A new venue in the capital city is aiming to become a central hub for local blues musicians.
Recently opened on the site of the old Magnolia Avenue Market, Riverside Blues Hall is dedicated exclusively to blues music and the artists who keep the genre alive.
Owners Sam and Lisa Turner said their vision was to give local blues musicians a consistent stage and a sense of community.
“We wanted to provide our local blues talent with a true home base,” said Lisa Turner. “It’s been at least 20 years since we’ve had anything like a real juke joint here.”
The Turners spent two years developing the project, which is now open to the public.
Riverside Blues Hall will operate three evenings a week. The house band, The Riverside Shufflers, will perform on Wednesdays and Fridays, while Saturday nights will spotlight visiting blues acts from across the region.
Club emcee and house band frontman, Raymond Ellis, said the closure of previous blues venues left a cultural gap in the city.
“Since those places shut down, there’s been a real hunger for a new blues spot in town,” Ellis said.
Local music promoter and booking manager for Riverside Blues Hall, Carolyn James of Crossroads Productions, highlighted the city’s significant role in the evolution of blues music.
“This city has always played a key part in Mississippi’s blues legacy,” James said. “It was right here in Capital City where some of the earliest blues recordings took place.”
Riverside Blues Hall is located at 101 Magnolia Avenue, Jackson.
