Cabaret

The record that started it all

St Bernadette's primary school St Marys SA (mid October 1973)

The Polish Youth Orchestra at Polish Hill River circa 1982 with my first blue "Tempo" drumkit from 1974. The band includes Richard Portakiewicz and Joe Konestabo on trumpet and Andrew Portakiewicz on guitar (R.I.P). Lucy Mrstica, Stefan Kozlowski, Joe Gocur, Anita and David on accordian. Ziggy Matuszewski is the conductor of course.

Trip to Berri in 1983

At the Austrian Club with The Polish Youth Orchestra circa 1983. Members as above but also including Tomasz Valencjc on accordian end of front row on right

30th Anniversary Concert of Tatry Dancing Group at Her Majesty's Theatre 1988

I'm back row 2nd from left, Isolde 6th from left (see below in the German Brass Band), Ziggy Matuszewski centre, Henry Kowalec 3rd from right. Wasel and Michael also in Nova with me and Henry are front row 1st and 2nd right. Nova was formed in October 1995 (gig date 11.11.1998 Dom Polski Centre)

You have been warned!

Dom Kopernik

Click here for more info on Mikolaj Kopernik

Monica, me and Tony

Michael, Monica, me, Wasel

Great food at The Hungarian Club

Playing with Monica and Tony in The Continentals

Mum standing next to the harvest display (wianek) or wreath

Playing in the Beer Tent with The Continentals

Like most artists, it is not until they die that they get recognised. Lidia Groblicka was born in the same year, and in the same part of Poland as my mother (see the Miroslaw Hermaszewski part of the Little Sparrow website). The youtube below is a dedication to her work, taken at The Art Gallery of South Australia, and is on show until the 10th of February 2013. Click here for more info.

An interesting pairing of ads in the Polish magazine Panorama

Thanks for playing accordian for this gig Phil. Good seeing our old accordian player Henry at this gig too, back from Sydney

Some traditional Sheet Music

We often end a gig with Viva

German Brass Band playing at the Port Noarlunga Surf Club for a Shrek themed Party

German Brass Band (7 Sept 2013)

Kevan the tuba player

Peter the conductor

With Isolde the clarinetist. She also plays drums and the accordian. I played with her in 1998 in the Polish Orchestra (see below)

I'm back row 2nd from left, Isolde 6th from left, Ziggy Matuszewski centre back, Henry Kowalec 3rd from right.
Wasel and Michael from Nova front row. ( gig date 11.11.1998 Dom Polski Centre)