Polka News
31st Annual Polkamotion by the Ocean is All Set for 2010!
The 31st anniversary of Polkamotion by the Ocean at Rehoboth Beach, DE is all set for 2010! So...mark September 16, 17, 18, and 19, 2010 down on your calendars. Polkamotion hosts Mike Ziemski and Mike Matousek have crafted another stellar lineup of polka bands that will include Lenny Gomulka & the Chicago Push, Polka Family, Dennis Polisky & the Maestro's Men, Full Circle, EFO, Charm City Sound, The Boys, New Brass Express, Ethnic Jazz, O'Such's Rhythm & Music, and the Tommy Thomas Trio. Executive Chef Gil Ziemski is already planning an enhanced Polish menu, too! Golfers can look forward to another "best ball" tournament on September 15 with a special welcome polka DJ party hosted by Mike and Mike of "The Mikes Are On!" show that evening. By the way, we're looking for a fun theme for Thursday night's festivities in the convention center. Send your ideas to mike@charmcitysound.com. Stay tuned to www.rbpolka.com as the exciting plans for Polkamotion 2010 unfold!
For bus trip information from Wisconsin with Michelle & Kevin Genrich, click here.
For bus trip information from Cleveland, OH with Jimmy & Jill K, click here.
Mike Matousek & Mike Ziemski
Full
Circle's "Polka Cruise with the Stars
IV"
It's
Polka Heaven in 2011!
Full
Circle (Lenny
Gomulka, Jimmy Weber, Al Piatkowski, Mike Matousek, Mike Stapinski, and Roger
Malinowski) and a "Dream Trip 4 U" are thrilled to announce
that everything is set for our fabulous Polka Cruise with the Stars IV in
2011!
One
of the biggest challenges we face in running annual polka cruises is finding new
ways to meet and exceed our guests' expectations. Our Polka Cruise with
the Stars III was so successful, the bar was set very high for our next polka
adventure. So, we spent many weeks consulting with past and potential
cruisers to learn what they were looking for on the next excursion. Here's
what they said:
- The
mega-ships are nice, but can you find us a luxurious, mid-size ship that has
all the modern amenities and is less crowded and easier to get around on?
- So
many cruises go to the same old ports. Can you find us an itinerary
with some new, beautiful, less-visited exotic ports?
- The
week goes so fast. Can we try a slightly longer cruise?
- Can
we sail in late winter or early spring to ensure the best possible weather
in Florida and the Caribbean (and on the way back home)?
- Can you deliver all this, as well as top-notch polka entertainment, and keep it affordable?
After
weeks of research, we are proud to report we've put together a trip than answers
a resounding "Yes!" to all these requests!
Here's
the scoop:
We've
arranged an exciting, 8-day
Southern Caribbean Cruise from
March 11 - 19, 2011
that sails from Fort
Lauderdale, FL.
Our floating resort will be the luxurious Carnival
Miracle, a perfect-size
"Spirit-class" cruise ship that has all the modern amenities
(including a water slide) and deck space of a mega-ship, just fewer cabins.
That means more square feet per cruiser and a less-crowded experience in the
restaurants, lounges, public areas, and poolside. Your host band, Full
Circle, the incomparable Lenny
Gomulka and Chicago Push,
and the legendary Jimmy Weber & The
Sounds will provide stellar live polka
music with special guest star Polka Hall of Famer, Frankie
Liszka! Six Polka Hall of Famers
will be on board! The affable DJ
Kenny Olowin will be back with his
entertaining polka parties, too! And, you can count on our signature open-bar
cocktails parties to keep your spirits
high! Now check out these fascinating, tropical ports we're going to
visit: the charming Dutch Island of Aruba,
the exotic island of Curacao,
the white sandy beach laden La
Romana (Dominican Republic), and the
beautiful Island of Grand Turk.
All these wonderful ports have modern, convenient piers so you won't waste hours
being tendered to and from shore. As always, we have a few more surprises
up our sleeves that will make these eight days in polka paradise most memorable.
Prize
drawings for those who sign up early. Even though our early booking price
discount ended on June 4th, you still have a chance to get something
special for signing up early. We will be having a drawing at the end of
each month – July, August & September for all of you that have already
booked your cruise to come along with us on the 2011 “Polka Cruise With The
Stars IV”. Only those people that have already booked by the end of that
month are eligible to win. Each person is only eligible to win once,
however if you did not win, your name stays in for the following months’
drawings. So the earlier you book, the more chances you have to win.
(Band members and their families are not eligible to win.)
