Music & Dance Music-Dance News July-Aug '19 | Page 17

Music & Dance News
I accepted Tom’s invita-
tion.
Friends and acquain-
tances around my age
group were getting mar-
ried, and I sang for many
weddings during this pe-
riod of my life. I worked
with some remarkable
accompanists
during
that period of time.
I worked with the
Mrozinski Brothers for
a little over two years;
again, playing Minneso-
ta, Wisconsin, Ohio, and
Michigan.
The band consisted of
Pete Mrozinski (promo-
tions and advertising);
Tom Mrozinski (trum-
pet, clarinet, saxophone,
vocals); Scott Newton
(trumpet,
keyboards,
vocals); Bill Czerniak
(trumpet,
concertina,
vocals); Jerry Zelazny
(accordion, keyboards,
vocals); John Keen (bass
and lead guitar, vocals);
and me (drums and vo-
cals).
With the Mrozin-
ski Brothers, I recorded
three LP albums on the
Aleatoric
Recording
Company Label – “Here
We Are,” “music,” and
“Concertina Concert,”
featuring the duo con-
certinas of Bill Czerniak
and Jerry Zelazny.
Sue and I married in
November 1973. The
Mrozinski
Brothers
played for our wedding
dance in the auditorium
in Silver Lake, MN.
The Mrozinski Broth-
ers was the hottest group
Polka Daze Ottertail
July/August 2019
Page 17
Mike Wendolek continued
at that time period, and managed the Polish
we packed the auditori- Playboys we originally
um, along with the three started several years be-
surrounding ballrooms, fore. There was a transi-
with people who wanted tion in band members,
to attend our wedding and they played week-
dance, but couldn’t get ends only with limited
in.
travel. This would give
me more time to be with
Taking a break from
my wife and children.
traveling
So, I left the Mrozinski
As I mentioned earli-
er, family, work, and the Brothers and joined the
band has always been a Polish Playboys shortly
balancing act. After our thereafter.
The members of the
daughter was born and
Polish
Playboys at the
my wife was expecting
our second child, I de- time I started were Bob
cided that I needed to Wendolek (trumpet and
cut back on the travel- vocals); Dale Koktan
ing and multiple nights (trumpet, guitar, vocals);
of playing that the band Gordan Konerza (piano
accordion); and James
required.
Chalupsky (bass guitar
Polish Playboys
My brother, Bob, had Continued on page 18