh on wings, catfish, tamales, hot dogs, french fries, fried pickles, “blues dogs” with chili and cheese and the popular F’N Burger. The trademark blue building welcomes guests from 10 p.m. to nearly 5 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. READLEGENDS.COM •

We are the authentic Mississippi experience in Jackson,” he says. “Nobody is more real or authentic, and we're the best Mississippi has to offer. You're not going to find better music, better service or a better crowd. We're keeping the Farish Street era relevant.” On the Register of Historic Places, the Farish Street entertainment district was once the stomping ground of entrepreneur and rugged businessman, local legend Frank Jones. That was back in the 1950s and '60s, when Trumpet Records ruled as king in the bustling area and Jones ran the Frank Jones Corner filling station. In 2008, the city revamped the roads there and added lighting reminiscent of that time period. “There was a positive undercurrent when we started eight years ago,” Dillon says. Although he attributes the lack in revitalization to the recession, “the Farish Street project has largely been abandoned.” Like a beacon in the night, the blue building awaits its customers and has no trouble packing the crowd in. Dillon and Hayes remain optimistic that the city will one day continue with the historical preservation and revitalization in which it had once been so committed. Start up of the blues club wasn't easy for the pair, who opened

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ABOVE: Guests enjoy authentic Mississippi blues music from midnight to 4 a.m. BELOW: Bluesman Sherman Lee Dillon performs while guests dance the night away.

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the club in 2009 as a nod to the former Subway Lounge, an allMississippi Mud Slide, a White Russian variation created with Cathead night authentic blues venue which had deteriorated and given Vodka, coffee liquor and Irish cream, or the house-concocted cocktails way to demolition. Former classmates in culinary school at Hinds the Royal Slush, a Canadian whiskey and cranberry concoction, or the Community College, Jackson campus, Dillon had reached across the more feminine Liquid Mary Jane, a tropical, fruity drink. Both come as ocean to Hayes with the entrepreneurial proposal. At the time, Hayes specialty drinks or shots and both are a little lighter on the wallet. The had been in Germany, cooking on a military base and Dillon, who had full bar also offers a line of beers and Jello shots. been working at a local country club, Guests also can nosh on wings, wanted a partner who shared his love catfish baskets, tamales, burgers, hot “On the Register of Historic Places, for cooking and music and his vision for dogs, french fries, fried pickles, and what Jackson needed – revitalization of “blues dogs,” with chili and cheese, “Just the Farish Street entertainment its historic blues district. like the subway a million years ago,” district was once the stomping ground They found the perfect building in Dillon says. of entrepreneur, rugged businessman what, at the time, was a decayed part Since buying the property in and local legend Frank Jones. of town, tracked down the owner and 2010, Dillon and Hayes have purchased rented it for a year. the building next door, property that That was back in the 1950s and '60s, “From the beginning we decided once belonged to the famed Trumpet when Trumpet Records ruled as king we wanted to fit the late night blues juke Records, and the “peas and carrots” pair in the bustling area and Jones ran the joint genre,” Dillon says. “That would be say they plan to build a blues museum Frank Jones Corner filling station.” our area. I knew the place as Phil's Cafe there one day. when I was a kid. It was the first place The pair haven't dismissed their my little brother ever played the bass dream of the area becoming a two-block guitar, and they always did good numbers there. It was a local favorite entertainment district, much like Beale Street in Memphis or Bourbon and a lot of people identified with the building that had been Phil's, Street in New Orleans. Five to 10 years from now, they envision so we enlisted the former owner, Ken Shiles. He gave us a lot of good restaurants, bars and clubs lining the Farish Street district, and “We'll advice ... and some tables and chairs.” always be the staple, no matter how many businesses come and go,” At night – and into the wee hours of the morning – the club comes Dillon says. alive in a different way. Hayes agrees. Dillon's musically accomplished father, Sherman Lee Dillon, “We've got the drive and the vision. We may not have the money structures the live entertainment around authentic blues acts. “His some other folks have, but we have other things to make this happen. interest has always been entertainment,” Dillon says. “All the musicians We're dedicated to what we're doing. We're authentic, and from day we use come through him.” one, it's always been about the truth – from the food we cook to the At midnight, the club – dedicated solely to blues – really begins music on stage and how we interact in business. That's how we operate to light up. Customers enjoy Frank Jones' original pineapple-infused on Farish Street.” L vodka, created with the Mississippi-made Cathead Vodka, and the

Want to go? Frank Jones Corner at 303 North Farish St., is open Thursday through Saturday beginning at 10 p.m. Last call is at 4:45 a.m. For more information, visit Frank Jones' website at fjonescorner.com

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RIGHT: Bluesman Sherman Lee Dillon fires up his guitar at the beginning of the night. The club will draw customers until 4 a.m. and offers last call at 4:45 a.m. Customers enjoy Frank Jones’ original pineapple-infused vodka, created with the Mississippi-made Cathead Vodka, and the Mississippi Mud Slide, a White Russian variation created with Cathead Vodka, coffee liquor and Irish cream, or the house-concocted cocktails the Royal Slush, a Canadian whiskey and cranberry concoction, or the more feminine Liquid Mary Jane, a tropical, fruity drink. Both come as specialty drinks or shots and both are a little lighter on the wallet. The full bar also offers a line of beers and Jello shots.

