The Boys from Baltimore are returning to the Polish Community Center, 225 Washington Ave Ext, Albany, NY on Saturday, April 27 from 6-10pm. The kitchen will be open with Polish and American food available. The Ladies’ Auxiliary will also be having raffles and a bake sale featuring many delicious baked goods. Tickets cost $15 and reservations are recommended. Please contact Darius Figiel 518-235-6001 for more information and reservations.
In a press release issued by the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame last week, Ron Urbanczyk of the New Direction Band was named to its class of 2011 inductees. Renowned Western New York Polka musician Ron Urbanczyk is a veteran band leader, musician, promoter and author who works as the concertina player with the New Direction Band. Urbanczyk will be honored along with his fellow inductees at the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Gala, to be held on October 6th at the Tralf Music Hall.
The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Class of 2011, will be introduced to the public in downtown Buffalo on Wednesday, July 27th in front of the M&T Plaza at noon.
Ron is only the fifth “polka musician” to be honored by the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. His nomination was presented to the selection committee in March and after their review and scoring process, Ron was selected.
The BMHOF selection committee judges nominee’s based on their musical talents and tenure, community service activities, professional achievements, career highlights and the performers public visibility on the local and national levels.
Amongst Ron’s musical talents of playing the accordion, bass guitar, concertina and keyboard, his dinner theatre brainchild, Stas and Stella’s Mostly Traditional Polish Wedding, and his song writing abilities, six new originals will be featured on the New Direction’s first CD which they hope to record late this summer, were recognized.
He has played polkas for almost 50 years with the Jolly Jesters, Pole Cats, Steel City Brass, Buffalo Concertina All-Stars, Honky Hoppers, Bedrock Boys and City Side prior to forming the New Direction Band in 2009 with Jim Raczkowski, Bob Krupka, Frank Zeczak and Bill Barnas.
Ron put a trip together after receiving an invitation by the Chemnitz Mueseum of Art & Culture for the Buffalo Concertina Club in 2001. They traveled and performed in Chemnitz and Gruna, Germany, and Krakow and Rzeszow, Poland and visited Prague in the Czech Republic. He found sponsorship from the Deutsche Bank, PUA and Buffalo-Rzeszow Sister Cities Organization to cover the bands expenses.
In conjunction with WXRL 1300, a children’s clothing drive and cash donations for the Children’s Orphanage in Rzeszow was held. Boxes of clothing and $2,000 were collected and given to the Orphanage.
When little Timmy Gusevich was diagnosed with leukemia and Ron found out Greg Gusevich, Tim’s Father had lost his job and health insurance, Ron rounded up fellow Buffalo Polka Musicians at the Potts Banquet Hall to run a benefit dance for Tim, that event earned over $4000.
Ron also brought polka music into venues that were once thought off limits, the New York State Fair, Hamburg Casino, Batavia Casino, Miss Buffalo, town concerts in East Aurora, West Seneca, Orchard Park, Lackawanna and even to Club Lorelei an exclusive German club to name a few.
Ron is an active member of the Buffalo Polka Boosters, United States Polka Association, International Polka Association, Concertina USA, and is responsible for airing It’s Polka Time a one hour polka show on Time Warner Cable outlets in the Suburbs of Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Lockport. Ron and his wife Kathy have also escorted, polka fans from Buffalo on four Caribbean Cruises and to all inclusive vacations at resorts on several Caribbean islands.
Most recently, Ron started as an IJ on the Polka Legacy Network on Tuesday nights from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Listen in. Ron’s format features Buffalo Bands and Musicians.
So Ron is well deserving of his induction into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame and we look forward to the October induction ceremony.
The 2011 Polish Summer Festival at the Albany Polish Community Center, 225 Washington Ave Ext., Albany, NY on Sunday, July 10th from 1:30 – 7pm.
Music, Dancing, Polish-American food, Kids’ activities, Polish exhibits and Polka Music by the Polka Country Musicians from 2:30 – 6:30pm
Children 16 and under free admission, Spacious Dance Floor, Plenty of Parking.
For reservations please call Tom Raymond at 518-283-0129 or Frank Koslow at 518-456-1961.
January is National Polka Month! Join in at Buffalo’s Broadway Market as they celebrate with live music from some of Buffalo’s best Polka bands. The New Direction Band will be performing live polka on Saturday, January 8, 2011 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Broadway Market offers some of the best local produce, meats and baked goods around. Start the New Year off right with the New Direction Band and the Broadway Market. Visit the Market website for a full list of January’s Polka events.
