Polish Village Music – Various Artists CD 7031

Description

CD 7031

Recordings from the early Polish – American communities in New York and Chicago from 1927 -1933. At the turn of the century the Polish-speaking population in Chicago drew music makers and music lovers from the villages and mountains of southeastern Poland an area with a rich and distinctive tradition of music and song that continued to sustain immigrants in their new urban environment. The elegant violin/flute dominated sounds of George Dzialowy’s Orkiestra Makowska reflect the dominant Chicago Polish ensemble sound of the period. Also included are the Józef Brangel Orkiestra Piotr Kopacz Orkiestra Jana Dranki and others.
1. Wsciekla Polka (Wild Polka)
2. Tam Pod Krakowem Na Bloniach
3. Tramla Polka
4. Ostatki Na Podhalu (Last Evening In Podhalu)
5. Icek W Kolomej (Isaac In Kolomej)
6. Zlota Rybka (The Golden Fish)
7. Wyjechalem W Pole Orac
8. Pijal Ojciec Pije Ja
9. Po Bobowisku (In The Bean Field)
10. Cialy Do Boxy (Charlie In Jail)
11. Oberek Z Gorlic (Oberek From Gorlic)
12. Pasla Andzia Pawie (Andzia Tended Peacoc
13. Dziadowski Karnawal (Beggar’s Carnival)
14. Oberek Kopacza (Kicking Oberek)
15. Nie Boje Sie Ulana (I’m Not Afraid Of The Uhlan)
16. Oj W Bernie W Magazynie (Magazine In Be
17. Zbojcy W Karczmie (Bandits At The Inn)
18. Piesn Dziadowska (Beggar’s Song)
19. Antek Z Manka Tancza Rach-Ciach-Ciach
20. Z Karpat (From The Carpathians)
21. Gdy Bylem Mlody (When I Was Young)
22. Stach (Stan)
23. Okreznym (Holiday Feast)
24. Diabel W Niewoli (Devil In Jail)
25. Na Boisku (On The Sportsfield)

REVIEW

“World music remains the most interesting area of exploration for the independents and Folklyric’s Polish Village Music: Historic Polish American Recordings Chicago and New York 1927-1933 (CD 7031) doesn’t fail to please. These aren’t the better-known polkas popularized by Li’l Wally nor are they the commercially smooth and danceable rhythms of Lawrence Welk. This rustic regional Polish music relies heavily on violin to carry the melodies. The traditional base for the songs came in the early 20th century with the immigrants who brought the sounds of Krakow Gorlice Jaslo and other areas of Poland to the East and Midwest of America. If you’re an aficionado of good Polish names you’ll enjoy this collection which has some marvelous ones: Waclaw Terchanowicz Wladyslaw Polak and the Baczkowski Wiejska Orkiestra.”

(Geary Kaczorowski — Schwann Spectrum)