Contact
Helga Leonard of a Dream Trip 4 U at helga@adreamtrip4u.com
or (724) 234-2033 for more information. Ask about our special pricing for
past cruise guests and those making early deposits. To see past cruise
photos, visit www.gonefullcircle.com.
Join us in 2011 for some polka heaven!
The Mikes Are On!
Internet Polka Show with Mike Matousek and Mike Ziemski!
This just in - Mike Matousek and Mike Ziemski were voted the United Polka Association's "Favorite IJ/DJs" for 2008! Thanks to all who participated in the USPA's online voting. Congratulations to the Polka Family for winning "Favorite Band", "Favorite CD" (Hungry for More), and "Favorite Song" (Graj Chlopcy Graj) and to Hank Guzevich for his selection as "Favorite Male Vocalist". Other winners include Mollie Busta for "Favorite Female Vocalist", Helenrae Budzilek for "Favorite Reporter", and Ted Borzymowski for "Favorite CD Design". The Lifetime Achievement Award in the Living Category went to Lenny Gomulka and Jean Wagner was honored posthumously in the Deceased Category.
Mike Matousek and Mike Ziemski Receive Awards from IJ Janice Lochner for Being Voted "USPA's Favorite IJs"
Mike Matousek and Mike Ziemski invite you to tune into their entertaining Internet polka show called "The Mikes Are On!" The show is broadcast four times each week on www.247polkaheaven.com beginning on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. Mike and Mike, with the help of producer/engineer Steve Kaminski, combine the best of today's Polish/Push-style polkas with interviews, insights, and comic bits to create 60 minutes of captivating online polka entertainment. To see the complete weekly schedule of polka shows on www.247polkaheaven.com click here. Note that The Mikes Are On! is also featured on Sundays at 2:00 p.m., Mondays at 11:00 a.m., and Wednesdays at 12:00 a.m. The show is updated every other Friday.
To listen to a recent show anytime you want, just click on one of these titles:
No Mikes, but Sid, Nigel, & Jorge Are On!
Sid Takes To The Links (now on www.247PolkaHeaven.com)
Any bandleaders or record labels that would like their music considered for broadcast on "The Mikes Are On!", should send their CDs to: The Mikes Are On!, 8372 Williamstowne Drive, Millersville, MD, 21108. Feedback and suggestions regarding the show are welcome at mike@charmcitysound.com or mikez@charmcitysound.com.
Also, feel free to share any polka events you'd like us to promote!
Tune in when you can because The Mikes Are On!
Charm City Sound Releases New CD, "Christmas Lights"
CD Featured on www.ChristmasReviews.com
After a year of work, Charm City Sound is proud to release their newest CD, "Christmas Lights". Christmas Lights is truly a unique collection of works that manages to capture the wide range of emotions stirred by the holiday season. The true meaning of Christmas is definitely proclaimed as well. Half of the selections are original CCS compositions and the rest include classics like: "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", "Dzisiaj Betlejem", and "Little Drummer Boy", all executed with refreshingly rich arrangements in a commercial-quality production. From the traditional flavor of Little Wally's "Zebym Mi Santa Claus" to the contemporary feel of the original rock/oberek, "Tell The World", this CD covers the musical spectrum for the holiday season. Even IPA Polka Hall of Famer Jimmy Weber croons a couple tunes on the album! Other guest artists and surprises are featured as well. To get your copy of Christmas Lights, just send your check or money order of $15 to Mike Matousek, 8372 Williamstowne Drive, Millersville, MD. 21108. You can even sample some of the songs and order it online by clicking here.
This just in........we recently discovered that our "Christmas Lights" CD is currently featured and reviewed on an eclectic Christmas music web site called www.ChristmasReviews.com. According to the web site, it exists for the purpose of celebrating Christmas music and other seasonal music. They feature and review CDs on the site and promote the ones they like. Their mission is to "focus attention on outstanding independent label and artist releases that are often difficult to locate through conventional distribution channels. They go on to say. "we hope to provide people an opportunity to see and hear music we might not otherwise find out about at all." Of course, it's gratifying to learn our CD got a very nice review from a non-polka music critic (see the review at http://christmasreviews.com/wccs6.shtml), but I'm more excited about the fact that polka music is getting some recognition on this music site. As you might expect, www.ChristmasReviews.com doesn't even have a polka category, so they listed our "Christmas Lights" CD under "Folk". Nevertheless, the music critic was apparently excited by the polka sound, particularly the use of the accordion and concertina. I encourage any polka band leaders to check out the site and submit any polka Christmas recordings you may have done for their review. I think it's a great way to introduce the music we love to a broader audience and to re-establish the polka genre back into the mainstream music industry.
