PRODUCTIONS
Polka News
Polkamotion 2011 a Great Success!
Plans are in the works for next year!
Wow…Polkamotion 2011 will certainly go down as a most memorable event! Record crowds of enthusiastic polka fans poured into the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center and danced, ate, and drank for four fun-filled days! Over all, this year's polka fest was clearly our best yet in Rehoboth Beach! Our sincerest gratitude goes out to all the bands that performed so admirably, our hardworking volunteers who coordinated the golf tournament, DJ party, and staffed the door, bar, and kitchen in the hall, all our loyal ticket sellers and promoters, the DJs, IJs and reporters who helped us publicize the event, the helpful convention hall staff, and most of all, all the wonderful folks who traveled from near and far to make our 32nd Polkamotion by the Ocean a resounding success. From the first drive of the annual Polkamotion Open Golf Tournament on Wednesday morning to the last polka in the hall on Sunday afternoon, folks just seemed to joyfully soak up the experience at this polka panacea by the sea.
As Polkamotion in Rehoboth Beach, DE continues to grow, we're all the more encouraged and eager to start the work in making next year's polka fest even better. Please mark down these dates: September 12 - 16, 2012, and plan to grace us with your company again, won't you? We promise another stellar polka band line-up, greater amounts of home-made Polish food (we ran a little short this year), all your favorite refreshing libations, and a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere; all at affordable prices.
It's a true joy to be in the company of such wonderful polka people!
See you at our 33rd Polkamotion by the Ocean!
God bless!
Mike Ziemski & Mike Matousek
The Boys Release "A New Day"
The Boys are proud to announce the release of their new CD, "A New Day!" This is the first recording produced by the group in over 22 years! The album features five new original tunes, some great covers, and a few classic Polish-style selections - 16 tracks in all. To get your copy of "A New Day," just send your $15 check payable to Mike Matousek to 8372 Willimastowne Drive, Millerville, MD, 21108-1066.. For digital purchases, click here. The Boys also release a new single entitled "Polish Youngstown" for digital download. Click here for more details. Check out www.TheBoysBand.com for more Boys info.
Full
Circle's "Polka Cruise with the Stars
V"
You
Owe It To Yourself 2012!
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 V in
2012!
Here's
the scoop:
We've
arranged an exciting, 8-day
Eastern Caribbean Cruise from
March 3 - 11, 2012
that sails from Fort
Lauderdale, FL.
Our floating resort will be the luxurious Navigator of the Seas, a fabulous cruise ship that has
some unique amenities including an indoor promenade with sidewalk cafes and
shops, an indoor ice rink for skating and shows, a rock-climbing wall, multiple
pools and relaxing spas, themed lounges, gourmet dining, great theater show, and
so much more. You host band, Full
Circle, the incomparable Lenny
Gomulka and Chicago Push,
The Knewz, and
Polka Hall of Famer Ray Jay will
provide top-notch live polka music. Six Polka Hall of Famers in all 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 exotic ports we're going to
visit: St. Maarten,
St. Kitts,
San Juan, and
Royal Caribbean's private tropical playground, Labadee!
As always, we have a few more surprises
up our sleeves that will make these eight days in polka paradise most memorable.
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.
Steve Kaminski's New Holiday Release
Get ready for the coolest collection of Koledy ever captured on a recording!
For the first time, those cherished traditional songs that warm the Polish heart at Christmastime have been uniquely arranged and recorded in a smooth, contemporary style. "A Koledy Evening with Steve Kaminski" creates a cozy holiday atmosphere while adding a new touch of sophistication. To experience the wonderful fusion of koledy and Kenny G, click on the image below to get your copy of what is sure to be the next holiday classic.
Charm City Sound's "Christmas Lights"
is a Must for the Holidays!
Charm City Sound is proud to feature their special CD, "Christmas Lights", a truly 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.
CCS Music On CD Baby, & Apple I-Tunes
CD Baby, the Internet's largest distributor of independently-produced CDs, carries all six 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 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.