For additional information contact the Broadway Market at 716-893-0705. The market is located at 999 Broadway and is open everyday, except Sunday, from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Parking is available in the parking ramp attached to the market.
Polish-American Buffet at the Albany Polish Community Center, 225 Washington Ave Ext., Albany, NY on Friday, October 8th from 4-8pm. Call 518-456-3995 for more information.
Film Screening: The American Polish Central Committee of Lawrence County will show the movie “Nine Days That Changed the World — Pope John Paul II” at 5 p.m. Sunday, October 10th at Holy Trinity Polish National Catholic Church, 1708 S. Jefferson St., New Castle, PA as a part of the October celebration of Polish-American Heritage Month. The documentary is about Pope John Paul II’s historic nine-day pilgrimage to Poland in June 1979 just before the disintegration of Communism in Eastern Europe. The public is invited to the free showing, and refreshments will be served. More information about the American Polish Central Committee.
Ziti Dinner and Basket Raffle: Saturday, October 16th, 5-7 p.m at Resurrection of the Lord Polish National Catholic Church, 35 Zerby Ave., Edwardsville, PA. Adults pay $8; $4 for children 10 years old and younger. Salad, meatballs, ziti, bread, homemade deserts, and beverages served. Takeouts available. For more information call Margaret, 570-288-9350, Dorothy, 570-287-5843, the Rev. Pawel, 570-283-2686, or Rich Manta, 570-696-3668.
Harvest Festival/Dożynki at the Albany Polish Community Center, 225 Washington Ave Ext., Albany, NY on Sunday, October 17th from Noon until 8pm.
A great event. Had a wonderful time with the great folks from Little Falls and St. Johnsville. The food was beyond excellent and Tony’s Polka Band kept the tempo. I also won a bottle of wine in the raffle – hurray! Its a Fredonia produced by Heritage Wine Cellars, a small craft winery in North East, PA
Polka Fest to benefit Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, 1 – 5 p.m. today, Saturday, September 18th, at the East Herkimer Fish & Game Club, Pine Grove Road, East Herkimer. Featuring Bill and Ed’s Polka Band. Admission $8.
Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Basket Raffle 4-7 p.m. September 25th, Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church, 17 Sheridan St., Heights, Wilkes-Barre. Open salad bar, dessert and beverage included. Adults pay $8; $4 for children 12 and younger at the door.
Local favorite, Tony’s Polka Band, performing at the St. Stanislaus Youth Center in Scranton in 2007. Enjoy!
Four former members of the City Side Band, Jim Raczkowski, Ron Urbanczyk, Bob Krupka and Gene Rzezenik have joined together with Bruce Nowak (sax and clarinet) to form the New Direction Band.
The Band will make its debut performance on December 5th for the fifth annual Euro-American Holiday Dance at Club Loreli in Hanburg, NY with the Auslanders.
Following on their openning gig, the Band will be featured at Kolędy Night at the Potts Banquet Hall on Saturday, December 19th. This event will benefit the Response to Love Center and will feature the St. John Kanty Choir under the direction of Larry Maguda.. Sister’s Johnice, Catherine and Rose will also be featured leading the Polish and American Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long.
On New Years Eve the New Direction Band will be setting the mood at the Matthew Glab Post Party in Lackawanna, NY.
In addition to our new name, new music and new musicians, the Band will be presenting the Stas and Stella’s Mostly Traditional Polish Wedding at dinner theatres throughout 2010 with some new skits and music. The next show is scheduled at the Lancaster Opera House on April 8th and on April 9th at Ripa’s Restaurant on Walden Avenue in Lancaster.
8th Annual PolishFest ’09 at the Blessed Virgin Mary of Częstochowa Polish National Catholic Church through Sunday, September 27th.
Portland, Oregon’s Polish Festival 2009 on Failing Street between the Polish Library built in 1911 and St. Stanislaus Church built in 1907, both located on N. Interstate Avenue in Portland Oregon through Sunday, September 27th.
Polish National Catholic Church of The Good Shepherd’s Fall festival at 269 E. Main St., Plymouth,. Pennsylvania. The second Fall Festival will be held from noon-9 p.m. on Saturday, October 3rd. There will be ethnic food, homemade pies and cookies, games, crafts, a basket auction, and music by classic DJ’s. For more information, call 570-824-1560.