POLKA FESTIVAL WITH BIG DADDY
By
Raymond Rolak
TROY,
MI-- So many Polish Nationals don’t consider Polka Music part of Polish culture. “But there isn’t Polka music in Poland,” is the
often reply from some Polish Nationals.
So what I say.
In North America, Polka Music is part of
the fabric of the Polonia music beat. For
second generation Polish-Americans, the Polka sound is a Polish country-jazz hybrid. The upbeat resonance of a snappy Polka brings
smiles to most. What would a Polish
wedding be if you didn’t have Polka Music and/or an accordion player?
Rooted from Polish gorali (hill folk-country people) American and Canadian Polka music
is still evolving and growing. In fact, the
Polish-American Polka Music genre has spread.
Mexican Tijana Music has influence from the American Polka. The San Antonio style of Mariachi and Tijana brass
and accordion influence was brought to Texas from Polish and German immigrants,
many of who came from Detroit in the 1850’s. Another Tex-Mex offshoot is Conjunto Music
highlighted by the button accordion. The
Conjunto fusion and hybrid sound has even migrated to Cuba. Global music historians know of Detroit’s
vast pedigree of American Jazz, Motown and Techno sounds but who knew that
Tijana and Conjunto had Detroit Polka heredity?
This all leads to the “Polka Festival”
on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at the American Polish Cultural Center on Maple Road
in Troy, Michigan. Starting at 1:00 P.M.
and running through 8:00 P.M. The center
attraction will be Big Daddy Lackowski and the La Dee Das. Also on stage will be the Polka Family Band with
their popular brass additions. The longtime touring group features their hit
single, the “Ooh La, Ooh La La Polka.”
Respected as a master accordionist, Big
Daddy followed his older brothers into a Polka band. He often talks about the power that accordion
music has had on his life. He had told
me, “Growing up on the farm, music was our entertainment. Other musicians may have a ‘feel’ for certain
sounds of certain instruments but for me the accordion is king. That led me to Polka Music. The three of us would play the thumb area of
Michigan starting in the fifties,” he added.
Currently, Big Daddy has the great
fortune to be entertaining Polish-American crowds alongside his three
sons. They always sprinkle their
trademark hit, the “La-Dee-Da-Polka” throughout their performance. The present day La Dee Das consist of Big
Daddy (Marshall Lackowski), Jack Wolak, John Lackowski, Richard Kuciemba,
Joshua Lackowski and Mark Lackowski. At
the APCC “Polka Festival” event ($15) there will also be dinner options available
at the adjacent and renowned Wawel Polish Restaurant.
Another occasion that Big Daddy and the
La Dee Das will be performing locally will be during pregame, outside the
stadium at Polish-American Night at Comerica Park before the Tigers vs. Yankees
on Friday, June 1.
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Big Daddy Lackowski and accordions
