The grand-daddy of all summer music festivals is Slovenefest at the SNPJ Recreation
Center in Enon Valley PA. This is a three-day event with music going at five different
venues non-stop: the Alpine Room, the Outside Stage, the International Pavilion,
the gostilna, and the Outside jam tent. And you don’t have to be of Slovenian lineage
to enjoy this festival. You just have to like good music and fun times! We didn’t
get there until Saturday so missed seeing some great bands on Friday. We especially
wanted to see the Mikey Dee Band because Mikey is a new friend and such a great talent
that we can only imagine how good his band sounds – and we wanted to get his new
CD “BANG”. (That title is so Mikey!) There was a little rain shower soon after
we arrived at the Rec Center on Saturday so we headed indoors until it blew over.
With our friends from the Detroit area (Ken Dowling, Gayle Chase and Mike Masten)
we followed the sound of button box music coming from the direction of the Heritage
Center and Museum, and found one of our favorite players, Kathy Hlad, entertaining
a group of people. Like so many of today’s great button accordionists, Kathy studied
with the late Frank Novak and was so talented that by the time she was fifteen years
old, she herself was teaching others. Still today, she has seven students and she
is involved in the Circle 2 Slovenian Junior Chorus in Cleveland OH, instilling in
others the same love for the Slovenian heritage that she has. As a matter of fact,
one of her music students and Circle 2 members, Kara Maruszak, won the title Miss
SNPJ 2009 just like Kathy did twenty-one years ago. Two of Kathy’s recent CD’s are
wonderful examples of her skill, not only in playing the diatonic button accordion
but in writing her own compositions, and in choosing and arranging songs that are
enhanced by this instrument. One CD came out in 2008 and is entitled “Kathy Hlad
plays The Old Songs” ending appropriately with the waltz “Smile Awhile” – from the
girl with the big beautiful smile. The other CD is another instrumental entitled
simply “Kathy Hlad” and it is a masterpiece. Kathy plays in a way that I can only
describe as “pure” because each song is played in it’s purest form without a lot
of riffs and trills, and the music isn’t dominated by banjo, guitar or brass. Her
rendition of the L. Slak waltz “Save the Last Dance” is the most beautiful version
that I have every heard, as is the song “Peg of My Heart”. Throughout this whole
CD you hear the bass of the button box as it is intended to be heard. Both CD’s
were produced by that musical genius Al Meixner and you can almost feel his hand
in the sound engineering when you are listening. I think that going into the project
these two artists had a vision of what they wanted to produce and were able to collaborate
utilizing each others’ skills and talents perfectly. I introduced Ken Dowling to
her as one of my button box mentors and told her that I would like him to learn her
composition “Mountain Echo” from the “Dear Friends” CD she made with Ron Likovic.
Before we left the park she very kindly gave us a copy of that CD as a gift for
Ken. We were able to see quite a few of the bands in the lineup on Saturday. Dick
Tady had an emergency medical situation in his family, so his band had to perform
without him – and they did a fine job. The George Staiduhar Orchestra has come back
after a hiatus and the fans were so glad to see them. People were lined up ten-deep
around the front of the stage just to see him play. This was the first time we had
ever seen George’s band play although we have heard so much about him over the years.
He is a well-respected musician and has a large fan following so we know we will
see lots more of him in the future. We caught the Fred Ziwich and the International
Sound Machine performance in the International Pavilion where he played to a good
crowd. Jack Tady and the Tady Bears played the outside stage and included some of
our favorite musicians - Brian O’Boyle, Ed Klancnik, and Jerry Zagar. The Gostilna
(the club bar-room) always hosts the button box clubs and although it was standing
room only all the time in there, we managed to see Linda Hochevar and her Magic Buttons
group which includes accordionist Frank Moravcik. An invitation to the motor home
of George Gojtan and Karen Tiede (friends from the SAC club) for a polka jam complete
with lots of food and refreshments and lots of good music was on our afternoon agenda.
