Prepared and Distributed by the Polonia Media Network

The Jan Lewan Orchestra will hold a Reunion Dinner Event on Sunday, October 24, 2010, at the J.J. Ferrara Performing Arts Center in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. The event will star Jan "Lewan" Lewandowski and his original 14-piece Orchestra and feature singer Ania Piwowarczyk, Music Director Stephen Kaminski and Emcee Peter Danielczuk. In addition, a special appearance by Amber Lewandowski is also planned.

International Media, the company handling the airing of "The Jimmy Sturr Show" on all PBS stations, has reported that the show has aired 563 times covering a total of 72.22% of the total households on the PBS system. The response from the airings have been tremendous.

The Continentals held their "Polka World" CD release party on June 27, 2010, at Blob's Park in Jessup, Maryland. The groups 1tyh recording is a 2-disc CD containing 30 songs. It contains polkas, waltzes, and a few surprises including tango, cha-cha, mambo. The band performed most (I not all) of the songs at the release event.

On the heels of their successful 2009 release, "Live at St. Stan’s A.C. Polish Fest," and to mark their 34th straight year playing at the fest, the Steve Drzewicki Band recorded their sets r for another "live" CD at this year’s festival. Among the surprises during their performance were guest vocalists, brand new fiddle tunes and original songs penned by the band.

In a related matter, users of YouTube can enjoy a variety of music by the Steve Drzewicki Band at http://www.youtube.com/user/pma4usa#p/u/14/q3SnYU4mqm0. Among other things, there is new music written by Mike Corbin of the band and the very talented young fiddle player, Brien Ahern.

A Cleveland television icon passed away on June 18, 2010. Paul Wilcox, 85, of Fort Myers, Fla., hosted the hour-long "Polka Varieties" on WEWS in Cleveland every Sunday for 27 years, from 1956 to 1983. The show aired across northeast Ohio and was syndicated during its later years to 30 television markets. The program featured various popular bands that played Slovenian, Polish, Italian and Bohemian-style music.

Marc Bouchard’s accordion polka band plays at many events in Florida, but few in the North are familiar with his music. Thanks to YouTube, Bouchard may now be seen at http://verobeachlocalnews.com:80/2010/06/marc-bouchard-polka-band-at-vero-beach.html. It seems, however, to be the only video available of the band online.

After a short hiatus, PhoCus is back and hard at work in rehearsals this summer, planning to have their third CD recorded and released this fall. Jimmy Nova, Chaz Wroblewski, Andy Kuchmarski, Jimmy Johnson and Mike Melymuka are looking forward to purveying at least a dozen brand new polkas, along with four "Phocusized" polka classic arrangements, to their patient polka fans very soon.

Suddenly, new polka CDs are coming out fast and furious. Dave Bonczkiewicz & the Varitones celebrated the release of their debut CD, "Good Time Polkas - Introducing the Varitones Polka Band" at the Pulaski Club in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 18, 2010. There were drink specials at the dance, so it is hoped that the crowd was in condition to enjoy the music.

After over four years of everyone asking The Honky Express when they were going to make a CD, they announced that the band has finally gone into the studio for the first day of recording at Peppermint Records. A title has yet to be announced.

John Gora, leader of John Gora & the Gorale, announced that the award winning "Polka Playin' Fool" is available at every Duty Free Store across the Canada and U.S. border on the Canadian side. Sobieski Vodka may be your favorite, but when you purchase a bottle of Luksusowa Vodka you get a free CD with it … so you can stray just this one time to get a really good recording.