They started playing in the 1970s and are still together. They are sponsored by Jagermeister. They played at a Woodstock Festival.
Any one of these sentences could very quickly narrow down a massive list of musical performers to a small category. However, all three of them apply as facts about Fritz's Polka Band, one of Central New York's longest-running and eclectic musical groups.
Close to celebrating their 30th anniversary, they show no sign of breaking up or slowing down, and the accolades keep coming. They have just released their 16th CD, titled "Reflections," and recently were nominated in the Syracuse SAMMY Awards for the "Best Recording, Other Styles" category. Recognition given at Washington D.C., numerous awards, and an appearance in the 2004 film The Manchurian Candidate are just a few of the many other acknowledgements they have received through the years.
The group is made up of father and son bandmates Fred Scherz Sr. and Fritz Scherz on various accordions, Gabe Vaccaro on bass, Tom Campbell and Frank Nelson on guitars, and Rick Szczyt on drums. Throughout the years, they've been supplemented by a variety of other musicians, as Fritz's Polka Band has evolved throughout its nearly 30 years of existence into what it is today.
"I love the music. Even if I wasn't in this band, I'd love to come out and hear a band play music like this," explains Fritz. "Through it all, we've kept strong ties with family, friends, and people in the community, and we're thankful and fortunate people care about us."
With their newest album, "Reflections," the band finds it release count solidly in the double digit category, while at the same time stretching out further as a group. The title refers both to the long road the band has taken through all these years, and the themes and considerations in the songs and of the band: of all the shows, all the good times and partying, the supportive fans, and everything else that has accompanied them. The music holds true to the band's past, while still straying outward.
The tempos are not as cut and dry as before, Fritz says, and the music may not fit easily into being a polka or waltz, if it is at all. But this kind of expanding musically excites the group, and they hold it as proof that they are more than just a polka band.
"People will see the word 'Polka' in our name and think, `Oh, they're just a Polish band,' or 'Oh, they're just a German band,' but we're really actually a band that plays a lot of different styles besides polka," Scherz points out. "We're pretty eclectic with what we play, and we like to mix things up. We don't play the same 20 songs over and over at each show--that doesn't interest me at all to do that. A lot of times we get people who come up after a show and tell us how surprised they were that we did a certain song. We throw in surprises and oddities for covers and keep it interesting."
The group also attributes this eclecticism to their wide appeal. They frequently see people in their 60s and 70s alongside people in their 20s.
"It's not at all uncommon to see three generations of people at the same show," says Fritz. "They might respond in different ways. Some people will dance with steps, or the young kids will just move around the way they feel like. As long as they're enjoying the music, though, that's what it's all about."
Fritz has no reservations about the group; it becomes very obvious when talking about the music and the band that he loves to play, to be onstage with the others doing this, and is gratified that he has the opportunity to do these things and be recognized for them.
"With things like the SAMMYs and other stuff like that, it's cool just to be nominated," Scherz says. "We're really lucky to be in a position where we're sponsored by Jagermeister too, because they treat us well. They gave us everything we needed to make our last CD, put it out and produce it. That was great."
Fritz also points out how so many people are willing to go the extra mile to see the band play, even with so many prevalent issues to deal with now amid uncertain times. The band has also been available on numerous occasions to lend a hand for St. Jude's Children's Hospital and other charities in the area. This attitude reflects their connection to the community, and parallels their obligation to reward people who come to see them with the best show they can put on.
"We know no band will appeal to everybody. But when we see people dance, tapping their feet or clapping their hands, singing songs along with us--we help people get their mind off the real world and have a good time, and that's good."
More information on Fritz's Polka Band can be found online at: www.fritzspolkaband.com
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