Big Joe Polka Hour on RFD
Guido
G
jro...@optonline.net
the polka field --with hours of tv time for polkas ever week---produced
all over the usa for the whole country and world. he brings us together
---it is a shame ---and a disservice to the cause of polkas ---to
ignore his show and achievements. sincerely, joe
rodgers--teacher,polka musician and fan, connecticut
RACCMAN
the hell does he get some of these bands. Bad for Polkas.
And Joe Rodgers, what the heck is wrong with you?
Respectfully,
Dave Raccis
RACCMAN
Bob Orlowski
"RACCMAN" <racc...@aol.com> wrote:
Some of the bands are pretty marginal. I'm also sick of hearing bands
with a bass horn.
Whatever happened to the bands which had a trumpet and clarinet in the
front playing melody and harmony along with drums, accordion and perhaps
piano, stand-up bass etc? Where did they go? About the only band I've
seen Joe have is Al Grebnick(sp?) who is close to that style. Some of
the bands are just plain sloppy or unschooled players.
--
Bob
Rmills
complete garbage!
Ron Namvet1970
"Guido" <we...@ghunter.mv.com> wrote in message
news:dup3pq$1etc$1...@pyrite.mv.net...
Bob Ziegenbein
Come on, you have to realize that the Big Joe Polka Show orignates from
Nebraska. I have had many people from Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota etc...tell
me that if a band does not have a tuba, they are not worth kaka!
I think the biggest problem with the Big Joe Polka show is that the shows
are terribly OLD. Most were recorded in the early 1980's.
To Big Joe's credit, he had a big recording festival this past summer in
Minnesota where he recorded many many bands. He also had a big recording
festival last month in February in Texas where he recorded 40 different
bands. Hopefully these new shows will air soon.
I don't care for Big Joe personally, but I do not see anyone else stepping
up to the plate and putting THEIR money where their mouth is and offer an
alternative on a national scale like Big Joe.
This may come as a shock to this newsgroup, but POLKA music is more than
just Honky, Push, and East Coast style.
Respectfully,
Bob Ziegenbein
"Bob Orlowski" <bob...@spamNo.wwa> wrote in message
news:bobbyo-F4EB63....@netnews.comcast.net...
ericjk...@aol.com
with a Bass Horn, it is about the poor quality of the music. A lot of
the shows were recorded at the Medina Ballroom in Mn last July10th or
so, so we shoudnt be blaming it on the music from the 50's, 60's and
70's. It is like anything else in life, people want good quality, not
garbage.
EJK
jro...@optonline.net
ever seen---and joe rodgers, what the heck is wrong with you?") in your
post,in which you killed,twojoes with one stone, so to speak i'll tell
you what i think is wrong with me: i tend to fall in love with
women/girls much younger than me and then, even if i may be able to
hang onto them for a while,it tends to be an uphill fight and they
eventually dump me. i don't see this getting any better inthe
forseeable future ---until the next life, that is ( i believe in
reincarnation),when i will be able to get a fresh start---i look
forward to that. in the meantime, though, my life is still reasonably
happy ---thanks not in small part to the big joe polka show!
i have written at length on the merits of big joe's show onthis
site and don't want to repeat it all now in huge detail so i would
refer you and anybody else interested to my post "nationwide tv polka
programming", which you can find by clicking on my profile above and
turning to about the third page. to sum it up, though, big joe's show
offers the entire panorama of midwestern european-derived polka music,
ALL THE TRADITIONS, CZECH, GERMAN, POLISH, CZECH, SLOVENIAN AND MUCH
MORE, as well as the best of the old-time, dairyland midwest musical
styles that are remarkable for their purity and excellence. as mr.
ziegenbein has just rightly remarked in this discussion (i quote --and
i love it:) "it may comeas a shock to you, but polka music is more than
just east coast, push and honky style"--yes, a thousand times more: i
would refer you here to my article on the nostradamus polka site, which
explains that polka music was born in czechoslovakia , grew in
germany,austria and slovenia, where it is the national music, with an
estimated 100 million-plus followers --of all ages--and that, in the
united states and the world, the only polka style which is actually
unauthentic(never existed in poland and is a patchwork of polish folk
music played on instruments (acc.,concertina ) invented in germany with
heavy u.s. dixieland and big band influences (the latest inspired
practitioners are pushing it in the direction of rock, country,
caribbean and latin in an effort to modernize and save it) is the
polish-american style. followers and players of this style , as mr. z
also says above, have a boorish habit of assuming it is the only
real and good polka music and attacking all the other styles,
particularly for, as mr. z repeats, their use of bass horn, tuba and/or
trombone ( duhhh--all original, authentic polka instruments) and this
is a bizarre case of the "phony baloney" calling the "real thing"
bad. amazing...
