Food
It Takes a Sushi Village
Kenny Li and his wife, Wei Xia, of Fujian, China, opened Sushi Village in 2013 after selling the Chinese buffet that he ran off Highway 49 in Richland.
Music
Martin and Lettieri: Risk and Reward
Shaun Martin and Mark Lettieri certainly have a lot of options for their fans to choose from. Together, they're perhaps best known as members of Grammy Award-winning instrumental ensemble Snarky …
Music
Seratones
From the ample amounts of soul and rock-and-roll that Seratones of Shreveport, La., pours into its sound, some listeners may be surprised that punk music is the group's foundation.
Music
It Came from Planet Peelander
This year's Halloween Bash at Martin's Restaurant & Bar is bound to have its fair share of revelers in strange get-ups. However, one collective of costumed partiers will seem particularly …
Person of the Day
Frankye Adams-Johnson
As October marks the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, Jacksonians are celebrating one of their own, former Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement Chairperson Frankye …
Cover
La Musique Française dans Mississippi
The Mississippi Chambre Music Guild is kicking off its new season with a tour of French music, cuisine and other cultural accoutrements. And good news—you won't even need a passport.
Cover
Artists to Watch 2016
The tricky part of putting together the JFP Music Issue's annual "Artists to Watch" section is choosing from the multitude of acts that are worth watching.
Music
State Fair Superstars
Whether you're stoked about livestock or a carnival-ride enthusiast, the Mississippi State Fair brings plenty of entertainment to downtown Jackson each year.
Music
Stace & Cassie
It's been about three years since Brandon, Miss., residents Stace and Cassie Shook began performing as husband-and-wife singer-songwriter duo Stace & Cassie, performing original songs along with a healthy dose …
Books
Robert Hicks
"The Orphan Mother" has been a long time coming for Franklin, Tenn.-based novelist Robert Hicks. Even in the author notes of his 2005 New York Times bestseller, "The Widow of …
Music
First Steps, Big Strides
Growing as a musician has been a rapid process for Seth Power. While many Jacksonians know him from performances at this year's Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival and the American …
Music
A Two-Soul ‘Soliloquy’
As objects, clouds and crayons aren't exactly an obvious combination—a few miles do separate the two, after all. For Jackson music duo Clouds & Crayons, on the other hand, collaborating …
Music
Mike Tramp
From the flag-clad troubadour on its posters, to its rock-heavy lineup, to the title of the event itself, Freedompalooza is clearly going all in on its all-American theme. However, that …
Music
Indigo Girls: Lost Days, Found
For nearly three decades, folk musicians Emily Saliers and Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls have been near-household names for their work in the music industry and in activism.
Music
Brandon Announces 8,000-Plus Capacity Amphitheater
A major addition to the Jackson metro’s music offerings is coming in spring 2018, but this time, it won’t be in Jackson. The City of Brandon held a press conference …
Music
Jackson R&B Fest: Bringing It to You
While working as a music program development manager for the Mississippi Development Authority, helping to create the Mississippi Blues Trail, Jackson native Alex Thomas noticed an unfortunate trend in his …
Books
Oren Renick
Author Oren Renick, a professor at Texas State University in San Marcos, is an exhibitor at this year's Mississippi Book Festival, which takes place Saturday, Aug. 20, from 9 a.m. …
Music
SOUL Searching
New Orleans' rich musical history has long been one of the signature facets of the Crescent City and a big draw for tourists. But for saxophonist Calvin Johnson, bandleader of …
Music
Candlebox
The Jackson Free Press recently spoke with lead vocalist Kevin Martin about Candlebox's sixth studio album, "Disappearing in Airports," which hit stores April 22, and what's kept the group from …
Music
K. Gautier: Passion Prevails
While singer-songwriter Kody Gautier is somewhat new to the metro-area music scene as a solo artist, he'll undoubtedly be a familiar face for fans of Jackson-based Christian act Seeker & …
Theater
‘Avenue Q’: Puppets with Purpose
A puzzled puppet bounces down a New York City street—one that isn't quite up to the "Sesame" code. His name is Princeton, and he's looking for his purpose, though a …
Music
Highway 80 Fest Stops In Jackson
Richelle Putnam works to promote the power of words in her home state, whether it's as the founder of the Mississippi Writers Guild or as the arts project director for …
Music
Danger Is Their Last Name
From its fruit-emoji cover to its tongue-in-cheek song titles, including "George Bush Controls the Weather," it is obvious that the latest album from Oxford, Miss., prog-rock trio Carlos Danger, "Now …
Person of the Day
Ernie Hudson
After a successful move to a two-day festival in 2015, Mississippi Comic Con (formerly known as the SOPOCU Con) is returning for its third year this Saturday, June 25, and …
Books
Teresa Nicholas
About a year after Jackson-based author Teresa Nicholas released her first book, "Buryin' Daddy: Putting My Lebanese, Catholic, Southern Baptist Childhood to Rest," she decided to take on another challenge …
Music
the CUT: Creating New Energy
For Madison, Miss., alternative quartet the CUT, genre labels can get a bit tricky. Keyboardist Vincent McMurtery, his brother, drummer Vinson "Vic" McMurtery, saxophonist Judson Wright and guitarist Ben Atkinson …
Jacksonian
Jim Taylor
Growing up just near Memphis, Jim Taylor always went to church on Sundays but never truly got involved until he enrolled at the University of Mississippi and attended a campus …
Music
'Artistic Depression’ Impresses
I don't often love albums that begin with movie quotes, and I really don't often love albums that begin with quotes from movies I dislike. But there's a first time …
Person of the Day
Seneca Wilson
For Pascagoula, Miss., native Seneca Wilson, the draw to poetry was gradual. It began in junior high school, when his friends formed a music group. While his voice wasn't his …
Music
‘Wired’ & Inspired
Mississippi is the birthplace of America's music—it says so often in our tourism marketing. But when Buffalo, N.Y., native Scott Bradfield came to Jackson for the first time to work …
LGBT
'Love!' Against Legislation
For Cody Cox, owner of Jackson record label Elegant Trainwreck, it began with a feeling of helplessness and just a little bit of amazement.