CCS Music On CD Baby, & Apple I-Tunes
CD Baby, the Internet's largest distributor of independently-produced CDs, carries all five of Charm City Sound's recordings. The "To buy any of our CDs with a credit card, click here" link will take you to CD Baby. There you'll be able to read all about our recordings and sample every song! From our CD Page you can also just click on any CD and go right to our shopping cart to make a CD purchase. Of course, you can still buy CCS recordings directly from the band by sending your $15 check or money order in care of Mike Matousek. The CD Page has all the info you need. If you're into digital downloads, now you can buy all the songs on Charmed and Dangerous from Apple I-Tunes! Just click here! Soon thirty more digital distributors will carry CCS's music.
For the Perfect Polish Wedding.................................
If you ever needed a tool to help you conduct an authentic Polish wedding reception, Steve Matousek (The Boys, Premiere) just released the perfect CD entitled Polish Wedding Traditions. With the help of brother Mike Matousek (Charm City Sound), cousin Dave Jankiewicz (Charm City Sound), sister Ellen Snyder and her husband Gary, along with veteran Baltimore musicians Steve Lesniewski and Ron Wise (both of Joy IV), Steve put together a beautiful recording of the special music needed to accompany all the vital Polish wedding traditions. Complete with a manual that provides explicit instructions on conducting each ceremony, this CD is a must for the professional wedding planner, disc jockey, Master of Ceremonies, or the family of newlyweds who want to enjoy those precious Polish traditions on the bride and groom's special day. Just click on the image above to link to more information about this wonderful capsule of Polish wedding traditions.
Support Polka Music - Join The IPA, USPA, & PAC
There are many ways polka fans can help sustain and grow the polka industry. Attending polka events, supporting polka bands, DJs & IJs, and sharing the music with friends and co-workers, all help toward the goal of broadening the polka audience. If you're serious about helping the polka cause, consider joining organizations like the International Polka Association (IPA), United States Polka Association (USPA) and the Polka America Corporation (PAC).
Since 1968 when officially chartered by the State of Illinois as a "not for profit" corporation, the IPA has remained true to its mission by serving as an educational and charitable organization for the preservation, promulgation and advancement of polka music. It strives to promote, maintain and broaden public interest in polka entertainment, to advance the mutual interests and encourage greater cooperation among its members who are engaged in polka entertainment, and to encourage and pursue the study of polka music, dancing and traditional folklore. The IPA does this by conducting a variety of polka-oriented events throughout the year, the most significant being its annual Polka Festival & Convention. It is also responsible for the continued operation and growth of the Polka Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Through this branch, the Association has been able to continue its historical, educational and research goals on behalf of the polka music industry. Click on here for the whole story regarding the IPA.
Chartered by the State of Connecticut as a not for profit corporation on December 28, 1968, the USPA began its mission to promote interest and participation in Polish Polka music. The Charter was later moved to the State of Ohio on April 27,1993. The organization strives to advance the mutual interests and encourage greater cooperation among its members who are engaged in Polish Polka entertainment, as well as pursue the study of Polish polka music and dancing. Membership is open to any person whose ideals and purposes are in harmony with those of the USPA., and who pledges to observe and be governed by the Constitution-By-Laws and rules of the USPA. Click here here for more information about the USPA.
The Polka America Corporation (PAC) is a without stock, not-for-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization which has been formed under Chapter 181 of the Wisconsin State Statutes. PAC is governed by Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and is the only multi-genre, national large-scale corporation of its kind. It is a non-discriminatory organization that encourages, supports and promotes polka music at all levels and does not support self-dealing among its officers or members. The corporation is governed by concerned members who volunteer to serve on its executive committee and board of directors. PAC's national office is located in Central Wisconsin. Membership is offered at an extremely low rate and is open to the general public. The mission of PAC includes but is not limited to the following: to promote and assist in sustaining all styles of polka music throughout the industry in North America, to provide college scholarships to those interested in polka music and are furthering their musical studies, to provide instruments to financially disadvantaged children interested in polka music, to provide grants to tax-exempt polka organizations, to market the polka industry at a national level, to promote cultural awareness through education, to obtain and maintain historical records, to preserve polka dancing as a cultural art form, to unite the polka industry through the assistance of constituents well-versed in their respective elected positions, to solicit corporate and private funding, to develop a plan for sub-genre classification, and to create working relationships with cultural art centers/theatres designated as tax- exempt and not-for-profit. For more information about PAC, please click here.
