From Poland to America: Old Country Polish Accordion

REVIEW by Steve Litwin

Accordion man Gary Sredzienski gives everyone yet another fabulous recording project with his new 18 track CD, "from Poland to America." A dynamic musician, dedicated to the accordion, this New Hampshire based maestro travels a musical route that blends "old country village music with rural New England musical traditions" and does it with heart, spirit and feeling. He is a true master of his craft and whether it be "The Peasant Krakowiak," or "Na Wesele Witosa" or "Chopin's C# Minor Valse," he will mesmerize you, entice you and mystify you with his expertise.

Sredzienski, who has more accordions than Sturr has Grammys, makes each instrument sing with a voice of its own and his approach to each song is complex and basic at the same time. He will add modern drum work to "Wiejskie Oberki" and then invite his Father's harmonica to meld with the accordion on "Root Cellar" oberek, an original written by the elder Sredzienski.

Music to Gary Sredzienski obviously means more than just notes on paper. He not only marries the harmonica to accordion but also the fiddle, guitar, piano, upright bass, drums, and a Jew's harp. To finish the package, he gives the listener a well-composed, graphical, foldout with the album, filled with information, history, photos, family and philosophy.

On the Bellows Music label, "from Poland to America" was recorded and mixed by Jim Tierney at the Electric Cave and mastered by Jonathan Wyner at M-Works, Cambridge, MA.