at this point in these discussions i always have to
ritualistically repeat, for the record, that i do love much of the
original polish-american style (calling it polish is actually an
oxymoron as it is rejected by the entire polish nation as alien and
weird). i have played it for decades and won an awardor two for work in
the style. my greatest frustration with this style as it is now played
actually occurs because i love and value it too much and am very sad to
see the creative depths to which it has sunk: hardly anyone performing
in the field, with a couple of rare exceptions---they know who they
are--even understands polish anymore, not to speak of being able to
write a song in the language--this is why virtually nothing new and
good has been written in polish for many years (while most of the
english writing gives new meaning to the word inane). i love the great
old polish songs and, like many, am frustrated because i can hardly
ever hear or buy anything new or original that is competently sung in
this field.fortunately for me i know the language and have some
songwriting ability so for years now, in order to hear a decent new
song or words, i simply write them myself and tape them !?!? ( in what
other field of music in the world would anything remotely like this be
necessary???? like all the polish native speakers in this country i
largely avoid the polka recordings and radio shows out of sheer boredom
and disgust at the incredible lack of creativity and substandard
pronunciation of the vocals.
but, praise the Lord, in this purgatory of inferior music, a small
miracle appeared ---on DIRECTV on my television screen: the big joe
polka show ---carrying anendless stream of music from the entire poka
world, every tradition , out of the polka heartland, the
midwest---hundreds , thousands of different melodies and songs ---and
countless different styles, not just the endless second-rate copies of
the better polish style bands (eb, wally,louie). now i and many
others---anyone who
pays a couple bucks a month for d-tv or dish network---can be free of
the
polka wasteland of which so many complain forever.
sure, as you and mr o complain, some of the singers (like most
pol-am style singers) sing out of tune --very few of them murder the
lyrics , though---i grew up in europe, know the languages and can
testify to that---
( i'll leave open the question of whether you have any clue about the
polish language--if you do you are light years ahead of most of your
contemporaries). ---yes, and as mr o says and you imply, some of them
are not impressive players---apparently, as he is constantly
announcing, big joe gives a chance to groups that are recommended by
their hometown folks---this, unlike east coast polka, is grassroots
music in the midwest---some of the little nebraska , minnesota, etc.
towns have multiple bands in the same village, and also follow the old
european tradition of civic (municipal) polka bands, where almost
anyone who wants to play can participate---again, unlike the p-a scene,
this is authentic polka ---it has a tradition and charm of its
own---provided that you know what's going on and are a bit broadminded
and tolerant. mr ziegenbein makes the point well to mr. o above when he
says "you have to understand that this is the midwest (where the bass
horn,etc. rule)"...that's the whole point: you have to understand, to
be open to differences and to the basic fact that
99.9999999999999999999etc. % of polka music in the world is not "push"
or whatever ---
however, the big joe show has more than its share of
over-the-topexcellence in the form of the concertina virtuosos of the
midwest polka scene, such as karl hartwich, cletus goblirsch and larry
olsen, to name but a few (olsen, incidentally, is apparently of
norwegian descent--he's on this evening, along with five other bands of
every polka nationality): these guys play standing up and , as his been
written here and there, they play runs (and sometimes demonstrate
concertina proficiency with big-band and jazz numbers that would make a
"polish"-style player''s mind boggle).
the very opportunity to see polka groups of czech and even finnish ,
norwegian and other traditions, which only big joe offers, is something
that any open-minded polka lover should treasure. conversely anybody
who can't appreciate that has a mind that's closed like a clamshell.
mr z is only behind the times when he writes that big joe is
showing repeats and should eventually be showing new programming ---all
the shows on directv (and i assume dish network,etc) have been brand
new since last summer. as mr z says, joe just completed the taping of
40 texas polka bands (even know they existed? don't you have any
curiosity about them.?they are much more famous institutions in u.s.
