John-Paul Jones Group Brings Heavy Blues to the 2026 Iowa Blues Challenge
John-Paul Jones Group Brings Heavy Blues to the 2026 Iowa Blues Challenge Camaraderie, original music and a memorable response from Iowa’s blues community Prof. Jp performing with John-Paul Jones Group at the 2026 Iowa Blues Challenge. Photo by Mark Lage. The 2026 Iowa Blues Challenge brought musicians, blues fans and members of the Central Iowa Blues Society together on Sunday, October 4, at xBk LIVE in Des Moines. For John-Paul Jones Group, the afternoon was never simply about a scorecard or who advanced. It was about showing people what the band does, reconnecting with the Iowa blues community and sharing a stage with musicians the group respects. Central Iowa Blues Society holds the annual Iowa Blues Challenge to showcase Iowa band and solo/duo acts, with the winners earning the opportunity to represent Iowa at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. This year’s free event ran from 12:30 p.m. to 6:05 p.m. and featured nine acts throughout the afternoon. “It wasn’t about the c...