Trivia Question: how many acts playing the city this past weekend can claim 16 Grammys? No, not Dave Matthews, not Roger Waters, not even The Police. Only one man can boast that track record: the Polka King himself, Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, who played the Liberty House Restaurant in Liberty State Park yesterday.
OK, now that you’ve stopped chuckling: Polka is some of the world’s greatest dance music, first heard in Europe in the middle of the 19th Century and popularized by composers such as Johann Strauss and Bederich Smetana, each of whom wrote dozens of polkas. It arrived in this country along with the waves of Czech, Slovenian and Polish immigrants in the late 19th Century, and evolved over the 20th Century into a hybrid of folk, bluegrass, blues, and even rock.
As for Jimmy and the band, they’ve cut over 100 albums over the past 35 years, including five with Willie Nelson, with whom they’ll be appearing this September at the big Farm Aid concert on Randall’s Island. (Apparently, they had them dancing in the aisles at last summer’s Farm Aid in Chicago.) They eke out a living playing around 170 gigs a year, mostly in casinos and Holiday Inns, along with the summer festival circuit. (Hunter Mountain, anyone?) Jimmy kept the cocktail lounge banter lively between songs, occasionally joining in on clarinet. When he’s not on the road, Jimmy lives in the house he grew up in, in rural Florida, NY (Population: 1,700.)
The rest of the band – which features a full brass section, guitar, drums, keyboard, and accordion – played like a well-oiled machine. Most have played with the orchestra for at least 20 years, with several – including trumpeter Eric Parks and drummer Dennis Chapman – having been with Jimmy since the beginning. The newest member, singer Gennarose, joined the band three years ago after meeting them on a cruise. She was hired on the spot, and eventually married the band’s pianist, Keith Slattery, a 9 year veteran.
Sure, there were cheesy moments, like the big introductory medley featuring Neil Diamond’s "America" and Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, and a synth-heavy version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." But mostly, they stuck to the classics like "Roll Out the Barrel" and "Pennsylvania Polka," along with copious selections from Jimmy’s own catalogue, including several cuts off their brand new release, Come Share the Wine. (Sadly, they didn’t play anything off their 1979 release Polka Disco.) Despite the constant encouragement of the band, I didn’t see a lot of dancing, but there was this one happy couple showing everyone how it’s done.
Jimmy and the Orchestra were headed straight to Branson, MO after the show in their custom 45 foot luxury coach, where they are set to tape 20 episodes of The Jimmy Sturr Show, which airs weekly on RFD-TV, "Rural America’s Most Important Network." Check your local listings.
Hi–great article on the band. Just wanted to fact check a little. My name is spelled “Gennarose” (common mistake!) and I met Keith (who’s been with the band for 9 years)in New York City when he offered to make me a professional demo. Then Keith took me on a cruise, where I met Jimmy, and then Keith and I were married.
I was never a showgirl. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi–great article on the band. Just wanted to fact check a little. My name is spelled “Gennarose” (common mistake!) and I met Keith (who’s been with the band for 9 years)in New York City when he offered to make me a professional demo. Then Keith took me on a cruise, where I met Jimmy, and then Keith and I were married.
I was never a showgirl. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi–great article on the band. Just wanted to fact check a little. My name is spelled “Gennarose” (common mistake!) and I met Keith (who’s been with the band for 9 years)in New York City when he offered to make me a professional demo. Then Keith took me on a cruise, where I met Jimmy, and then Keith and I were married.
I was never a showgirl. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi–great article on the band. Just wanted to fact check a little. My name is spelled “Gennarose” (common mistake!) and I met Keith (who’s been with the band for 9 years)in New York City when he offered to make me a professional demo. Then Keith took me on a cruise, where I met Jimmy, and then Keith and I were married.
I was never a showgirl. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi–great article on the band. Just wanted to fact check a little. My name is spelled “Gennarose” (common mistake!) and I met Keith (who’s been with the band for 9 years)in New York City when he offered to make me a professional demo. Then Keith took me on a cruise, where I met Jimmy, and then Keith and I were married.
I was never a showgirl. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi–great article on the band. Just wanted to fact check a little. My name is spelled “Gennarose” (common mistake!) and I met Keith (who’s been with the band for 9 years)in New York City when he offered to make me a professional demo. Then Keith took me on a cruise, where I met Jimmy, and then Keith and I were married.
I was never a showgirl. 🙂
Thanks!
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Liked you and saw you In New Brunsfels Wurstfest
with Jimmy Surr
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Liked you and saw you In New Brunsfels Wurstfest
with Jimmy Surr
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Liked you and saw you In New Brunsfels Wurstfest
with Jimmy Surr
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Liked you and saw you In New Brunsfels Wurstfest
with Jimmy Surr