Little Bohemian Band
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About Our Business
Albany accordion enthusiast Gene Sadowsky reigns as local polka
king
By MARY ANN ALBRIGHT
When calling the Sadowsky residence, be prepared for an
unconventional salutation.
“This is Gene, the Polka King,” is how Gene Sadowsky likes to
answer the telephone in the North Albany home he shares with his
wife, Patricia.
Sadowsky, 63, lives and breathes polka. His cell phone ringtone? A
polka ditty. His home accents of choice? Accordions. His idol?
Frankie Yankovic.
“I was born to play,” he said, putting on an impromptu performance of
his favorite song, “Moonlighter’s Waltz.”
Sadowsky grew up in Dickinson, N.D. He lost his father at age 4.
When he was 7, the local polka royal got his first 12-bass accordion.
He took lessons for three months, but at 75 cents per week, his
mother couldn’t afford continued instruction.
So, she bought him a record player and one record per month, and
he taught himself to play.
Sadowsky played in several family bands before forming the Little
Bohemian Band in 1996. The band’s name is a tribute to Sadowsky’
s Czech roots.
The group now consists of Sadowsky and Marty Steckler on
accordion, Carl Nyberg on banjo and Merle Tofte on guitar.
This summer the Little Bohemian Band traveled to Medina, Minn., to
play on “Big Joe’s Polka Show,” which airs on RFD TV.
“We were a hit,” Sadowsky said. “I get goosebumps. I feel like a star.”
The band may not have the name recognition of groups such as the
Rolling Stones or the White Stripes, but it has the packed calendar —
and a loyal fan base.
The Little Bohemian Band is booked into 2008, including several
month-long tours throughout the Northwest and the Midwest.
Sadowsky and the band also play on a polka cruise every year. They’
ll rock the eastern Caribbean in 2007.
The group has a Portland-based artist who does cartoons for its
promotional materials, and a 287 members-strong fan club.
Sadowsky just purchased his third accordion. At under 23 pounds, it’
s relatively light — perfect for Sadowsky, since he prefers to stand
when playing.
Now Sadowsky is dazzling audiences with his brand-new, $12,500
Diamond accordion customized by Kent, Wash., designer Michael
Arralde and complete with mother-of-pearl keyboard.
The instrument plugs into a Musical Instrument Digital Interface,
which allows for drumbeats, brass instrumentation and other
synthesized sounds to enhance the band’s performances. The
group also uses an amplifier to project in larger venues.
The accordion is sometimes referred to as a squeezebox because it’
s played by compression and expansion of a bellows, which
generates airflow across reeds.
As far as Sadowsky’s concerned, this instrument is why so many
people enjoy polka music and dancing.
If you polka Gene Sadowsky and the Little Bohemian Band play at
festivals, senior centers, weddings, anniversaries and private
parties. They also perform on cruises. The band currently has two
cassette tapes and CDs available, “First Time Around” and
“Accordionally Yours,” and will release a third in 2007.
The group has several Portland concerts scheduled in the coming
months.
Albany accordion enthusiast Gene Sadowsky reigns as local polka
king
By MARY ANN ALBRIGHT
When calling the Sadowsky residence, be prepared for an
unconventional salutation.
“This is Gene, the Polka King,” is how Gene Sadowsky likes to
answer the telephone in the North Albany home he shares with his
wife, Patricia.
Sadowsky, 63, lives and breathes polka. His cell phone ringtone? A
polka ditty. His home accents of choice? Accordions. His idol?
Frankie Yankovic.
“I was born to play,” he said, putting on an impromptu performance of
his favorite song, “Moonlighter’s Waltz.”
Sadowsky grew up in Dickinson, N.D. He lost his father at age 4.
When he was 7, the local polka royal got his first 12-bass accordion.
He took lessons for three months, but at 75 cents per week, his
mother couldn’t afford continued instruction.
So, she bought him a record player and one record per month, and
he taught himself to play.
