Published Thursday, January 30, 2003
hits the
hot button
of polka tunes
becomes a hit
By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer
Although he has appeared on dozens of albums over the years, Jake Zagger had never recorded a solo album before last year.
But Zagger, who plays polka accordion, put together "Melodies From Back Home in Pennsylvania" to keep a promise.
"I promised my daughters years ago, 'I'm going to have you sing on one of my albums,'" said the Hermitage man. "I actually did it because I wanted them to sing on it."
The resulting album has been commercially successful as far as polka albums go -- topping the magic number of 1,000 copies sold -- and landed Zagger a couple of prestigious awards.
The album was named recording of the year by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, Cleveland, and Zagger was elected button box individual/duo of the year.
Zagger, who also plays piano accordion, had won the button box award in 1992 and 1997.
"It's really an accomplishment to get one," he said. "To win two is over and above."
Zagger, 64, said he is especially grateful because he gave up regular performing and recording in 1985. While people from all over the United States are members of the hall of fame, about 65 percent of the voting members live in the Cleveland area, he said.
"It's nice to know that people still remember you and like what you do," Zagger said.
Zagger, formerly of the Trontel-Zagger Orchestra, the Jake Zagger Orchestra and the Markic-Zagger Orchestra, recorded the album last winter at Bob Kravos' studio in Chardon, Ohio, and it was released on Kravos' new label.
The 15 songs were mostly Slovenian melodies or original tunes.
"I don't play songs exactly the way I hear them," he said. "I play the essential things right, like the chord changes. You have to put your own things in there. I try to play clean and snappy. I play from the heart."
The Sharon native and former West Middlesex resident said a key to the album was his backing musicians: pianist and saxophonist Ralph Delligatti of the Jeff Pecon Band, who shared sideman honors at the hall; Norm Kobal on saxophone, flute and clarinet; drummer Mark Habat; banjo player Frank O'Kiki; guitarist Mike Dragas and singer John Ross.
"I selected some of the best musicians in Cleveland," he said. "The sidemen really made everything."
His daughters, Janelle Parker of Holidaysburg, Jeri Swogger of Winchester, Va., and Jody Zagger of Chicago, had one day to learn their songs, only one of which he knew they were familiar with.
But they all have some vocal experience in their backgrounds -- Ms. Parker studied voice, piano and clarinet in college and teaches high school music -- and quickly learned their parts.
"They probably heard me play some of the songs along the line somewhere," said the grandfather of four.
Zagger, a grandson of Slovenian immigrants, said he can no longer play more than 45 minutes at a time without getting tired, which he attributes to a heart condition, but always is thinking about music.
"Sometimes, a song will come into my mind and I'll pick it up," he said of the accordion.
Zagger already is readying tunes for a second album for Kravos.
"I don't know if I'll get to it this year," he said. "Maybe, next year."
In any instance, he wants to keep playing quality music.
"My goal is to get the lifetime achievement award" from the hall of fame, he said. "The lifetime achievement award is like getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame."
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at
jpinchot@sharonherald.com