chapter 411

1/1/2016

German American Club

celebrating our roots

my Brahaus Band video 

Celebrated a private party for  Pope Sylvester Day (or New Year's Eve as you might call it) at one of the oldest social clubs in Albany; the German American Club. Colleen polkas with a friend Frank Ramnitz (I have a hip excuse).

Colleen is a dancing wiz with her roots going back to her 1973  Polka Dolls plus 1 dance group at Saint Michaels of Cohoes where her mom ( Patricia Hasko) was a dance teacher.

The Club was formed before I came to Albany, back in 1895. Not too many people know about it.

We had a fine buffet of delicious food including some nice German Potato Salad. Plenty of dancing for the inner circle of friends.

The Brauhaus Band was smooth and professional throughout the night. Formerly called the Mountain Brauhaus Band (video from Hunter Mountain Oktoberfest) who have performed in the Catskills. Believe they played at the Gardiner Mountain Brauhaus, at Crystal Brook Resort at Round Top and many other venues from Scotia to Lake George. Colleen has participated in the WW2 Re-enactments (starting as a Russian Sniper).

Vic Meister on sax and Nick on guitar.

Greg Reinwald is the band leader and vocalist. We earlier went to a Christmas party at his new old house in Schenectady a week ago and sampled his Aunt's chocolates from Munich. Greg spent half his youth in Germany near Ingolstadt where my Audi's came from.

Close friends are the Walz, Dave and Janice. Both retired teachers are very active. They sing with the Octavian Singers where I first met them during their performance at the Saratoga Victorian Stroll. He volunteered doing some wood carving on the historic Dutch sailing ship, the Onrust at Maybee Farm and she has performed on stage (well aware of neighbor Tim Dugan's acting career). Their Son, Jeremy Walz is co-founder of Soul Sky a blues band with partner NY Blues Hall of Famer, Mark Emanation. I'm guessing Mark is related to Mike Emanation, the AHL and college hockey linesman, who used to share the bar with us at Frear Park, Troy during my early hockey career. 

Colleen's close friends Herb and Becki Liebenhagen, of the Accordatunes performer at Wolff's Biergarten and around the northeast, came in late having performed in Cobleskill's A Taste of Europe earlier in the night.

Another old European friend, Grace Tuma, is a model, shaman, and Yoga instructor .

Meeting a whole new world now. Headed to the Biergarten and to meet a bunch of musicians in Columbia County this week.

long story of other long time German friends 

Polka Dolls national prominence 

more Polka Dolls and Stars

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