The Ethnic Clarinet
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Author: dummer musiker
Date: 2005-03-14 16:38
I want to learn more about polka, and I really want to start playing some polka. Can anyone recommend some good polka recordings? Im thinking more along the lines of German or Polish polkas, and mostly instrumental. Any information would be helpful!!! Thanks!!
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2005-03-16 18:20
Jimmy Sturr.
There should be lots of charts out there available too. Anything along the lines of "the greatest polka hits" should give you a good start. For the specific ethnicities, try linking up with any sort of German or Polish associations in your area. Sometimes there's a church, sometimes it's just a cultural association...
Katrina
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2005-03-17 19:36
I forgot to mention to try to look for "folkdance" groups from those ethnicities too. I know the Polish dance group in my area has a live band and they do lots of "real" Polish polkas...
Not necessarily the kind you get on a Polish-American Polka cd, but Polish nonetheless.
Katrina
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Author: JoeMich
Date: 2005-03-25 21:33
The one name that stands out in my mind from "years ago" is Frankie Yankovic. Lots of his stuff is available on CDs at Amazon. Fondly recall listening to him on radio out of Connecticut during the mid '40s.
Stay away from Al Yankovic; not the same sort of music!
Joe.
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-03-25 23:36
JoeMich wrote:
> Stay away from Al Yankovic; not the same sort of music!
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> Joe.
>
Au contraire! Weird Al is just the sort of thing you need to listen to to grasp the essence, the fun of polka. It's not just about trying to hear clarinet technique.
There are two CD's put out by Smithsonian Folkways, Deep Polka and Deeper Polka. I only posess the latter, which is a collection of tunes from eclectic bands throughout the Midwest. I believe Deep Polka was limited to Wisconsin. Not much clarinet on Deeper Polka, but a lot of sax. And you can listen to two Finnish guys from Minnesota sing In Heaven There Is No Beer in Norweigian.
Steve Epstein
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