By William H. Kelley III
The Jackson State University Department of Music is partnering with the Central Mississippi Blues Society to celebrate the city of Jackson’s bicentennial with a two-day-long blues extravaganza November 13-14.
JSU students and visitors from all over are invited to immerse themselves in a series of free workshops and performances led by international blues star Castro “Mr. Sipp” Coleman.
“I’m so happy to partner with the Central Mississippi Blues Society in hosting this workshop and sharing these events with our students! The department of music is committed to studying ALL music from a scholarly perspective and sees no better place to encourage the scholarly study of the Blues than here at JSU, which is situated in the birthplace of American music,” said Lisa Beckley-Roberts, Ph.D., department of music chair and associate professor of ethnomusicology at JSU.
The two-day immersive will take participants through several locations across the capital city, such as the Jackson State University Department of Music, the Two Mississippi Museums, and Hal & Mal’s in downtown Jackson.
On day one of the bicentennial celebration, students and Jackson natives will have the opportunity to visit the campus of JSU for a workshop led by “Mr. Sipp” Coleman. The “Success Over Fame in the Music Business” workshop will touch on key topics relevant to managing a successful music career.
“As one of only seven HBCUs with a jazz studies degree in the country, we are uniquely situated to support this type of work, and we’re so excited for our students to have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the industry,” said Beckley-Roberts.
Some of the other events include “The Lived Experience of the Blues in Jackson,” a panel moderated by blues journalist, historian and sociologist Scott Barretta that features Castro “Mr. Sipp” Coleman, Sherrill Holly, Willie Silas, and Jimmi Mayes. Additionally, the “Jackson Women in the Blues – Past, Present, Future” panel will be moderated by journalist and blues promoter Brinda Fuller Willis, Ph.D., panelists, include such as Dorothy “Misty Blue” Moore, Nellie “Mack” McInnis, and Maya Kyles.
