JCCA kicks off new season

The Jasper County Concert Association is preparing to kick off its 2010-2011 concert season on Sept. 23 with a concert by the Redhead Express.

The Walker family, from Alaska, is the Redhead Express. With four daughters and three sons, Mom and Dad — Brett and Apryll Walker — can present enough voices and instruments to provide plenty of harmony on a variety of old-time music. The group is at home playing straight forward bluegrass, as well as gospel and their own unique renditions of old-time traditional music.

Other concerts in the 2010-2011 season include: Simon & Son, a piano duet on Monday, Nov. 8; the River City 6 brass band on Monday, Jan. 31, 2011; and The Marlins on Tuesday, May 17, 2011.

Simon & Son is the only father/son piano team in the country. With innovative programs ranging from Beethoven to The Beatles, pianists Peter and Saling Simon present a “heart-warming evening of popular and classical music interspersed with wonderful stories and comedy.”

River City 6 is a Pittsburgh-based brass ensemble formed by several members of the famed River City Brass Band. Their shows feature classical music, as well as samplings of Latin, jazz and folk, plus some Broadway thrown in for good measure. Played with plenty of energy, each member is a soloist in his own right.

The Marlins round out the 2010-2011 season on May 17. These four brothers specialize in a variety of musical styles, “blending more than 20 instruments with harmony and humor.” The concert will feature musical renditions of songs from the Beach Boys, Glenn Miller, The Beatles, Elvis and more.

All concerts start at 7 p.m. at the Newton Senior High School’s Center for Performance. Season ticket prices for all four Jasper County Concert Association shows are $35 for adults, $75 for a family, and $15 for students. Season ticket holders also will be eligible to attend concerts in Indianola at no additional cost. In addition, the concerts during this season to the Marshalltown Community Concert Association are available to Jasper County ticket holders for an additional $10 fee.

Concerts scheduled for Indianola include Triple Play, a string and wind ensemble on Oct. 31; Cahal Dunne, Irish soloist on Nov. 21; Ilya Yakushev, pianist on March 31, 2011; and Brett Family Singers on April 1.