What is orchestral pop?
“If it makes me do 'The Carlton,’ it’s a keeper.”
Here’s some good easy listening music…
Ameriachi
Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass perform "Tijuana Taxi" (Hollywood Palace 1966) complete with dancing girls!
Orchestra with chorus
Ray Conniff Singers - here’s a glimpse into Conniff’s directing style leading an orchestra with a chorus.
Muzak
Sounds of the Department Store - YouTube has lots of these kinds of videos. Put it on while cleaning the house. Learn more about the inventor of Muzak, George Owen Squire of Dryden, Michigan.
January 11 - Madison Public Library’s Puzzlepalooza’s registration is now open!
Registration is now open for Madison Public Library’s Puzzlepalooza jigsaw puzzle contest and exchange on Saturday, January 11. It’s going to be a great day to do something cozy with your friends.
NOTE: this isn’t a polka show. I’m playing EASY LISTENING RECORDS. I’m extremely stoked to show people what I can do with groovy elevator music.
Signups for tables at the Central Library began on December 28. We expect it to fill up fast. Details on the event are on the Library’s website.
Speaking of puzzles…
For local-to-Monona Shotski Lodge subscribers, did you know the Monona Public Library has a big book sale? The library is collecting books as well as puzzles for their spring sale.
Polka Time: Where and when to listen
LIVE - December 29 - variety and Thrift Shop visit
Sunday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona
Streaming - Rebroadcast of last week’s show
Saturday, 8 a.m. - WHYS-FM 96.3 Eau Claire - support WHYS
Saturday, 3 p.m. - WRJQ Goodtime Radio - support WRJQ
Saturday, 6 p.m. - WPCA-FM 93.1 Amery - support WPCA
Saturday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona - support WVMO
Sunday, 7 a.m. - WOJB-FM 88.9 Hayward - support WOJB
Sunday, 8 a.m. - WILW-FM 96.3 Waupaca
Sunday, 9 a.m. - WOCT-FM 101.9 Oshkosh
Sunday, 4 p.m. - WLSP-FM 103.5 Sun Prairie - support SPMC
Thanks to these community and volunteer-powered stations for keeping vintage polka on the air waves.
Events
January 11 — Madison Public Library jigsaw puzzle contest
How to beat the post-holiday winter blahs? COZY TIME WITH JIGSAW PUZZLES. What makes that even better? Contests! Prizes! Open puzzle tables! And DJ Shotski spinning vintage elevator music. You think you like my polka? Wait until you hear my selection of groovy, jazzy, funky easy listening tunes.
Event will be from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. with teams setting up at 9:30 a.m. Stay tuned for information to register your team, or just sign up to visit an open table.
Saturday, February 22 — Polka Dance Party at the Grumpy Old Men Winter Festival, Wabasha, MN
If John Gustafson and Max Goldman are your vibe, you will love this dance party at the annual Grumpy Old Men festival in Wabasha, Minnesota. DJ Shotski will team up with Twin Cities dance instructor Miss Shannon to share an all-Minnesota polka music set and teach people how to dance the polka. Dancing shoes and buffalo plaid encouraged.
Find the dance at The Transfer Building, 128 W 2nd St, Wabasha, MN from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, February 22.
Readers like you keep the Shotski Lodge open
The Shotski Lodge is a reader-supported publication. Support from subscribers like you gives me the confidence to pursue my mission to get more people to listen to vintage polka and vinyl records, including through this free e-newsletter.
Become a Shotski Lodge member - Substack offers paid subscriptions for people who want to be patrons of the Lodge’s mission.
DJ Shotski’s Venmo - skip the subscription and give via Venmo where transaction fees are lower.
Hire me for a gig! - your community needs a polka party. Email me at djshotski@gmail.com if you have a venue or an event that needs a vinyl DJ.
Donate records - the answer to free records is always “yes,” though I’m backed up on processing donated records at the moment, but I hope to be caught up by spring 2025. Email me at djshotski@gmail.com with a description of what you have to share.