Sadowsky played in several family bands before forming the Little
Bohemian Band in 1996. The band’s name is a tribute to Sadowsky’
s Czech roots.
The group now consists of Sadowsky and Marty Steckler on
accordion, Carl Nyberg on banjo and Merle Tofte on guitar.
This summer the Little Bohemian Band traveled to Medina, Minn., to
play on “Big Joe’s Polka Show,” which airs on RFD TV.
“We were a hit,” Sadowsky said. “I get goosebumps. I feel like a star.”
The band may not have the name recognition of groups such as the
Rolling Stones or the White Stripes, but it has the packed calendar —
and a loyal fan base.
The Little Bohemian Band is booked into 2008, including several
month-long tours throughout the Northwest and the Midwest.
Sadowsky and the band also play on a polka cruise every year. They’
ll rock the eastern Caribbean in 2007.
The group has a Portland-based artist who does cartoons for its
promotional materials, and a 287 members-strong fan club.
Sadowsky just purchased his third accordion. At under 23 pounds, it’
s relatively light — perfect for Sadowsky, since he prefers to stand
when playing.
Now Sadowsky is dazzling audiences with his brand-new, $12,500
Diamond accordion customized by Kent, Wash., designer Michael
Arralde and complete with mother-of-pearl keyboard.
The instrument plugs into a Musical Instrument Digital Interface,
which allows for drumbeats, brass instrumentation and other
synthesized sounds to enhance the band’s performances. The
group also uses an amplifier to project in larger venues.
The accordion is sometimes referred to as a squeezebox because it’
s played by compression and expansion of a bellows, which
generates airflow across reeds.
As far as Sadowsky’s concerned, this instrument is why so many
people enjoy polka music and dancing.
If you polka Gene Sadowsky and the Little Bohemian Band play at
festivals, senior centers, weddings, anniversaries and private
parties. They also perform on cruises. The band currently has two
cassette tapes and CDs available, “First Time Around” and
“Accordionally Yours,” and will release a third in 2007.
The group has several Portland concerts scheduled in the coming
months.
The Waltzing Little Bohemian Band
Written by April Scheinoha
Gene Sadowsky (left) and Marty Steckler learned to play the accordion at
young ages – Gene at about age 7 and Marty at 4 1/2. Now, the two North
Dakota natives play accordion together with the Little Bohemian Band. They
performed May 30 during Lincoln High School physical education classes.
Lincoln High School physical education students danced their classtime away
May 30. They danced to music performed by (from left) Johnnie Philipp, Cathy
Erickson, Gene Sadowsky and Marty Steckler.
As Marty Steckler and Gene Sadowsky played their accordions May 30 at
Lincoln High School, Rebecca Stenseth and Travis Peralta waltzed. LHS
students waltzed and danced the polka during their physical education classes.
Finger dexterity and heavy lifting are part of the job while playing the accordion.
Here, Gene Sadowsky played a waltz for Lincoln High School physical
education students May 30.
Gene Sadowsky took accordion lessons – for one month. In those days,
accordion lessons cost 75 cents a week, but Gene’s mom couldn’t afford them.
Gene’s dad died when Gene was 4, so there wasn’t much money to spare for
the extravagance of accordion lessons. But that didn’t stop Gene from
continuing to learn how to play the accordion. About 60 years later, Gene was
playing the accordion at Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls. He and his
friend, Marty Steckler, were playing for physical education classes as the
students danced the waltz and polka. Like Gene, Marty taught himself how to
play the accordion with the help of records. One day, when he was 41/2, he just
decided to pick up the family accordion and learn how to play it. Since that time,
he has performed with many people, including polka king Frankie Yankovic.
Marty currently plays a 39-year-old accordion that once belonged to Frankie.
