Joe Lazarz
Living Category – Inducted 1977
In the early days of polka music, what Alvin
Sajewski was to Chicago…Ignacy Podgorski to Philadelphia…Brunon Kryger
to Eastern Pennsylvania…Joe Lazarz was to the Northeast. Born in 1895
in the village of Swiebodzin, Poland, he started music lessons at an
early age, as his father and uncles were musicians. Joe Lazarz came to
Indian Orchard, Massachusetts in 1913, and started working at the Indian
Motorcycle Company, and playing weekends with small combos. After
twenty-eight years of employment, Joe made the decision to devote all
his time and energy to polka music with his already popular “Joe Lazarz
Orchestra.” The orchestra was in existence for forty-one years and
traveled almost continuously to Buffalo, to Baltimore, to Youngstown,
and all over the East Coast.
The band recorded about eighty 78 rpm records with
RCA Victor, until RCA went all to modern music. Then, about thirty-five
records were cut on the Standard phonograph label, until the death of the
owner. The last dozen or so records of the orchestra were produced on
the Spiro record label. The vocals on these recordings were furnished
by Henry and Julia Wiegel and then by nieces Clara and Nell Zamachaj.
Among the hundreds of original compositions and
arrangements from the pen of Joe Lazarz, are such familiar tunes as;
“Wait Til I Tel Mama,” “Rum Cium Cium,” “Ludlow Bridge,” “My Pidgeon,”
“High Bounce,” “Girl From Brooklyn,” better known as “Chocolate Soda,”
and the most popular and still recorded today “Pizzicato Polka,” better
known as “Fiddler’s Polka.” The last song is fitting as Joe’s
instrument is the fiddle.
After forty-one years in the polka field, Joe
Lazarz was honored at a testimonial held in March 1973 with deejays,
promoters, and polka fans from the entire East Coast.
Joe Lazarz, 82 years of age when inducted, lived
in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts near his relatives, friends, and many
people who still danced and listened to his many contributions to polka
music. In fact, all polka people will long remember Joe Lazarz for his
devotion, writing ability, personality, and love of music. He is now
deceased. |
