Stern Polka aka Doudlebska

The old-tyme Czech dance, 'Doublebska Polka'

Also known by the name Stern Polka, here in a bare-bones arrangement:

Mollie Busta on Polka history

It's a few years old, but Mollie Busta's article on Polka history is worth reading if you haven't seen it yet.

Bayern Maiden

We did our 2nd annual German American Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest last week. The headline act was Bayern Maiden. They're more on the rock side than we are, but like us, they seem to really enjoy playing Oktoberfest music, and they're good at it!

Anyway, they went to Munich to check out what songs are being played this year:

da Blechhauf'n

Blechhauf'n has a lot of music on Youtube and elsewhere. They play some beautiful brass band arrangements.

Here they are in a video published earlier today, at what looks like an office party. The tune, Kannst du Knodel Kochen?, asks a girl whether she can cook dumplings. It was made popular by Ernst Mosch, but written by Czech composer Karel Vacek (1902-1982). I have a post on Vacek in the works.

Here's a fully produced music video of Ghost Riders in the Sky:

20 minute Blechhauf'n documentary in German: