From an open recording studio jam session during the day to an evening of jazz, the first Saturday of 2024 looks to be an entertaining one at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in downtown Meridian.
The MAX will kick off the new year with its first-of-the-month program, called First Saturday at The MAX, on Jan. 6. This month’s event, titled “Jammin’ January,” will include activities between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The museum’s regular operating hours for Saturday are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Between 10 a.m. and noon, a children’s activity will take place in the MAXClassroom upstairs, where guests can create a New Year’s picture frame they can take home with them.
Then from noon until 2 p.m., guests can experience the thrill of making music in the museum’s renowned Governor’s Recording Studio during an open recording studio jam. Attendees can bring their own instruments and join fellow artists in an interactive jam session.
Whether you are a seasoned musician or just starting out, this is your chance to play, learn and discover the recording process, according to an event listing on The MAX’s website. A previous jam session attracted musicians of all ages and turned out to be a fun event for everyone, an organizer said.
Both the Make-and-Take picture frame activity and open jam session are included with The MAX’s First Saturday admission of $5 for adults and $1 for ages 6-17. Children 5 and under are admitted free.
Later on Saturday night, Meridian musician Rodrick D. Fox and award winning jazz singer Pam Confer will perform An Evening of Jazz, along with special guest Adrine Collins, from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Structural Steel Services Inc. Hall of Fame at The MAX.
An Evening of Jazz is free for museum members and $20 for non-members. Light refreshments will be served. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Brought back after a successful Jazz in January event in early 2023, the Jan. 6 show is sold out, but anyone interested can call The MAX at 601-581-1550 to be added to a wait list in case additional seating is added.
Fox, a multi-talented musician and producer, is the founder and president of Excelling Entertainment LLC. A graduate of Mississippi State University and Full Sail University, he is a high school math educator with a strong foundation in finance and statistics. Fox is currently completing his Master’s of Education in Entertainment Business. A recording artist, his remake of the classic “Nothing from Nothing,” featuring Drew Towner, was released last year and is available on online platforms.
Confer, of Jackson, is an international, award-winning, bilingual singer, songwriter and speaker. An artist on the Mississippi Arts Commission’s roster, her voice is described as velvety jazz, dipped in soul, according to her MAC profile. Confer wrote, produced and recorded the song, “Mississippi Beautiful,” which is permanently featured in Gallery 8 of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.