Support Your Local Moravians

Texas’ newest polka band – The Moravians – is getting ready to embark on a tour with the SqueezeBox Band and the Jim Busta Band. They’ll be performing in Wisconsin and Iowa July 5-13, and could use our help in paying for travel expenses. Here are two ways you can support this group of awesome young musicians: 1. Purchase their debut CD “Czech Spirit Will Live On.” 2. Send them a donation. The CD is $15 plus $3 shipping and handling. Make checks payable to Joshua Goodwin or Matt Matous and send to: The Moravians PO Box 458 Ennis, TX 75120

The guys will keep track of who all contributes by July 1 and polkabeat will send the supporters some Polka On! goodies as a thank you.

So how did this come about? “When Ted (Lange) and I were at the National Polka Festival in Ennis, we saw The Moravians perform at Sokol Hall for the live radio show. Ted watched The Moravians as he stood at the edge of the stage, and there I had a short conversation with him about the boys doing a tour with us,” Mollie B said.

“I sat down with the guys and discussed ways to make their band better and ways to fulfill their ‘dreams.’ The future of polka music rests in young bands like this. Ted and I are always trying to think of ways to get young bands to form, get a solid beginning and spread the idea of forming bands to other young musicians,” she said.

Mollie added that she just knows people will love The Moravians. “Not only are they a good young band, they are nice, young Texas gentlemen! And to top it off, they are a perfect age to be gone for 10-14 days – in between high school and college, no major job conflicts. It’s almost kind of like summer camp, but BETTER!”

Tour Schedule July 5 The Altrusa Polka Fest at Romy’s Nightingale in Black Creek, Wisconsin. The Moravians will open for SqueezeBox and play during the breaks.

July 6 Cresco Polka Fest, Cresco, Iowa. Bands: SqueezeBox, Jim Busta Band & The Moravians.

July 7 Polka Fest in Arcadia, Iowa. Bands: SqueezeBox, Jim Busta Band & The Moravians.

July 9 Winneshiek County Fair, Decorah, Iowa. The Moravians will join the Jim Busta Band for a few songs.

July 10 & 11 Still lining something up.

July 12 Performance at Walcott Coliseum in Walcott, Iowa. Bands: SqueezeBox, Jim Busta Band & The Moravians.

July 13 Street Performance in Clutier, Iowa (a Czech community). The Moravians will open for SqueezeBox and play during the breaks.

The Band Played, The Rain Came Down and the Cars Slowly Sunk

By Gary McKee

When asked what was one of the most memorable gigs that he had played, Texas Sound Czech Band leader Bennie Okruhlik told the story of a church picnic in East Houston. Bennie and his band were doing what they do best, playing the music that makes folks dance away their worries and enjoy the moment. So good, in fact, that nobody, staying dry under a tent, had thought about the buckets of rain that had fallen until it was time to pack up and leave. Some of the band's vehicles had sunk up to their frames and a tractor had to pull each vehicle (and the band trailer) to the paved road several hundred yards away.

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See Texas Sound Czech and Red Ravens at the American Legion Hall in Rosenberg, Sunday, January 6.

Praha native, Bennie Okruhlik, began his love affair with the accordion when his father brought home a two-row button accordion that he had purchased from a fellow in Moulton for $15. By the age of 12, he was playing solo music at church picnic cake walks. The term cake walk comes from when you actually walked around a table while music played and when the music stopped you won the cake in front of you, much like musical chairs.

His father, aware of his natural talent, soon purchased a trumpet for Bennie, which he then shared with his younger brother, Ernie, who demonstrated similar musical talent. A polka legacy was born as the two brothers traded instruments back and forth and learned how to play the music that they heard played by the Vrazel and Patek bands of the 1950s.

When Bennie graduated from St. Mary's school in Praha to Flatonia High School, Flatonia was in the process of forming its first school band. Bennie, playing trumpet, experienced for the first time, the feeling of performing in front of a large crowd as the town watched the band's first performance. Soon, his brother, Ernie, started attending FHS and the brothers broadened their playing skills by performing structured pieces of music as opposed to learning by ear the music of their Czech culture. The brothers also learned to balance the responsibilities of family and playing music as they were unable to stay after school to play at extracurricular activities as they had to be at home in the evenings to work on the farm. These limitations failed to dampen the brothers love of music.

After high school graduation and military service, Bennie was living and working in Houston. By attending dances at the legendary Bill Mraz Ballroom, Bennie's desire to play music was rekindled, and he soon purchased a piano keyboard style accordion from Chic Spencer's music store for $75.