Music
Genesis Be: Striving for Change
Hip-hop artist Genesis Be, a Biloxi native, recently made national news for donning a rebel flag and noose in protest of Gov. Phil Bryant's proclamation of Confederate Heritage Month at …
Food
Green Ghost Love
While Green Ghost is fairly new, its owners have lived in the Jackson area since coming here from Guanajuato, Mexico, in 1994.
Music
The Bright Light Social Hour
While recent fans know The Bright Light Social Hour for the soulful, psychedelic sound of the band's well-received 2015 album, "Space Is Still the Place," the Austin, Texas-based four-piece is …
Music
Kris Kelli’s Dutty Pop Prestige
It's been five years since Kris Kelli moved from her hometown—and her home country—to branch out in the American music scene with the goal of not returning until she had …
Books
Crystal R. Sanders
Author Crystal R. Sanders says she feels like Mississippi has become a second home for her, despite the fact that she was born and raised in North Carolina.
Film
Melanie Addington
When Gov. Phil Bryant signed the controversial "Religious Freedom Bill," HB 1523, into law Tuesday, April 5, many individuals, organizations and businesses made their objections to the bill known. For …
Jacksonian
Rhis Harris
Rhis Harris sits beneath paintings of deer with broad antlers and one quality that gallery-goers definitely wouldn't associate with the quadrupeds before viewing the pieces—a haze of blues, purples and …
Music
For the Love of Love Notez
Over the past 23 years, followers of the local music scene have become well acquainted with the modern-day soul and R&B style of cover band Compozitionz, but for about six …
Books
The Writers Guild’s Guiding Hand
Jackson native Susan Marquez's commitment to writing tends to keep her busy, whether it's her freelance work for various Mississippi publications, editing books for other authors or writing her own.
Music
Boyfriend Speaks on Oxford Cancellation of Her Sexually Charged Performance
New Orleans-based Boyfriend has become the latest artist hit with recent crackdowns in Mississippi entertainment following the cancellation of her April 9 show at Proud Larry's in Oxford.
Music
The Wood Brothers: Together in 'Paradise'
Before their latest release, "Paradise," guitarist Oliver Wood, upright bassist Chris Wood and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix of The Wood Brothers wrote their heart-twanging tunes with 885 miles between them for …
Music
The Panic Party Plan
If Widespread Panic's two-night residence in Jackson wasn't enough cause for celebration, show promoter Arden Barnett and crew at Ardenland have created a full schedule of events around the band's …
Music
The ‘Sunny’ Side of Widespread
It's clear that Widespread Panic has changed quite a bit since vocalist John Bell and late guitarist Michael Houser first began writing songs in their dorm at the University of …
Music
Light Beam Rider
Light Beam Rider may hail from Corinth, Miss., but for many years, Jacksonians could frequently catch the group's freaked-out indie-rock sound at local venues such as Hal & Mal's and …
Music
Teneia’s Leap of Faith
Pursuing music professionally is a daunting task, but for folk-soul duo Teneia, it's helped that both members are fully committed to the music—and to each other.
Cover
Breaking in With 'Blue Borsalino'
London-based filmmaker Mark Lobatto has made some impressive strides in his movie career thus far, and not only because he has worked as the personal assistant to major Hollywood directors, …
Cover
The Doo Dah Day Planner: Your Guide to the 2016 Zippity Doo Dah Weekend
With the sheer number of events set for Fondren's Zippity Doo Dah Weekend, which takes place Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, this year, it's tough to commit it …