and world culture than anyone playing honky,push or eastern style
today...
i support wholeheartedly mr z's point that "i don't see anyone
else stepping up to the plate , putting their money where their mouth
is (good one!) and offering a national polka alternative like big joe."
there's a lot more to joe's achievement , incidentally, than meets the
eye on tv: he has behind him something like 50 years of producing
countless tv and radio shows, recordings, videos, dances, the mind
boggles---and you of little faith can do no better than to attack
him...while ironically the pol-am world is constantly agonizing about
how , through whatsuperhuman effort, petitions or strategy, they might
get a polka or two played on austin city limits, oprah or whatever
---for crying out loud.
which brings me back to my original statement, which provoked
this discussion: big joe rules!
so there, i told you, dave, to the best of my ability, what is
wrong with me ---and explained what is right about big joe: i just wish
there were ten ( or even ONE ) more like him---because then polka music
would rule the airwaves.
if you would care, in return, to explain what is wrong with you,
i'm sure we can consider that ( "respectfully") as well. i can't speak
for you of course, on that subject--but i think the above discussion
offers some insights. polka on! yours for
better polka music, joe rodgers
Ke...@thekavas.com
pah pah. We Polish bands have dealt with THAT negative stereotype for
decades. I personally wouldn't walk across the street to hear oom pah
polkas, but would without hesitation drive for hours to hear a good
push band.
As for Big Joe, not to put down any band or musician, but the reason he
doesn't get "good" bands on his shows is probably because he's not
willing to pay them.
Kelly Kava
jro...@optonline.net
his show is on BOTH national satellite tv networks, with a big national
following, while the "quality" polish-american field has been falling
all over itself for years ( many of these efforts are documented here
on this site)desperately trying to get one or two polkas played on some
kind of national or satellite program, tv or radio, however obscure,
in the hope that this might gain a bit more positive attention. they
are ready to make any sacrifice, even to jettison the word polka itself
and to banish any reference to polish language or tradition, to achieve
ten minutes of the type of national exposure big joe enjoys all year
long---but somehow every media outlet turns them down.why might that
be?-- truly inexplicable. big joe makes my day--and that of thousands
of others nationwide--every week of the year . i hope he smiles every
day on the way to the bank.
Troy A. Gawlak
all different kinds of polka. Say... German one week, Honky the next week,
Push the next week, Slovenian the next week, etc etc. Have one or two bands
per style. Explain the differnces in the styles and their origins. And then
let them play their hearts out and show your average anti-polka American
what polka really is, how big it really is, and where one can find it, since
it's almost done on an "underground" kind of basis as compared to rock, rap,
etc. concerts... one must be "in the know" to find out where a polka dance
is going to be.
Just my thoughts, I know I'd watch every week.
-Troy
jro...@optonline.net
tonight, he features 5-6 bands ( german,slovenian,czech ,pol-am,
scandinavian,whatever) playing about 3 songs each. the add-on about
where bands are playing is a good idea that could probably be added to
the show by request or featured on a website to which viewers are
referred ( the list would be awfully lengthy since, including his
midwest, colorado and texas bands,etc. there must be hundreds of venues
weekly). anyway he essentially does this now while anything else
approaching this national coverage is just a wish in the minds of
others....and, for being the only one to offer this national coverage
--in all the styles---what does he get? attacks by some of these
people. to paraphrase the bible:"forgive them, father, for they know
not what they do."
General Mills
RACCMAN
What's wrong with me?
Regarding the subject at hand........and only the subject at hand.
What's wrong with me, is that I like quality polka music. Whatever
style it is. Whatever language it is.
I just can't make myself watch a program which continually puts across
mediocre polka music. That's what's wrong with me. That's it.
Thanks.