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Corinth, Miss. Jun 2-7 .... Doctor Dolittle at Corinth Theatre-Arts. Audiences will follow Dr. Dolittle to Africa to cure a tribe of sick monkeys, watch him thwart a fierce band of greedy pirates, and join him on a mission to rescue Professor Long Arrow, a famous naturalist, on the volcanic island of Popsipetal. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $6 for students and $12 for adults. For more information visit corinththeatrearts.com or call (662) 287-2995. Jun 3,4 ... Jake Worthington at the Safari Sports Bar. In 2014, Jake Worthington was named "Runner-Up" on Season 6 of the hit NBC TV Show "The Voice." While on the show Jake released three songs that reached Top 20 on Billboard. Show starts at 10 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 a.m. Sunday. For more information visit myclubsafari.com or call (662) 594-8200. DeSoto, Miss. Jul 5 ... Journey live at the BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove. Journey will perform their classic hits like "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," "Faithfully," "Wheel In The Sky," "Separate Ways" and more and will be joined by special guest, ASIA. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $45. For more information visit bankplusamphitheater.com or call (662) 892-2660. Jul 22 ... Rascal Flatts Rhythm & Roots Tour at the BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove. Rascal Flatts is coming to BankPlus Amphitheater during the CSpire concert series, July 22 with special guest RaeLynn. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $40. For more information visit bankplusamphitheater.com or call (662) 892-2660. Destin. Fla. Saturdays in June ... Rock the Docks at Harborwalk Village. Make this summer a hit with free concerts on the Destin Harbor every Saturday from 7 - 9 p.m. For more information visit emeraldgrande.com or call (850) 424-0600. June 21-25 ... Emerald Coast Blue Martin Classic at Sandestin. One of the top big-game fishing tournaments in the world, whether you’re into angling, checking out boats at the marina, shopping, dining or enjoying the white sands and turquoise waters of the Gulf, you’ll find plenty to do during the tournament. Enjoy the live music, fireworks, food and drinks, as well as the exciting weigh-ins and awards. For more information visit fishecbc.com or call (910) 264-3947. Greenville, Miss. Jun 2, 3 ... Grand Opening of the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum. Located just minutes outside of Greenville in Leland, Miss., the museum features an impressive collection of hunting and fishing memorabilia from across the state. The Museum is also home to the Mississippi Outdoor Hall of Fame, honoring famous Mississippians who have impacted outdoor sports and conservation in Mississippi and nationwide. For more information visit mswildlifeheritagemuseum.com or call (662) 686-7789. Jackson, Miss. June 5 ... J. Cole at Hal & Mal's. Show starts at 9 p.m. Come see the creator of 2014 Forest Hills Drive, winner of Billboard's Top Rap Album of 2015 award. Tickets are $40. For more information visit halandmals.com or call (601) 948-0888. May 26 - Oct 1 ...The Wolfe Family Legacy at the Mississippi Museum of Art. This retrospective exhibition assembles the work of the late Karl and Mildred Wolfe, the patriarch and matriarch of one of Mississippi’s influential artist-families. For more information visit msmueumart.org or call (601) 960-1515. Save the Date! Aug 18,19 ... The Fifth Annual Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival takes place in downtown Jackson inside the Jackson Convention Complex. This Boomin’ festival presents a great mix of Rhythm and Blues artists to celebrate Jackson’s rich contribution to the fabric of music. Festival goers will experience 30 performances on five stages satisfying your senses with a Boomin’ lineup, quality sound, delectable food and an engaging ambiance. Tickets start at $55. Reserve your space now. For more information visit jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com or call (601) 960-1891. Meridian, Miss. Jun 24 ... Free live music and game day at Meridian Underground Music. Come see Stereopop live from 6-10 p.m. or play video and card games with Meridian's largest gaming meet up. Free popcorn and coffee. For more information visit meridianundergroundmusic.com or call (601) 485- 1363. READLEGENDS.COM •

Jul 20 ... Scotty McCreery at the MSU Riley Center. McCreery wraps his deep, resonant voice around a lyric with relaxed assurance, and he stays true to his country roots. Winning a national talent contest wasn't the peak of his career. It was just the start. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. with a pre-show party at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $42. For more information visit msurileycenter.com or call (601) 696-2200. Morgan City, La. July 14-17 ... Bayou BBQ Bash, downtown Morgan City under the Highway 90 Bridge. This Barbecue Competitor’s Alliance competition for the best corporate and competitive BBQ teams also features the KQKI country Music Showdown, food booths, arts and crafts booths, live music and a kids’ BBQ competition. For more information, visit cajuncoast.com. Natchez, Miss. Year 'Round ... Natchez Pilgrimage Tours. Daily tours of Natchez' oldest homes. Come see nationally historic antebellum homes. Most tours run from 9- 5 p.m. For more information visit natchezpilgrimage.com or call (601) 446-6631. Saturdays ... Dowtown Natchez Farmers' Market. Join area farmers, bakers and artists for Natchez’ weekly farmers’ market at the 100 block of South Commerce Street in downtown Natchez. Bring the whole family for vegetables, baked goods, fruits and arts and crafts. Event runs from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. every Saturday throughout the summer. For more information call (601) 442-4648. Wed & Thurs ... Live music at the Rolling River Bistro on Main Street in Natchez. Stop by to see one of Natchez’ local legends play, including artists such as YZ Ealey, Taylor Spring and Brandon and John of Mojo Mudd. For more information visit rrbistro. com/events or call (601) 442-6601. New Orleans, La. Jun 8 ... Muse with special guests Thirty Seconds to Mars at the Champions Square in NOLA. Muse has released seven studio albums, selling upwards of 18 million albums worldwide and has won numerous awards around the world. Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $54.50. For more information visit champions-square.com or call (504) 587-3822. Jun 27 ... Boston - Hyper Space Tour at the Saenger Theatre. Have you ever wondered how the unearthly sounds that you hear on a BOSTON album actually happen? See for yourself this summer at a live show on BOSTON's Hyper Space Tour! Show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $50.50. For more information visit www.saengernola.com or call (504) 525-1052.

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