Written By TJ Salonick
TJ’s Push ‘N Polka Show with TJ and Melanie Salonick is heard every Sunday at 5:00pm EST on WMBS 590 AM in Uniontown, PA and online at www.polkatj.com
As a Polka DJ, I am fortunate to have access to a loftier and wider variety of recordings than the average fan likely does. Every so often, one comes along that simply makes you say “Wow!” When Dynabrass released 20/20 Polkas, I slipped it into the player to give it a listen. I was excited for this release and I was not disappointed. From track 1 to track 15, the CD takes hold of your soul and doesn’t let go.
20/20 Polkas features four original tunes, one old standard, and ten tunes never previously done in the traditional Polka tempo. My first and primary critique when listening to a release for the first time is the quality and originality of its content. When a band releases a new album, I want to hear new music. That doesn’t necessarily mean the band must compose 15 original tracks. But for a cover song to be a success, it must contain two elements. First, and most obvious, it must be done well. And second, it should embody the spirit of the band, similar to the way Eddie and Frank could take a Buck Owen’s song and make it sound like an original Versatones or TBC tune. Dynabrass hit a couple of home runs in that regard on 20/20. Listening to tunes like “Someday You’ll Love Me” forced me to question whether they were Jeff Mleczko songs that were previously unreleased.
The recording kicks off with a bang, with the original tune “The Girls Just Want to Dance”. Joe teams with Kevin Adams to sum up every polka festival I have ever been to. The guys head to the bar, the girls head to the dance floor, and somewhere along the way they meet. Sums up how I met my wife and danced with her that very first night we met, but only after bar standing most of the night! With a kickin’ trumpet, vocals to sing along with and a tune you can imagine the crowd in front of the band 1-2-3 stepping it to the next USPA/IPA song of the year!
With a little bit of flair, “Paint the Town” is a somewhat obscure country favorite with some unique sax and accordion solos. Remember, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come, so go out and have some fun with this ditty!
“Nothing But Trouble” was co-authored by Joe and Mike Costa, somewhat blindly. Joe originally penned the tune but didn’t like the melody. He sent the lyrics to Mike, and viola, a hit was born! Sometimes a little trouble is warranted, particularly when it comes to the opposite sex! We’ve all had that dose of trouble, and sometimes it’s just what we need! And the horn solo at the end … whew!
The simplicity of the Polish vocals on “My Annie” make this one of the best tunes on the whole recording. Very few Polka fans actually speak fluent Polish, and it’s often clear that a lot of musicians gloss over some words knowing we will never notice. Joe’s enunciation and clarity of the foreign vocals on “My Annie” are exceptional.
As far as waltzes go, I can count on one hand the number of waltzes that do not get the “waltz button” on the player. “Journey of Love” became part of that elite club the minute I heard it. If Barry Manilow and Kenny Rogers got together to write a song, it would sound exactly like this tune. Turns out, it was written by Joe, AJ, and Ted Lange.
When you listen to the original Conway Twitty version of “Someday You’ll love Me”, it is a classic 70’s country song about a man pining for the woman of his dreams. Dynabrass takes the context of a willful man to another level. Combined with a forceful trumpet duo and awesome key change, their interpretation makes you root for a happy ending.
In the classic tale of our alternating personalities, “The Hangover” reminds me of Saturday morning at Holy Toledo Polka Days. After Friday night’s festivities, Saturday morning certainly doesn’t feel anything at all similar to the fun of the previous night. All the more reason to invite that devil back in for round 2! Remember, you can always quit tomorrow!!
When I looked up the original Skipinnish version of “Walking on the Waves” I instantly loved it. Scottish with accordion and violin. I feel the literal meaning is love, having someone with you through your life, supporting and loving you, you can’t go wrong. But on a spiritual level with the goings-on in the world today I can’t help but think of how having faith in a greater power walking with you makes everything feel possible. Although we may not know it, there is a reason for everything in life and after listening to this song, it sticks with you and I find myself singing the refrain. PS. No offense to our Scottish friends, but Dynabrass did it better!
When I hear the instrumental “Moscow Mule”, I immediately think of one of my favorite TBC tunes, “Midnight in Moscow”. Tunes done in the minor key are somewhat of an anomaly in the Polka field, but when one is done as well as “Moscow Mule”, it can be a refreshing change of pace to the ear!
Buck Owens makes his presence felt in the snappy Oberek “Whose Gonna Mow Your Grass” and basically says if you don’t treat your partner right, they may bounce and you’ll be all alone to keep yourself warm at night, and mow your own grass!
As a DJ, I am always looking for what I call a “come-backer”, or a tune to bring us back from a commercial break. I prefer something very catchy, upbeat, and something with a different beginning than most tunes. “Every Day at My Place” gives me all of that, with its catchy Polish lyrics and driving melody right out of the gate.
With “One Step Two Step” I see another dance along, right up there with “Dance All Night” and I can’t wait to see what the Polka peeps come up with for this spunky, hot polka!
“Alcohol Waltz” was tucked away in the DynaBrass horn book since 2006, with horn charts arranged by Jeff Mleczko. I commend Brad Paisley for admitting what we all know can and usually does happen when we over-imbibe on the devils’ beverage. Dale takes you through some of the lighter moments one may experience with his amazing ability to adapt when singing and he knocks this waltz out of the park.
“Play Me Some Music” is another one of those polish tunes that is great for a radio DJ. Being able to get the audience right back to the dance floor after a break is a must, even if that dance floor is the living room! A very simple Polish tune with great accompanying melodies makes this one a hidden gem on “20/20 Polkas”!
Unfortunately, some Polka fans can be somewhat close-minded when it comes to tunes they have never heard before. So it was critical for Dynabrass to give those folks something to look forward to as well. When I first saw “In Heaven There Is No Beer”, I initially sighed at the thought of adding another version of this song to my collection. Then I listened to it and was blown away. In addition to some refreshing original lyrics mixed in, the sax solo at the end is worth the price of the cd!
The two final elements of a great project have less to do with the band and more to do with those in the background. The music itself must be recorded and produced well, and the finished product should be something that catches the eye. For the actual recording and mixing, Dynabrass utilized Gary Rhamy and Peppermint Productions, one of the best in the game. It was then sent off to DiscMakers, where the fabulous artwork and photography were blended together to give “20/20 Polkas” that certain look that stands out almost as much as the recording itself.
As the old saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. In this case, 20/20 is ahead of you, and you’d be foolish not to pick up a copy and give it a listen.
How to Purchase the CD: Anyone interested in purchasing the new DynaBrass CD can do so online at www.dynabrass.com/recordings.html
-OR- It is Digitally available to purchase on iTunes https://music.apple.com/us/album/20-20-polkas/1510701059
-OR- by mailing a check payable to “TOPOMO Records” c/o Joe Zalewski, 5524 Ginger Tree Lane, Toledo, OH 43623. All DynaBrass CD’s are $18 each and the price includes shipping in the USA.