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:

The band

I named this blog Blow Musik! when I started it back in 2011, after searching YouTube for 'blasmusik' videos. We ended up using it as the name of our band, too.

The band is getting busy. Tomorrow, 9/25: GACC Oktoberfest with Bayern Maiden (sold out!) 

Friday and Saturday at Schroeder's

Sunday afternoon, Atlas cafe 

Here's a Google Calendar that shows all the BlowMusik dates, along with Deutscher Musikverein dates, since a few of us are in both groups.

Erinnerungen an Brennberg by Peter Zauner

Here's a fine Blasmusik tune being played by many current German bands.
First, a version by Die Wirtshaus Vielharmoniker.

Next, Tegernseer Tanzlmusi. Big Flügelhorns on the right!

The song also goes by the name of Wiesergraben Polka. Here's a slow one by Die Bradler:

The arrangement is for sale on several german sites, for about 35€... hmmm

Cuckoo Waltz, (Kuckucks-Walzer)

YouTube isn't working too well with Blogger tonight. So, instead of posting the videos here, I'll just post the links.

Brian and the MVD, beautiful concertina feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CPjDkixTYU

It works as standard oompah band fare:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVkQVoPLucM

If Ernst Mosch played it, you know it's good Blasmusik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERD60l283jA

Will Glahé, another classic artist of the genre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnjwlOah_RQ

My arrangement in progress on Noteflight, copied mostly from the 1st version above
http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/f3f65ca937f1d2faf228a9a4c11adc1fe5345954

Polkacide, Bottom of the Hill, 8/8/14

I saw Polkacide many times in the 80s and 90s.  I wasn’t sure I would still like their punk version of polka, since I’ve been playing polkas myself lately, and may have developed a more, umm, mature outlook on the genre. I thought of reasons not to go: they’ll be too loud, too ironic, too goofy. But it sounded like I had a date, so I bought tickets, and I’m glad I did.

There are photos of the show in this article on SF Gate, about how music venues are threatened by the tech boom in SF. It’s true, everything is threatened, and there is no easy fix. Go hear a band while you still can. 

I actually liked all three acts a lot. Pachuco Cadaver, described as a Captain Beefheart cover band, had plenty of originality; the tunes I recognized were greatly changed.  The 2nd band, Black Cat Grave, was a duo made up of a bearded singing guitarist and a very energetic drummer. Rocking! 

Polkacide did several of the same tunes that we do in BlowMusik, but they were showier, louder, and ironic. They opened with Helena Polka, as they normally do. I heard notes of dixieland, free jazz, saturday morning cartoons… it was fun and manic.  The Chicken Dance was ridiculous. Slow, fast, “La la la La, la La, la LA LA!” Yes, I danced! The Beer Barrel Polka started super slow and sexy: Roll… Out…. the Barrel… 

Who Stole the Kishka had horns playing all the minor key melodies that it needs. 

My date didn’t go, in the end, which is too bad because I’m hoping to get her to like polka music. For her, polka is Laurence Welk. But polka is also Polkacide, Karl Hartwich, Romy Gosz. Punk is a lot of things, but Polka is a beat, and it happens to be the punkest of beats. The dances styles are different, but I maintain that polka and punk rock are virtually the same thing. 

non-commercial? check. no extended, self-indulgent solos? check

Do It Yourself? don’t let your lack of talent, training, or qualifications stop you? check

Play your music with passion and directness, don't worry about what's popular? this is in all kinds of good music.