In the mid 1900's it was difficult to meet a Czech who did not play music or was in a band. Many family functions had “bands” made up of brothers, cousins, fathers and sons who had never played together as a group, providing the entertainment. At one such event Bennie and his wife Earline Kaase, met family members who shared Bennie's love of music. Most of these relatives lived in Houston and it wasn't long before a more formal band was rehearsing and they performed at St.Theresa's parish picnic in Houston. Their first paycheck was not monetary, but all the food they could eat. At a New Year's Eve dance at the Houston S.P.J.S.T. Hall, the seven-piece band was paid $100 total (you do the math). Needing a name for themselves they decided on the City Polka Boys (CPB) and a legend was born.

Bill Mraz heard the buzz in the polka community about this new band in town. He summoned them to his ballroom for an audition. At first listen, he was not impressed. Mraz thought they sounded very nervous, and told them to go visit the “refreshments” area for a while and then come back to audition again. The libations must have helped as he listened to them a second time, then thanked them, and sent them on their way. They packed up their equipment and went home not sure of what Mraz had thought of them. Their uncertainty was soon resolved as they were booked for several nights at the ballroom.

Leroy Matocha, the Fayetteville Flash, soon heard about this new polka band in Houston. He requested a reel-to-reel audio tape of them to listen to and possibly play on his radio show. After figuring out how to record themselves, they sent him a tape which he liked and played. The public wanted to hear more of this great band and they went into the studio and recorded the vinyl album “Long Road to Praha” which was released in 1970. Wes Matus was the only band member who could read and arrange this music and began transcribing the notes as the band members played their parts helping ensure that the music would live on.

Ernie Okruhlik, had kept playing music after school and began playing various instruments in the Bobby Jones Band. The popularity of the band soon had Ernie playing three to four gigs every week which upset the balance between his love of music and his successful real estate business. To relinquish the balance he later joined his brother in the CPB which generally played about twice a week.

The original City Polka Boys stayed together 16 years before life intervened and older members retired and new ones joined. The CPB played for about 14 more years with revolving members and changing sounds. After successfully maintaining the equilibrium of personal life, job and music for thirty years, Bennie still wanted to keep playing music that keeps people happily dancing. With his original drummer, E.J. Macik, they formed the Texas Sound Czech band, who along with present members, Ben Orsak, Larry Netardus and Dennis Shimek, delight crowds from Wurstfest to the Ennis National Polka Festival to Mollie B.'s television show to rural church picnics throughout Central Texas. Over the years this sound has evolved from all horn-type arrangements to guitar, keyboard and saxophone blends to compliment the accordion and the changing tastes of the audience. Bennie and the group have kept step with the evolution of music technology from the reel-to-reel tapes to the digital recording of the bands's latest CDs.

Several years ago, the band's self-penned song “The Wild Goose Waltz” won the Texas Polka Music Association's song of the year. Every polka band scrambled to learn this new traditional-styled waltz as playing popular music that people want to hear and dance to is the reason that these bands Polka On.

©Gary E. McKee 2012 for Polkabeat.com

Check out Eurofest and TubaMeisters in Fredericksburg

If you’re attending Night in Old Fredericksburg this weekend, you’ll want to be sure and catch the performances by Eurofest and The TubaMeisters, both from San Antonio. One is a newly formed group and the other has been performing for 20 years. Tuba player Ray Grim belongs to both and offers his thoughts on German vs. Czech polkas, upcoming gigs, CD plans and why the tuba is such a cool instrument. Eurofest was formed earlier this year. How did that come about? It is primarily comprised of performers who were formerly members of the well-known group, The Sauerkrauts. When the leader, Gary Trumet, decided he wasn’t taking any more bookings, other members of the group decided to not let the talent of the group go to waste. Members of Eurofest are: Robert Atwood—extremely talented accordionist, who performed with The Sauerkrauts for 20 years; Kevin Hatcher—vocalist, yodeler, and former bandleader, who performed with The Sauerkrauts for 20+ years; Ray Grim—tuba, a former high school band director, also a member of The TubaMeisters, performed with The Sauerkrauts for six years; Eric Miculka—drums, a frequent substitute performer with The Sauerkrauts; and Suellen Grim—clarinet, Ray’s wife, and a new member to the group.

How did the TubaMeisters get their start? The TubaMeisters became a group in 1992, and performed at Fiesta Texas in San Antonio every weekend during its first season. We specialize in good quality music, interspersed with good, clean fun. Members include: Ray Grim—tuba and vocals; Richard Wallace—tuba and euphonium, a retired school band director, who now conducts the Alzafar Shrine Band and founding member of the band; Al Tapia—euphonium and vocals, a retired U.S. Army bandmaster, who presently serves as the director of both the Comal Community Band, the New Braunfels Village Brass Band, and the Beethoven Concert Band. He was a founding member of the TubaMeisters; and Ezra Johnson—euphonium and vocals, a former middle school band director who takes music very seriously. He is a graduate of the University of Texas and former Longhorn Band member.

Do you have CDs or plans to record one? Both groups have two CDs. The TubaMeisters are planning to begin recording another next month.

Are you all about German music? Although we may be more German, we like that good old Czech music and Tejano tunes as well.

What are the top three tunes y’all like to play for each genre? That’s a difficult one to answer. Probably each one of us has a different answer. Here’s my take: German—Auf der Autobahn, Bergvagabunden, Die Kleine Kneipe Czech—Corn Cockle Polka, Musicians, Come and Play, Polka Time in Texas Tejano (or similar style)—Viva Seguin, Rancho Grande, Peanuts Polka

Is there a difference between a German polka and a Czech polka? Yes. The German polka tends to follow the rules better. The phrases in Czech polkas can be a little irregular. Although I’m almost 100% in my German heritage, I believe I like the Czech polkas better. They have better melodies.

Did the guys in both groups all grow up attending polka dances? Come from musical families? As far as I know, none of the members of either group grew up attending dances. Most have been to dozens of festivals. We all have come to truly like the music we play. I’m not really sure about everyone else, but there is a definite line of musicians in my family, but we never had any kind of family band. My oldest son, Hans, is a professional musician in the Ft. Worth area. He plays piano and sings. He serves as music director for local productions, performs at weddings, directs choirs, etc. His wife, Mary, performs in professional musical productions. My younger son, Evan, along with his wife, Adell, performed for several years in our church orchestra, along with Suellen and myself. Evan plays trombone and Adell plays trumpet. And, of course, my wife Suellen plays clarinet. Both Hans and Evan were in band and choir in high school. I have had the pleasure of performing in the pit, for a couple of productions that Hans has directed. So, there has been a good deal of family involvement.

Where are you originally from? I grew up in Gonzales, Texas. From time to time, I pop in to see John Zavadil, while he is hosting his polka show (on KCTI AM 1450). He is a very, very nice guy. He plays our music, every once in a while. And, lastly, I have a brother, Paul, who assists with the brewing at the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner. So, I have roots in the Czech/Bohemian area of Texas.

Y'all were part of the Mollie B taping in Ennis, right? What was that like? Were you happy with your performance? We did perform on the Mollie B taping. It was our very first performance as a new group and the very first polka gig my wife ever played. I’d call that a “baptism under fire,” or something like that. The event was very well organized. It was good to hear some really fine bands, and the audience was terrific. Mollie B and (her husband) Ted (Lange) were very professional, as well as being warm hosts for the event. I would have to describe our performance as OK. We will definitely be better as time goes on. All in all, though, it was a very enjoyable experience.

What other gigs do y’all have for the rest of the year? We’re still working on that. For Eurofest, we have a couple of major fests. We will perform at the Ernte-Fest, in Freistaat, Missouri, in August, and at the 47th Annual Oktoberfest in Helen, Georgia), the first week of October. With the TubaMeisters, the major performances include North by Northwest Oktoberfest in Austin, Fredericksburg Oktoberfest and Tomball German Christmas Fest. Both groups will likely be invited to perform at Wurstfest, in New Braunfels, which, of course, is one of the largest festivals in Texas.

Why is the tuba such a cool instrument? I believe most tuba players have come to appreciate the SOUND. It stirs something inside of both the listener, and the performer. When played well, the tuba is a very versatile instrument. In my opinion, it is an under-utilized resource. For convenience sake, many bands use an electric bass, which is both easier to play, and easier to last for a four hour gig.

Brave Combo Makes Sounds of the Hollow

It always intrigues me how artists come up with names for their works. So, of course when Brave Combo released Sounds of the Hollow this month, I dashed off an email to leader Carl Finch to find out how they arrived at that name. Sounds of the Hollow is an album of passion and variety, demonstrating our passion for variety, says Carl. The song list includes polkas, cumbias, rumbas, a waltz, a twist, a tango, and even more disparate styles. This is also the first official Brave Combo recording to feature the group's newest member, and musical powerhouse, Ginny Mac on accordion.

