Members of Henny & the Versa J's: Henny Jasiewicz, Butch Jasiewicz, Frank Gibala, Steve Gibala, Chris Bogdon, Erik Bogdon and me!
Influences
David Wilcox, Phil Vassar, The Dynatones, Eddie Blazonczyk, Brian Setzer, Christine Lavin, Kansas, Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, Styx, Electric Light Orchestra, Brad Paisley, Craig Wiseman, Paul Overstreet
Sounds Like
Mix a little of all those influences together and there you are. It's a jammin' mix of folk, ethnic, country, and other music.
I'm currently playing in the band Henny & the Versa J's (www.myspace.com/versajs or www.versaj.com). I joined the band in 1998 after playing for years with energy. It has been a great time to be a part of Henny & the Versa J's and acomplishments of the band during this time including awards from the United States Polka Association, International Polka Association, and a Grammy nomination.
Throughout my musical career, I've focused on songwriting and arranging in order to bring fresh and well-crafted ideas to the genre to contemporary polka music. In addition to the songs recorded by Henny & the Versa J's and energy (of which I've been a member), there have been songs that I've written or co-written recorded by such bands as
Polka Family ("We Are Family" was the title cut on the Grammy nominated "We Are Family" recording)
Dynabrass ("The More I Know You" was on the award winning "Unfinished Business CD)
Twin Cities Soundz
Toledo's Polka Motion
Charm City Sound
Frank Borzymowski
The New Tradition
Polish Carolers
There are more originals in the works by various bands and hopefully many more to follow as well.
As a studio musician, it has been my pleasure to record with many dozens of bands in addition to Henny and the Versa J's and energy on somewhere near 100 recordings and well over 1,000 songs. Those bands include (to name a few) The Sounds, Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push, The Dynatones, The Boys, Charm City Sound, Polka Country Musicians, The Brass Connection, Ray Jay & the Carousels, Polka Family, The Boys, Frank Borzymowski, Larry Placek & the Tunemasters, Bob Matasy, The Mass Brass, The New Brass Express, etc., etc.
Come and party with Squonk Opera on Friday May 22nd at 8:00 pm at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room for the Galaxy Premiere of Astro-rama!
Astro-rama is a joyous large scale outdoor event that unifies an audience in creating humanity’s message for far-flung galaxies. The show features live music, dynamic video, 3 stories of scaffolding, a 40' radio telescope, cherry pickers, scissor lifts and a giant robot. Astro-rama was filmed over 2 chilly nights in October 2008 at Pittsburgh's Schenley Plaza.
Astro-rama premiere and party with the Squonkers. Friday, May 22, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. for $25 Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room 477 Melwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Squonk Opera and the Lively Arts College of Fine Arts Performance Plus present Indiana County: The Opera.
Come celebrate Indiana County with a new installment in our ‘Hometown Series’, a show that has been called “noisy, colorful, funny, outrageous” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and “a quirky, playful, music- and image-driven piece of performance art “ by the Tribune Review.
Our show is not exactly ‘opera’, but a multi-media live concert that weaves music with video projections, props and puppets. To see more of what we do, check out our website at http://www. squonkopera. org.
Indiana County: The Opera includes amazing Indiana based dance and choral groups, and lots of video interviews with Indiana County residents.
Friday, January 30 at 8:00 pm Fisher Auditorium IUP Performing Arts Center
Tickets are available in advance at the Hadley Union Building, at iuptickets. com, the door starting at 7:00 p.m. or call (724) 357-2547 for information
Come join us and say Hi! Hope to see you there! Squonk Opera
What people have been whispering about is TRUE! Strange sightings… Unexplained phenomena. . . scientific anomalies… Squonk Opera will be responding to the cover-ups with… ASTRO - RAMA!
With 3 stories of scaffolding and a 40 ft radio telescope, Squonk Opera will take you on a wild visual and musical celebration of the universe and our place in it.
Part symphony, part cacophony, Astro-Rama dares to go where no multi-media/theater/performance group has gone before.
Rising in scissor lift platforms and cherry pickers, Squonk will compose a proud message from our species, power up and transmit.
Stand with us, and the truth will be revealed.
Pittsburgh, PA at Schenley Plaza, Oakland October 15-18, 2008
Weather permitting, all broadcasts begin at 8:00 p.m., are outdoors and are FREE for all bipedal primates!
The Steve Drzewicki Band finally made it big (lol), their on You Tube!!! There are 7 videos up, courtesy of Paul Ahren, from their performance @ St.Stan's Polish Fest in Bay City, MI on June 27th,2008.
These video's feature polka music newest fiddling sensation: Brien Ahren, age 12. Along with The Steve Drzewicki Band. If you didn't get a chance to see Brien do his thing on Friday. You will clearly see Brien has the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Steve Drzewicki on drums,vocals/ Stan Kowalski on Accordian/ Ricky Klulka on Concertina/Mike Corbin on Bass and Trumpet/Gary Muller on Bass and Trumpet/Doug Lull on Trumpet.
Just click on this link: http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=6DJA4wkNjeg and it will take you to "Mountaineers" polka and links to the 6 other videos. If that link doesn't work, type in DRZEWICKI in the search part and it will pop up. You don't need to be a member of You Tube to watch the videos, but if you want to comment on them. You need to be a member.
