Larry Chesky Explained

Larry Chesky
Birth Name:Lawrence J. Ciszewski
Birth Date:1933 11, mf=yes
Birth Place:Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death Place:Boston, Massachusetts,[1] U.S.
Occupation:Singer, band leader, producer
Module:
Embed:yes
Years Active:1946–2011
Associated Acts:
  • The Polka Dots
  • Larry Chesky and His Orchestra
  • Regina Kujawa
Awards:Inducted into International Polka Association Hall of Fame, 1985

Larry Chesky, born Lawrence J. Ciszewski, (November 17, 1933 – January 25, 2011, Holyoke, MA) was an American accordion player, Polka band leader, inductee in the International Polka Hall of Fame, and manager of the Rex Records label.[2]

Early life and career

Chesky would take up the accordion first at the age of six and organized his first Polka band by the age of 13, debuting at the Cavalier Restaurant in Chicopee as "The Polka Dots". After graduating from Holyoke High School, he attended the Hartt School of Music.[3] [4] In the mid-1950s Chesky signed with the Musico Recording Company, forming the Larry Chesky Orchestra, with one of his best-known early hits being "Our Gang Oberek", created in 1956.[3] [5] Among Chesky's early influences was Ray Henry and his orchestra, an earlier pioneer of the Big Band Eastern style from Connecticut, who Chesky and his band would later perform with at Mountain Park.[6] [7] [8] Chesky and his orchestra would remain a fixture at the amusement park when not touring or recording, starting regular performances there before 1955; he would perform there weekly with a number of other musicians for more than 30 years, until the park's closure in 1987.[4] [9]

Chesky would spend much of his early career touring the Eastern Polka circuit from New York to Chicago, and was inducted into the International Polka Association Hall of Fame in 1985, having recorded over 100 albums.[10] He was a proponent of the "Big Band" or "Eastern" style of Polka, which features more band members (greater than ten), and a focus on horn and reed instruments, than the typical Polka band. Over the years he and his band would back a number of headliners, including singers Barbara Mandrell, Bobby Vinton, and James Darren.[4]

In 1974 Chesky would launch Modern Mail International, a catalog business selling Polish heritage novelties. By the 1990s he had largely retired from his record business, continuing to tour with Polka festivals across the country selling memorabilia.[11] [12] He remained active in Freemasons, particularly as a Shriner.[1] He and his orchestra continued to perform with some regularity into the 2000s.[13] One of his last public appearances was as a guest of a "polkathon" on UMass Amherst's WMUA in October 2010. Chesky died of heart failure at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, on January 25, 2011, at the age of 77.[2] [3]

Influence and legacy

Jimmy Sturr, the 18 time Grammy Award Winner for Best Polka Album, said of him: "He was one of my idols. I grew up on him...I modeled my band after his Eastern style."[2] Lenny Gomulka, the twelve time Polka Grammy Nominee, said that Larry Chesky was a "pioneer who changed and enhanced the image of polka to the Big Band sound."[2] Describing the origins of Tex-Mex/ska polka band Brave Combo, cofounder Carl Finch cited Chesky's sound as influential in the Grammy Award Winning band's early search for a style they felt still represented the music of "the common people", in an increasingly corporate cultural landscape.[14]

Orchestra members

Instrumentalists featured:[15]

Vocalists featured:[15]

Selected discography

Year Title Label
Polish Party TS74
Polish House Party TS79
Polish Party TS81
Castscok REX 478
Polka Wonderland REX 653
1959 Polkarama REX 654
Polka Style Hits REX 660
Polka Hits REX 668
Broadway Hits: Polka Style REX 669
Polka Favorites REX 678
1963 Polkatively Yours REX 679
Great Polkas REX 699
Big Band Polkas REX 700
Polkas for the Girls REX 725
Polka REX 736
Larry Chesky and His Orchestra with Regina Kujawa Singing REX 754
REX 758
The Polka Dolls Plus One (with Greg and Colleen) REX 803

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Larry Chesky Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information. . 23 March 2016.
  2. News: Kelly. Ray. Polka great Larry Chesky dead at 77. 2014-09-22. 2011-01-26.
  3. Polish American Journal. March 2011. Polka World Loses Larry Chesky. 11. Boston, NY.
  4. News: After his graduation from Holyoke High School, Chesky attended Hart School of Music. Holyoke native Larry Chesky named to Polka Hall of Fame. Christman. Kelly. September 18, 1985. Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass.. 5.
  5. Book: Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series; Unpublished Music January-June 1956. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C.. 1957. 600. OUR GANG OBEREK: m Larry Chesky arr Bernie Witkowski © Stella Music Co. Inc. 9Jul56 EU443083. X. 5B - 1.
  6. Web site: Ray Henry, Living Category, Inducted 1972. International Polka Hall of Fame. International Polka Association. Chicago.
  7. News: [Advertisement] Mountain Park. September 30, 1955. Tuesday- Battle of Music - Larry Chesky, Ray Henry plus Regina Kujawa. Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass..
  8. June 9, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609020059/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtLy6ydEjE4. March 12, 2010. The Fifth Annual IPA Benefit Dance, Ludlow PACC, Ludlow, Massachusetts. Dennis Polisky, Larry Chesky. Thomas Zimnowski. YouTube.
  9. Book: Ducharme, Jay. 96. Mountain Park. He was called the king of the mountain. Every Sunday for decades, Holyoke resident Larry Chesky and his band ruled the pavilion stage.. 2008. Arcadia Publishing. 9780738557328.
  10. Web site: International Polka Association Editorial Staff. Larry Chesky – Living Category – Inducted 1985. International Polka Association. 2014-09-22. 2014-11-30. https://archive.today/20141130110918/http://www.ipapolkas.com/blog/otw-portfolio/larry-chesky-living-category-inducted-1985/. dead.
  11. Book: Sears, Jacqueline. Legendary Locals of Holyoke. Arcadia Publishing. 2015. 118. 9781467101813.
  12. News: Irondequoit rolls out the polka party. 63. June 29, 1992. Rochester, N. Y.. Democrat and Chronicle. Morrell. Alan. subscription.
  13. News: The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Ga.. subscription. Free Range Steve Hummer. H2.
  14. News: Brave Combo's polkas are 90 percent serious; It's 'a beat, a dancing drug'. subscription. September 8, 1995. Santa Fe, N.M.. The Santa Fe New Mexican. Prince. David. 59. 'Rock had been removed from the common people' he said 'and musically I wanted what I do to have depth, I started listening to polka and ethnic records I'd find at Target six for $5 — nothing could beat that. At first I’d just buy whatever covers looked strangest but after a while I’d do research and find out what was good.' Among the best he soon discovered were names like Larry Chesky and his big band polka sound, Norwegian accordion virtuoso Andrew Walter (“exciting intense” is Finch’s assessment), and Eddie Blazonczyk, the “Godfather” of Chicago’s Polish community. 'All this came out of a sense of desperation'..
  15. Web site: Discogs. [Liner notes] Larry Chesky and His Orchestra - Polka Favorites].
    • Web site: Discogs. [Liner notes] Larry Chesky and His Orchestra - Polkatively Yours]. 1963 .
    • News: Springfield Union-News. Springfield, Mass.. Edward Demersky, local jazz musician. 20. ...known as jazz artist Eddie Martin...He later played in the Larry Chesky Orchestra. July 11, 1988.

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