How did you come up with the name for the album? Carl: The title has a couple of meanings, actually, but mainly I have this new theory that music doesn't come from anywhere. It just started one day and kept evolving, with people inserting their own ideas, which can all be traced to nothing, eventually. No one can claim anything, in a way. It's just a mysterious force. A hollow is like anti-matter. It's a void. A song is something from nothing, but then becomes a part of the nothing. This is also another BC album of variety, not just a polka album or latin album or strict dance album.

How many Brave Combo albums are there? Carl: I don't know because there are foreign releases that have different configurations of songs, there are weird little compilations of our music in different places. There are some things in Japan, for instance, that are not available here, at all; two albums totally in Japanese of just Japanese music. But I would guess that there are probably between 40-50 albums out there, maybe a few more. I know there are some BC releases I don't have and many compilations we're on that I've never even seen or heard.

Is Sounds of the Hollow Brave Combo's best ever? Carl: I try not to think in terms of good/bad, right/wrong, best/worst. Things just are. Striving to live that way is what led me to polka music and, ultimately, made me want to stand up for polka music. I will say that Brave Combo's current sound is unique to the band and Sounds of the Hollow faithfully captures how we are right now. I'm biased, but I think it's a great album. And, for what it's worth, at all of our CD Release parties in the next few months, we will be selling it for only $5. So, in terms of that price, it's a masterpiece, well worth it. So, everyone should try to see us between now and when the September polka season kicks in. Can't guarantee we will be selling them for less than $10 by the time West Fest comes around.

How did the collaboration with Ginny Mac come about? Carl: Ginny has been a fan and friend of Brave Combo since she was 14. When our trumpet player, Danny, decided he didn't want to travel as much, we thought about what instrument should come in, especially since Danny was still going to play about half of the gigs with us; things like Ennis and Westfest, for sure. I had been jamming on accordion with one of Ginny's bands for a couple of years, just as a fun thing and one day I asked her to come over and play through some things with Brave Combo. Everything just clicked. We had to have a full-on powerhouse to fill Danny's shoes and that's just what she is. We did a gig in Denton a few weeks ago at The Arts and Jazz Festival and had Ginny and Danny, both, plus Danny Jerabek from Wisonsin (Copperbox button-box/trombonist) and Joe Cripps, our long-time percussionist. It was quite a sound. Danny and I have just finished a polka album under the name The Nice Musics. We hope to have it in a tangible form by polka season or before.

Brave Combo will be at the National Polka Festival in Ennis on Saturday and Sunday, May 26-27 and at Dosey Doe's in The Woodlands on Thursday, May 31.

Polka on BC!

Alex Meixner's Top 10 Perfect Polka Moments at Tomball Festival

Hurricane Alex arrived in Tomball on March 30. There were no casualties, but the city was hit head on by a polka party like no other. Alex Meixner left quite an impression on festival goers and as it turns out they left quite an impression on Alex. Here are his Top 10 Perfect Polka Moments at the 12th Annual Tomball German Heritage Festival. [caption id="attachment_90" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Theresa Parker presents Alex with the official Polka On! t-shirt from polkabeat.com. Photo by Mark Hiebert/HiebertPhotography.com"]

10. Having the opportunity to come to the fine town of Tomball and experience the great hospitality.

9. Seeing friends from New York and Florida from high school and college now living in the Houston area... everyone wants to be in Texas.

8. Theresa Parker presenting the Polka On T-shirt on stage.

7. Seeing the Deer Park High School German folk dance groups performing during the breaks.

6. Finding out that Tom Jones (our sax player) is Boots Randolf reincarnated.

5. Getting a whole crowd of people screaming "Polka is HOT in Texas!"

4. Being joined on stage by the premier heavy metal group The TubaMeisters.

3. Going through 5 cases of Gatorade in one night because we were sweating so much.

2, Having the best MC of all time in Valina Polka.

AND NUMBER 1: Getting to "Polka On" with the awesome people of the great state of Texas!

See the photos.

See the videos.