DR
jro...@optonline.net
understand, in a way ---again, that's why i have trouble listening to
some of our east coast bands and radio programs---big joe has good
music , mediocre --and even bad...but at least it's different--i most
like the groups i think are good and, to tell the truth, often practice
my horn, go to the bathroom, or whatever, when the mediocre stuff is on
( how many second-rate performances of the chicken dance, in heaven no
beer, etc. can anyone sit through?) and, like the other gentleman who
wrote, get some laughs from the ones who are really bad. of course it's
justifiable and your right if you don't want to sit through the poor
stuff in order to get to the few "golden nuggets" ---and actually, if
you don't happen to like czech or oompah style (and i know many here
don't) you'll probably never find any "nuggets" there at all.
respectfully ( for real this time) , joe r
Rmills
wife will tape it for me LOL NOT!
Bob Ziegenbein
How about this though?
How about ANYONE else stepping up to the plate and putting THEIR money where
their mouth is, and offer a high quality alternative to the Big Joe Polka
Show on a national scale.
Is not offering choices what America is about? Is not competition what
drives standards higher?
Just my 2 cents. It easy to complain, it is much more difficult to act to
correct a problem.
Respectfully,
Bob
"RACCMAN" <racc...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1142188998.0...@p10g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
General Mills
screen the bands a little better there are some great Czech bands ,
Slovanian, Polish etc but than there are some that try hard but I have
herd garage bands better and it truely gives Polkas in General a bad
rap.You seem to have contacts with your radio shows etc you might have
better luck. I wouldn't want todo it not a easy job keeping everyone
happy. I really think you and Joe R are really making more of it than
just a post that the bands are of well they try hard not everyone can
be a Francis Becher !!!!!!!!!!
Polka Forward & Onward
the General
ericjk...@aol.com
pay the bands, instead of expecting them to do it for FREE like he has
done in the past. I am sure the top bands in any style are beating his
door down to get a hold of that contract, look at the exposure you get
on the RFD channel.. Just imagine Dave R, you and the Push along side
Jim Bob and the 2 man kazoo band with a stump fiddle.
Bob Orlowski
Ke...@TheKavas.com wrote:
> PLEASE do NOT make it sound like everyone in Nebraska only likes oom
> pah pah. We Polish bands have dealt with THAT negative stereotype for
> decades. I personally wouldn't walk across the street to hear oom pah
> polkas, but would without hesitation drive for hours to hear a good
> push band.
> As for Big Joe, not to put down any band or musician, but the reason he
> doesn't get "good" bands on his shows is probably because he's not
> willing to pay them.
>
> Kelly Kava
>
While eveyone wants to get paid, there are those times when the exposure
might be worth more than getting paid. If, for example, a bands being
on BJPS and this brought more jobs, you 'd think that was a good thing,
right? Then you could advertise has having been on that show, which is
another good thing that goes toward promotion.
I'm not saying a band should do every pro bono thing that comes along
either, just keep things in perspective. When I started my own business
years ago, someone told me " you are your own best investment" and
playing something like BJPS, even for gratis, might be one of those
times.
--
Bob
Ke...@thekavas.com
Bob Orlowski wrote:
> In article <1142126181.6...@j52g2000cwj.googlegroups.com>,
> Ke...@TheKavas.com wrote:
>
> > PLEASE do NOT make it sound like everyone in Nebraska only likes oom
> > pah pah. We Polish bands have dealt with THAT negative stereotype for
> > decades. I personally wouldn't walk across the street to hear oom pah
> > polkas, but would without hesitation drive for hours to hear a good
> > push band.
> > As for Big Joe, not to put down any band or musician, but the reason he
> > doesn't get "good" bands on his shows is probably because he's not
> > willing to pay them.
> >
> > Kelly Kava
> >
>
> While eveyone wants to get paid, there are those times when the exposure
> might be worth more than getting paid. If, for example, a bands being
> on BJPS and this brought more jobs, you 'd think that was a good thing,
> right? Then you could advertise has having been on that show, which is
> another good thing that goes toward promotion.
>
> I'm not saying a band should do every pro bono thing that comes along
> either, just keep things in perspective. When I started my own business
> years ago, someone told me " you are your own best investment" and
> playing something like BJPS, even for gratis, might be one of those
> times.
It certainly is good business to play SOME jobs for free to get good
exposure, etc. Many bands I'm sure have benefited from being on Big
Joe's show. Our own band, The Kava's, was taped in the late 80's in
Omaha. But, as another writer pointed out, how good is that exposure
really going to be when the quality of the show (and the related
products) is questionable at best? I can't remember us ever getting so
much as one call from someone saying they wanted to book us because
they saw us on Big Joe. While I applaud and appreciate the effort Big
Joe makes just to have a show, my main point was that if he were
willing to INVEST in paying some of the top bands to appear on his
show, it would raise the overall quality and benefit everyone. But
anyone who really knows Big Joe, knows what kind of "deals" he makes.
