Jackson High School to hold big band, percussion concerts

Jackson's school music program will be featured in two upcoming concerts Friday and Monday.

The first concert is the 12th annual Big Band Dance concert, taking place from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the Jackson High School gymnasium. The Jackson High School Jazz Band, 26 students under the direction of Tom Broussard, will take the stage first, playing a repertoire from the Big Band era.

"We'll perform music from the '30s, '40s and '50s, and people can come and dance or they can just come and listen," said Broussard.

Musical selections include the work of Big Band heavyweights like Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington. Following the jazz band performance Pat Schwent's Saxy Jazz Transitions will play jazz and rock from the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Broussard said the annual event has become popular in its 12 years, with 200 to 300 people attending on a yearly basis. Tickets are $6 in advance at Shivelbine's Music in Cape Girardeau and Country Mart in Jackson and $8 at the door the night of the concert.

At 7 p.m. Monday Jackson will play host to the annual "Night of Percussion" concert featuring music program percussionists from grades seven through 12 under the direction of Chris Crawford in the Jackson High School auditorium.

Each grade level will perform a piece, with music by Strauss, Mussorgsky and hard rock band Van Halen's "Right Now" among the featured pieces. At the end of the concert a combined percussion ensemble of more than 25 students will perform a "drum battle."

For more information on the concerts, call Jackson High School at 243-9517.