Czech bands 

A little more music

To the right is Frank Blecha in about 1915. This recording was made 26 years later.

Thank you to Larry Blecha for this recording.  Anna Tomek announces the sounds and says that the recording is being made "at our home on January 12, 1941."

The whole recording is a single track on a CD, 30 minutes long.  It's worth a listen.  

The video also has pictures, and every musician is identified, not only in Frank Tomek's band but also in other pictures of Czech bands that are in the Historical Society's collection.  Most are in the video above, but in a different format, with each musician identified one-by-one.

Click on the button to hear some more:

Bob Blecha & the Bouncing Czechs

Larry Blecha, Piano Accordion

Karl and the Country Dutchmen

This is not a Table Rock band, but one would expect that they were comparable!  And this is just fantastic!  Karl Hartwich playing the Chicken Polka.  Frances Blecha recommended it on the Table Rock Historical Society Facebook page. She said if you've never heard him playing this son, "you've missed a real treat. In my opinion, he is the master of the concertina accordina. This isn't a very good video of Karl, but see if you can detect a hen clucking in this song." 

Walter Ostanek and his Band

A fun version of Roll Out the Barrel

memories

larry layden

We had a little Czech band in high school around 1960. It was supposed to be a basketball pep band but all we could play from memory was polka music so instead of playing rousing fight music we played polkas. I was the worst player but was the leader somehow. We had Loren John Stehlik on trombone, Mary Ellen Michal on trumpet, and Bill Uhri on drums. I think we also had Carolyn Jasa and Diane Senft.  Our claim to fame was we played atop the roof of the ticket booth at the entrance to the gym. Everybody had to look up to us. We had a wonderful time. Don't think we had permission from anyone. Back then you could do what you wanted as long as you didn't cause any trouble.

Note: Mary Ellen Michal is now Mary Ellen Fritch and Carolyn Jasa is now Carolyn Schaardt.

our photos

Photo 9.  This undated photo seems to be the oldest in our collection.  One person interested in dating photographs by clothing thinks it goes back to the 1860s.  That is not very likely, but it could be that the local people did not keep up with the fashions and this is from the 1870s, when Table Rock's population began it's rapid climb toward the population high in 1900. 

This may be a town band versus a Czech band, but there are surely is at least one Czech in it!  After all, here were Czechs here, and "Co Čech, to muzikant," every Czech is a musician!
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The photograph is retouched. The original is almost impossible to make out.  

Slightly retouched:

Photo 359 - Undated

Retouched below. This photo eluded the Czech band pictures with the Frank Tomek Band video.  The label that was attached follows below after the retouched photo.  The names are difficult to read.  It appears to say: Wm Petrasek, Joe Zulek, Frank Eis, Joe Petrasek, Front Vaclav Skatak, no first name Weisner, unknown, and no first name Watzek.  So, they may be wearing uniforms, and they may or may not be a "Czech" band, but most of the musicians are Czech!

Photo 360.  It bears no date, but all the names are here!  #1 Frank Hanna; #2 James Kovanda; #3 James Karas of Elk Creek; #4 Joe  Strejc; #5 A. R. Kovanda; #6 Albert Kovanda; # 7 Albert Wopata, Sr. ; #8 Albert Karas; #9 James C. Karas; #10 Anthony Strejc; #11 Frank Kovanda; and #12 Joe Stanek.   As to a date, consider their ages.  For example, #8, Albert Karas, was born in 1859.  #9, James Karas, was born in 1867.

Photo 20 - 1915.  According to a typed label attached to the photograph below: 

Back row: Fred Tomek, Tom Krofta, Rudolf Kalina, Art Krofta, Charles Rabstejnek, Ralph Cotton, and Otto Vondrasek. 

​Front row: Joe Tomek, Frank Tomek, Jess Vondrasek, Emil Rabstejnek, Arnold Petrasek, Earl Irwin, and Chester Fisher

The unretouched photo:

Retouched a bit for clarity, below.  The label is a bit difficult to ready.  It identifies the musicians as follows: Photo Back row: Fred Tomek, Rudolf Kroft, Rudolf Kalina, Art Krofta, Charlie Rabstejnek, Ralph Cotton, and Otto Vondrasek.  Front row: Joseph Tomek, Arnold Petrasek, Emil Rabstejek Arnold Petrasek, Benny Irwin, and Chester Fisher.

Photo 49 - Undated

The label is vague. It lists six men, but there are many more than that. here is the label that was attached.  I asked (Table Rock) Bob Blecha for help.  He identified the clarinet player, first man on the left in a white shirt, as Joe Tomek.  The tall trumpet player in the middle is Arnold Petrasek.  The three men kneeling are Rudy Krofta, Charlie Rabstejnek, and Art Krofta.  Emil Rabstejnek is recognizable from other pictures (especially Photo 48); he is to the right of Arnold Petrasek (on Arnold Petrasek’s left).

Photo 48. Undated.

An attached label says: "Table Rock Czech Band. Back: Rudolph Krofta, Charlie Rabstejnek, Arnold Petrasek. Front row: Art Krofta, Jess Vondrasek, Emil Rabstejnek, and Joe Tomek. 

Photo 382 - Possibly 1930s. This photo shared on TR Historical Society Facebook page by Tim Nord on 10/18/14. He stated, “This is a picture of the Sudik Orchestra. I don't have a date but I'm guessing in the 1930's. Lawrence Stehlik, Alvin Hubka, Vince Goracke, Stanley Sudik, Ernest Sudik, Alvin Goracke and Wilma Goracke.”

Photo 381 - 1951.  The Lad Trecek Orchestra at the Dubois parade.  This photo was shared on TR Historical Society Facebook page by Tim Nord on 10/18/14. He stated, “Here is the Trecek Orchestra in the DuBois Parade in 1951. Lee Trecek, Lawrence Stehlik, Lad Trecek, Milan Tomek, Steve Stastny, Porter Copenhaver(?) and Nettie Stehlik.”

Photo 383 - 1963, the Trecek Orchestra. This was photo shared on TR Historical Society Facebook page by Tim Nord on 10/18/14. He stated, “Here is the Trecek Orchestra in 1963 at their final dance. We have recordings of several of the pieces they played that night, including their final number, "Now is the Hour." I believe this was at the ZCBJ Hall in DuBois (but I'm not positive). Joe would probably know.”  Frances Graham Blecha commented on this post, saying, “L-R, Lawrence Stehlik, Lad Trecek, Harlan Keiser. In back is Bob Stepanek. At piano is Nettie Stehlik. Don't know who the young boy is, standing by Nettie.”   Added, “I think the saxophane player is Harlan Keiser.”  Barbara Stoner Harris commented that she too thought the saxophone player was Harlan Kaiser.”  Joy Robison said, I'm fairly certain that's Bill Uhri with the drumstick behind Nettie” and I tagged Leota asking her if it was Bill.  Leota Uhri then confirmed that it was Bill Uhri (her son), and that he was the drummer.  The trombone player is Loren Joe Stehlik.