The Rote family was out in force – cousins Chuck and Louie with their beautiful
Mervars, Debbie and father Chuck Rote Sr. And many of our friends from the Melvindale
SAC (Slovene American Club) who play accordions or who love the music were there,
along with some newcomers who are just finding the polka road we travel. It was
hard to tear ourselves away to get back to the Slovenefest program – so much going
on at the same time! From 8PM to midnight the Eddie Rodick Orchestra performed an
amazing polka jamboree – they had the people jumping, singing and EI-EI-O-ing so
much that you would think it should blow the tent right off the pad! Their musicians
are so talented and their music is so dynamic that you can’t help getting caught
up in the excitement of it all. The band took a break only to allow the crowd to
watch the fireworks, then it was right back to the music. There were a lot of young
people in the crowd and an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. The Rodick band consisted
of Ron Sluga on banjo, Eric Stehle on sax (Frank Yasnowski had an illness in the
family and couldn’t attend), Terry Skovensi on bass, Kim Rodick on drums, and of
course the master, Eddie Rodick on accordion and keyboards. During the evening they
called up a number of featured guests. Playing a few songs were Ron Likovic, award-winning
button boxer and a youngster named Martin Mavec (who got a real workout trying to
keep up with Ron). John Stehle, Eric’s brother played second accordion during the
evening and we understand that these brothers have a band in their home state of
Colorado. R.J. Likovic (Ron’s twenty-year old son) sat in on the drums for a while.
Brian O’Boyle joined in for a rousing rendition of “She Don’t Want No Eggroll” –
sung by the Wojtila family members. Eddie Klancnik filled in for Kim on drums, transferring
mid-song (how do they do that!!). And a pretty blond named Donna Seibert from California
tore up the stage with a few songs on her beautiful white Mervar accordion. I really
hope we get to see her Polka Power Band play here in the East sometime. I mentioned
that to Tony Petkovsek as an idea for his Thanksgiving Polka Party but it would also
be a good idea for Slovenefest next year. Or maybe both! We moved from the outside
tent in to the gostilna after the Rodick Band finished and were delighted to see
a whole group of young musicians jamming on the stage. Among them were Eddie Klancnik,
Brian O’Boyle, Mike Kramer, Martin Mavec, and RJ Likovic on drums. RJ is the only
person I know who has 790 polka and waltz songs on his Ipod and he told me he just
bought two more CD’s that day so will now have even more. RJ is a good little drummer
– and getting better, and he got some pretty good lessons at Slovenefest. We watched
as Ed Klancnik stood just to the side and front of RJ. and while the music played
Ed would make gestures at certain times showing RJ what hits to make, shaking his
head if RJ didn’t do the right thing, nodding if he did something right. Eddie never
looked at him at all but RJ was sure watching Ed. Kim Rodick is another good teacher
and RJ hangs right behind her watching and learning her moves. The next day we saw
him sitting in with the Grkman Band. Bless you all for mentoring these youngsters.
Polka music shall return with a vengeance someday, the same as country music did
(remember when country music was passe?) and these youngsters are the reason why.
We didn’t get to bed till about 3AM. On Sunday, we arrived in time to have a quick
visit with the Grkman family before they started to perform. It’s always so nice
to see Joe Sr. and Elsie enjoying the musical dynasty that they started. Joe Jr.
retired from his teaching position a year ago and the good news is that Mike and
Steve have quit their day jobs too and the whole family is working in music full
time – and making a good living doing it. This is almost unique in the music business
– of any genre – so it is especially wonderful when you consider it in the polka
music that we love. As well as music festivals, and booked functions, the Grmkman’s
have full-time playing work with a brew house and dining establishment. Congratulations
are in order for Mike and Allison who have welcomed a new baby boy to their family.
Mother and baby are doing fine and Mike is ecstatic! Go to their website www.grkmania.com
for lots more information about this amazing family – and to buy their CD’s. We
went to the gostilna to hear the button box groups and although it was packed and
you had to stand to see them, we did want to hear the Mahoning Valley Button Box
Club, one of the longest running groups of its kind. The sound of two beautiful
voices wafted out as we came up the stairs – and we found that it was our good friend
Kathy Paulenich singing a duet with Irene (don’t know her last name). They sounded
like angels (at least I think that is what angels would sound like!). We stayed
to catch the Veseli Fantje group perform although it was so packed in the room you
could hardly breathe. Darryl & Frank Valencic, Bob Zgonc, Tony Trontel, Skip Tomecsko,
and Gary Skovensi providing bass – these guys are a huge hit every year but unless
you get in there a long time before they start you can’t get a seat – or even standing
room. The 28th Annual Slovenefest was another huge success, with a big turnout,
good weather and the sweetest music this side of heaven! We are already looking
forward to Slovenefest 29 which is going to be held July 9-11, 2010. Be there –
you won’t want to miss it.