Texas Band Plays the Music of Prague at Kennedy Center

The Polkabeat Nation was abuzz Wednesday, March 21, when Czech & Then Some performed on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. They were asked by the Czech Ambassador to the U.S. Petr Gandalovič to represent the music of Prague for the Kennedy Center's special program The Music of Budapest, Prague and Vienna that ran from Feb. 25- March 29. The King and Queen of the National Polka Festival of Ennis, David and Diane Liska, also attended the performance to lead dance lessons before and during the band's set. I caught up with Danny Zapletal, leader of CATS, to find out more about the performance. Czech and Then Some members include Danny Zapletal - trumpet, keyboard, vocals and arranger; Aaron Schumacher--trumpet; Zeke Martinez – drums; John Schumacher (Aaron's dad) - bass and vocals; Jennifer Marek - sax and clarinet; David Slovak - accordion, piano, guitar, and vocals; and Michelle Slovak (Danny's sister and David's wife) - sax and clarinet. David Czarnek - sax and clarinet also joins the band on occasion.

How did y'all get this gig? Danny: We were asked by the Czech Embassy to play for the "Music of Budapest, Prague, Vienna" festival. I met Ambassador Gandalovič at last year's National Polka Festival (held in Ennis every Memorial Day weekend). He will not be able to attend this year, but we are working for him to come to Ennis for the Festival in 2013.

Loved the costumes y'all wore for the Kennedy Center performance. Why don't y'all wear that for each performance in Texas? Danny: We wear the costumes maybe twice a year. We always wear the costumes at The National Polka Festival in Ennis. We don't wear them all of the time because they are very hot and not the most comfortable clothes to wear. Even in the Czech Republic they only wear costumes like this at special occassions like a festival, wedding, anniversary, etc.

How did you decide what songs to play to represent the music of Prague? Danny: As far as the music that was chosen to play, I chose the ones that are the most popular Czech songs plus a few that other bands play, but they are all popular in the Czech Republic. Three Yanks is not a Czech song but a great arrangement and it has a lot of drive. The crowd really likes that song. [Note: The band opened with Three Yanks as they usually do at dances. It's high energy and gets the crowd dancing right away!]

It was good to see Dave Czarnek of the Texas Dutchmen perform with y'all. Why did you include him in the performance? Danny: David and I go way back to when I was about 9 or 10 years old and all of the years I played with the Texas Dutchmen. David has played with Czech and Then Some the last two years. When Michelle and David (Slovak) were expecting their daughter, Isabella, David played the majority of the jobs. So it was only natural that David play with us at the Kennedy Center. He also always plays with Czech and Then Some when we take bus trips to different festivals.

What kind of comments did you get from the audience? Danny: I was really amazed at how many people attended our performance and really enjoyed it. I didn't know what to expect. Everyone was real positive about polka music and Czech and Then Some. It was really exciting to hear people appreciate polka music and Czech music.

It was a tremendous honor to play at the Kennedy Center, but it was even a greater honor to be ask by the Czech Embassy to represent all of the wonderful Czech people in the United States. We had a great visit with Ambassador Gandalovič. The Czech Embassy was wonderful to Czech and Then Some. I cannot express in words what an experience this was for me and the band. We could not do this without all of the wonderful people who regularly attend our dances. A big thank you to all who supports Czech and Then Some and polka, Czech music.

As Danny said during the performance, "Please, everyone dance. Czech music, polka music, is happy music. It's meant to be danced!"

Polka on Danny and CATS!

See the performance.

Mollie B to Play in Big D after Big E

By now, everyone in Texas knows that Mollie B is taping RFD-TV's Mollie B Polka Party in the Big E--Ennis, Texas--March 8-11. But did you know she'll also be performing with her band, Squeezebox, in the Big D? That's right. Just a few days after the filming frenzy, Mollie and her gang will head just a little farther north to play at the National Accordion Association (NAA) annual convention on Friday, March 16. The convention is being held March 14-17 at the Westin Park Central Hotel, 12720 Merit Drive Dallas, Texas 972-385-3000. This is the Association's 25th annual convention and they're doing it up big. In addition to the always stimulating workshops, jams, band camp and trade show, the convention has lined up some incredible accordionists to entertain--Murl Sanders, Seattle; Jamie Maschler, Seattle; Cory Pesaturo, Boston (child prodigy who was first person to major and graduate in accordion at the New England Conservatory of Music); Tatiana Semichasnaya, originally from Moscow and now living in Los Angeles; and Betty Jo Simon, Overland Park, Kansas. And, of course, Mollie B and Squeezebox from Ohio.

Now, while you may get a chance to see Squeezebox perform at the Ennis taping, Louise Kucera, a member of the NAA Convention Planning Committee, and accordionist with the Alpine Village Band in Dallas, is quick to point out it's just not enough. "You'll only get to see them perform for an hour. At the convention polka party, they'll be playing from 8 to 11:30 and you can dance the night away," says Louise, also dubbed da Polka Police.