'Nuff said.
KK
Wisconsin's Concertina Kid
I tell you what, this is a toughy. Well, right now, outside of the
Jimmy Sturr show on RFD-TV, who else is promoting Polka Music on TV
Nation wide right now? Yes, I understand about the bands NOT getting
paid to do the show. My band was scheduled to perform for the show
last July on a Friday at 3 PM, but due to a construction accident and a
power outage, we were 1 out of 40 bands that DIDN'T make the show.
Although here in Wisconsin it is a very popular show. We get asked all
the time, "WHY ARE WE NOT ON THE BIG JOE SHOW?" HOWEVER, How much
would it be if anyone of us wanted to by a 1/2 hour time slot NOT
REGIONALLY EITHER, to be on or get NATIONAL exposure for a show similar
to this? It is tough to get bands that everyone likes, not enough
tuba, or too much tuba and so on and so forth.
Trust me, if I had the money and funds, and the ability, there would be
a 1 hour show similar to this, only with more variety, LOTS MORE
VARIETY, TUBA, NO TUBA, ALL STYLES FEATURED! The sad thing is, Big Joe
does have a past, love him or hate him, at least he is promoting POLKA
MUSIC!
In our contract for the show last year, and I'm sure it will be the
same for this year in July again, The bands could play Polkas and
Waltzes ONLY! HOW AWESOME IS THAT! NO American/Foxtrots/Big
Band/2-steps, none of the other stuff that you can actually here on
radio ANYTIME/ANYWHERE! All POLKAS and Waltzes.
Just my 2-cents.
Gary
jro...@optonline.net
see you on big joe--and hope to maybe another time. the fact that you
were booked to play ----and agreed to play---is the gig+travel really
played completely free of charge??--just underscores the value of the
show to me once again---where else could we in the east see you here on
tv!?!? ---and the fact that your great group ---like karl hartwich , s.
goblirsch and various others --- is prepared to play on the show
disproves the contention that only "mediocre and worse"ands play the
there.
Wisconsin's Concertina Kid
Well, last year I agreed to do the show because we were playing about 1
1/2 hours away in the evening so we were scheduled for early afternoon.
Got there around 1:10 PM, and was scheduled for 3 PM. Power came back
on at 3:15 PM, and there were 2 other bands scheduled ahead of us, so
we couldn't hang around for a NON-PAYING gig for one at a Polka Fest
that we also had a written contract with and one that DID pay.
THIS YEAR, we are NOT playing anywhere close, have the day open, and
with the help of my radio show, be able to take a bus load of people
along with us. NO, the bands do NOT get paid in any way shape and
form.
I have spoken to Big Joe numerous times, and I did get to see EJ
McCloud on there with Roger Majeski, the band sounded great. Some of
the bands, yes, are not so pretty good. And that's where Joe gets
frustrated. He would LOVE to feature some of the Nation's TOP bands,
and with some bands NOT wanting to do without getting paid, I guess is
up to the band leaders themselves. Keep in mind, that if you bring
product with you, YOU WILL SELL IT after you performance for the
taping.
My cousin Brian played on the show on Thursday and was able to be on
the show, and let me know that there was a HUGE crowd at the Medina
Entertainment Center. We got there on Friday to a PACKED HOUSE, and no
lights in the ballroom.
After seeing the shows from that were taped in 1989, and to the shows
now, I can see everyone's point, and I do wish too that he more
variety, but again, it's up to the band leaders to accept this gig for
free or not. I have such chosen to do so, and to play a variety WITH
TUBA and some with my Midi-Bass unit. I hope you will tune in and try
to catch some of our stuff.
Dave, will you be in Wausau with Lenny on Mother's Day? Even though I
am a Dutchmen/German concertina player, I'll be there performing with
Family Tradition, as I am also on their new CD due out soon. Hope we
can have a beer together and talk about this some more.
Gary
"Wisconsin's Concertina Kid"