Gene also performed publicly with a band. He met Marty while both men were
performing with separate bands at a polka fest in Washington. Four years ago,
they decided to form their own band, the Little Bohemian Band, named in part
due to Gene’s heritage. The bandmates continue to perform together even
though Gene lives in Albany, Ore., and Marty lives in Renton, Wash., a distance
of about four hours from one another. They also continue to play the
accordion even though neither man reads musical notes. As Marty said, “We
play by heart.” Playing by heart has served them well. While performing in
Medina, N.D., Marty and Gene met Cathy Erickson of Middle River. Cathy has
her own band, the Cathy Erickson Band, and the two bands performed May 28
at the American Legion Club in Middle River. Two days later, Cathy and the
Little Bohemian Band were at LHS. The Little Bohemian Band will be back in
this area in July, when it performs at the Pennington County Fair in Thief River
Falls. Given the amount of time the two bandmates spend together, they
know each other fairly well, and they tease each other. Gene was quick to point
out that he has no bad habits. Yet, Gene was quick to point out one of Marty’s
bad habits, “He chews.” For Marty’s part, he said he’d better not tell a reporter
about Gene’s bad habits. Gene replied that he doesn’t drink or smoke, but he
quipped that he might cheat on his wife.
Copyright 2007 Northern Watch
Written by April Scheinoha
Gene Sadowsky (left) and Marty Steckler learned to play the accordion at
young ages – Gene at about age 7 and Marty at 4 1/2. Now, the two North
Dakota natives play accordion together with the Little Bohemian Band. They
performed May 30 during Lincoln High School physical education classes.
Lincoln High School physical education students danced their classtime away
May 30. They danced to music performed by (from left) Johnnie Philipp, Cathy
Erickson, Gene Sadowsky and Marty Steckler.
As Marty Steckler and Gene Sadowsky played their accordions May 30 at
Lincoln High School, Rebecca Stenseth and Travis Peralta waltzed. LHS
students waltzed and danced the polka during their physical education classes.
Finger dexterity and heavy lifting are part of the job while playing the accordion.
Here, Gene Sadowsky played a waltz for Lincoln High School physical
education students May 30.
Gene Sadowsky took accordion lessons – for one month. In those days,
accordion lessons cost 75 cents a week, but Gene’s mom couldn’t afford them.
Gene’s dad died when Gene was 4, so there wasn’t much money to spare for
the extravagance of accordion lessons. But that didn’t stop Gene from
continuing to learn how to play the accordion. About 60 years later, Gene was
playing the accordion at Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls. He and his
friend, Marty Steckler, were playing for physical education classes as the
students danced the waltz and polka. Like Gene, Marty taught himself how to
play the accordion with the help of records. One day, when he was 41/2, he just
decided to pick up the family accordion and learn how to play it. Since that time,
he has performed with many people, including polka king Frankie Yankovic.
Marty currently plays a 39-year-old accordion that once belonged to Frankie.
Gene also performed publicly with a band. He met Marty while both men were
performing with separate bands at a polka fest in Washington. Four years ago,
they decided to form their own band, the Little Bohemian Band, named in part
due to Gene’s heritage. The bandmates continue to perform together even
though Gene lives in Albany, Ore., and Marty lives in Renton, Wash., a distance
of about four hours from one another. They also continue to play the
accordion even though neither man reads musical notes. As Marty said, “We
play by heart.” Playing by heart has served them well. While performing in
Medina, N.D., Marty and Gene met Cathy Erickson of Middle River. Cathy has
her own band, the Cathy Erickson Band, and the two bands performed May 28
at the American Legion Club in Middle River. Two days later, Cathy and the
Little Bohemian Band were at LHS. The Little Bohemian Band will be back in
this area in July, when it performs at the Pennington County Fair in Thief River
Falls. Given the amount of time the two bandmates spend together, they
know each other fairly well, and they tease each other. Gene was quick to point
out that he has no bad habits. Yet, Gene was quick to point out one of Marty’s
bad habits, “He chews.” For Marty’s part, he said he’d better not tell a reporter
about Gene’s bad habits. Gene replied that he doesn’t drink or smoke, but he
quipped that he might cheat on his wife.
Copyright 2007 Northern Watch
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