So, if you're attending the Mollie B taping in Ennis, Louise invites you to stick around, take in some sights around Dallas and get ready to party with Squeezebox on March 16! Contact Louise at 972-226-7004 for more info and sightseeing tips!

Meet the Moravians

The 6th Annual Ennis Czech Music Festival held on February 10 was a success in so many ways. Great bands. Family atmosphere. Yummy food. Cold beer. Excellent bartenders. Sokol Hall. One of my favorite parts of the festival was hearing The Moravians play. It’s a 7-piece band made up of high school and college guys. I love it that they are continuing the tradition of polka music. What’s more they attract a young audience that loves to dance! Oh, and they’re good! Excellent on the country tunes, too. I had a chance to visit via email with Matt Matous, one of the founders.

When did you form the band? In 2009. Adam, Josh and I had been considering it for a while and an opportunity arose for a talent show at the high school and they needed acts. So I signed us up and I talked to my brother, Zach, and a few family friends and we formed the band. We actually won first prize, which started our funds to purchase our own sound system with lots of help from my grandfather especially. The only member now who wasn’t in the original group is Kaleb Trojacek, but he joined a few months later. Kaleb has taught himself to play the accordion and what you heard the other night was due to two years of very devoted effort on his part and the love he shares for the heritage and the instrument.

Why did you name the band The Moravians? Because all of our ancestors migrated from the Moravia region of the Czech Republic.

Where have you played? We played this past fall at the Knights of Columbus in Dallas for an anniversary, the National Polka Festival in Ennis in the parade, the Ennis Czech Music Fest last year and this year, the St. John Parish Bazaar in Ennis, the KJT in Ennis for their annual Harvest Festival, and have also played in the Sokol bar in Ennis for jam sessions. We would of course love to play in other parts of Texas. [polkabeat.com will sponsor The Moravians appearance at the Texas Heritage Music and Dance Club free dance on Sunday, July 1, at Sengelmann Hall in Schulenburg. Headliner band is the Donnie Wavra Orchestra. This will be a great chance for Central Texas polka fans to hear this group.]

What’s your polka story? All of us grew up in Ennis and of course have attended countless dances growing up. We all go to the National Polka Festival every year and I have been to all 6 Czech Music Festivals. My grandmother is the one who actually taught me to dance when I was very little, we would practice in the kitchen Sunday mornings listening to the Johnny I. Krajca Polka Show (KBEC 1390 AM, Waxahachie). I know that the other members have very similar stories to mine, but we all grew up with the Czech heritage and traditions.

Are any of your parents musicians? The only one is our drummer Adam Rejcek. His grandfather was the founder of the Henry Rejcek Polka Band and his dad actually played trumpet and bass in the band along with his two uncles and grandfather many years ago. The rest of us are what you could call first generation musicians.

Who are some of your favorite polka bands? My personal favorite has always been the Vrazels. We actually took days off of school to go to Temple for their retirement dance. Other favorites include obviously Henry Rejcek's music, as well as Johnny Mensik's recording and more currently the Jodie Mikula Orchestra.

Which CDs are on your iPod/computer playlist? I actually am listening to Czech music right now as I am typing this email. I listen to it whenever I am at the computer doing homework. Every Sunday, I tune in online to listen to Johnny I. back home. I have all CDs from the Ennis bands, such as Czech and Then Some, Jodie Mikula, Jak se Do, Johnny Mensik, Henry Rejcek, a recording of the Lonestar Czechs and all the Vrazels CDs, of course. As I am typing this paragraph I actually listened to the Singing Mockingbird Waltz by the Vrazels, and the Happy Go Lucky Polka by the Mikulas. Basically I have all my music in a playlist and just let it run on shuffle. Just on my computer I have over 14 hours of Czech music so I never run out of stuff to listen to.

What are you Aggies majoring in? I am majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Adam is majoring in History. Even though our majors have nothing to do with music, we actually have a keyboard and an accordion here in our dorm and every so often play around. When I am not studying or other things I actually pull out sheet music and write songs. The melodies in our band’s music were passed down from the Henry Rejcek band and Kaleb and I have handwritten all the accompaniments and harmony by listening to recordings and applying a little bit of music theory. David Slovak (Czech and Then Some accordionist) has also helped us some by letting us play at Sokol jam sessions in Ennis.

Final thoughts? Any chance we get, we love to play and carry on our proud Czech heritage. Gig ’em!