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| Kristen
Twedt Online |
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| Big Joe's Polka Show Rocks on RFD-TV |
 A
freelance writer and columnist, Kristen
lives in Hattiesburg, MS with her husband,
son and daughter. They have three dogs and
two cats. She holds a bachelor's degree in
biology from the University of Southern
Mississippi and has worked as a veterinary
technician, a seafood microbiologist and a
cytogenetic technologist for the federal
government, a teacher's assistant and
communications coordinator. Currently, she
does publicity work and aspires to finish at
least one novel before she exhausts her
three remaining brains cells.
Kristen is a
member of the National Society of Newspaper
Columnists.
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Nothing rocks a Saturday night like a polka. We caught Big Joe's Polka Show broadcast from America's heartland via satellite on RFD-TV. You know, RFD, like Mayberry, RFD. Rural Free Delivery. It's a postal thing. But Big Joe is all about music. And fancy shirts. And the closest thing to a time warp as you are likely to find outside reruns of "The Twilight Zone."
My mom and dad got hooked, then our daughter insisted that "You gotta watch Big Joe!" Steven and I poked fun at their strange fixation on accordion music. It evoked images of beef fests and wedding receptions gone bad. But then we saw the show. I can't believe I'm saying this, but polka is "da bomb."
Our first episode featured pretty much what you see any week on Big Joe's Polka Show. This particular show featured bands from Nebraska, live performances with trombones, trumpet, drums, saxophone and, of course, accordions. Polish, German, Czechoslovakian, Bohemian. The songs all sound remarkably the same, thanks to the oompah rhythm.
Dancing couples waltz or fox trot or make it up as they go. They range in age from toddlers to folks old enough to have personally pioneered the Wild West. And they make for fascinating TV.
The elderly couples, with white hair and wrinkles, stooped shoulders and the limited range of advanced arthritis, glide around the dance floor with impeccable timing and huge smiles. Women wear crinolines, nude panty hose and patent leather shoes in the style of Orphan Annie. Men wear Sansabelt slacks, frilly shirts and loafers. They are having the time of their lives. But they are not the only ones.
Alongside grandma and grandpa, couples of all ages hop and slide and twirl to the sound of what Big Joe calls "happy music for happy people." Kids act like those at an amusement park, laughing and racing around. The carnival ride stops momentarily when the musicians
break and Big Joe introduces the next song. He is the single most enthusiastic TV personality I have ever witnessed. He is captivating, and I cannot stop watching.
At their Web site, www.polkacatalog.com, Mike and Barb Siedlik offer a bit of history on Big Joe, who is Mike's dad.
"He promotes polka music! Not just Polish or Czech or German...but, anything to do with polkas. He started a record company in the '60's, recording different bands/orchestras. Any group, from two boys (accordion/drums) to a Czechoslovakian group called Moravanka. Just to keep alive polkas."
Before I saw Big Joe's Polka Show, I might have scoffed at its entertainment value. Polkas suffer the ridicule of comedians and get a lot of bad press as "granny" music. But then, think of "Roll Out the Barrel." Compelling, isn't it? That song defies you to ignore your happy feet.
Liberace, the flamboyant pianist, loved polkas. One of his greatest hits was "Beer Barrel Polka." Bobby Vinton sang some of the most beloved polka titles in the United States, including "That's Amore" and "Pennsylvania Polka." Lawrence Welk was to polkas what Billy Ray Cyrus is to country line dancing. And now Big Joe continues the tradition of the music and dance that originated in Bohemia in the 1800's and thrives today in the young at heart.
Perhaps that is the appeal of polka. Despite the threat of looking utterly uncool with fluffy skirts, bouffant hair and a style reminiscent of a 1940's cocktail party, any of us is just three quick steps and a hop away from feeling young, energized, and well, happy.
So, rock on Big Joe. Love those see-through sleeves and flashy vests. Polka gives us a great reason to grab a partner, cut the rug and waltz our cares away. You're a happy guy for happy people, and very cool by any standard.
Want to see Big Joe?
Here he is with the Joe Beno Band!
http://www.commandertrombone.com/archive/movies/jbeno.mov
==============================
Kristen Twedt is a weekly columnist at Macon Area Online. Drop her a line if you enjoy her columns.
You can visit Kristens website at www.KristenTwedt.com or write to her at [email protected].
Copyright Kristen Twedt 2006
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