Rock'n Polka
With more 100 albums under his belt, along with a dozen Grammys, Jimmy Sturr is king of polka. Not content to reside in his fiefdom, the singer/clarinetist/bandleader has looked to other genres for material over his four decades in show business, including a 1979 disco album. Here Sturr sets his polka orchestra loose on a batch of 1950s and 1960s rock 'n' roll classics with the help of such guests as Willie Nelson, Duane Eddy, Alison Krauss, and Lee Greenwood. The songs fly by in a hurry for the most part, with "Splish Splash" and "Personality" starting things off with a great 1-2 punch. Displaying a wistful sense of depth, Sturr slows things down for tender readings of "Since I Met You Baby" (with Willie Nelson) and "The Great Pretender." Sure this is music coming to a state fair, cruise, wedding or Polish pride day near you, but it's also a lot of fun to listen to and even better for quick two-step around the party. --Tad Hendrickson