Jimmy Sturr Polkapalooza CD

POLKAPALOOZA was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Polka Album.

When you've already recorded a hundred albums, what to do you do for an encore? In the case of polka meister Jimmy Sturr, you start up the second half of your recording career with an even blend of instrumentals and vocals, including two vocals sung in Polish. This is also the rootsiest album Sturr has recorded in quite some time and, with the exception of guest shots from Flaco Jimenez and polka vet Arlene Crisson, the focus is squarely on Sturr and his topflight outfit, working these old tunes over like a well-oiled, but very swinging, machine. This is not only well-played music, but also music performed with a sincerity and an enthusiasm lacking in other forms of popular music today, which may go a very long way in explaining why this is album number 101 for this bandleader. If anyone has broadened the base of polka music, it's Jimmy Sturr, and here's a dozen sterling examples of how he does it. ~ Cub Koda

Principally recorded at Clinton Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Jon Weisberger.

Personnel: Frank Urbanovitch (vocals, fiddle); Johnny Karas (vocals, tenor saxophone); Flaco Jiménez, Wally Czerniawski, Gene Bartkiewicz (accordion); Gerry Stavisky (clarinet); Eric Parks, Al Noble (trumpet); Bill Pernice (piano); Dennis Coyman (drums); D. Bergen White, Curtis Young, Dennis Wilson , Louis Dean Nunley (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Jimmy Sturr; Jon "JD" Dickson; Ken Irwin; Tom Pick.

Liner Note Author: Jon Weisberger.

Recording information: Clinton Studios, New York, NY; Merit Studios, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Shonna Valeska.

Arrangers: Ray DeBrown; Henry Will; Ken Morey; Jimmy Sturr.

Personnel: Jimmy Sturr; Johnny Karas (vocals, tenor saxophone); Frank Urbanovitch (vocals, fiddle); Arlene Crisson (vocals); Flaco Jimenez, Gene Bartkiewicz, Wally Czerniawski (accordion); Gerry Stavisky, Joe Stellato (alto saxophone, clarinet); Eric Parks, Kenny Harbus, Al Noble (trumpet); Bil Pernice (piano); Mark Bernstein (bass); Dennis Coyman (drums); Louis Nunley, Curtis Young, Dennis Wilson, Bergen D. White (background vocals).

Dirty Linen (4-5/00, p.84) - "...[Sturr's] orchestra, undoubtedly the tighest in the land, reels off polka after polka with tireless lips and fingers that could play for days....Every track is a reveler....another album of pleasing polka music..."