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IPA Hall of Fame Biography



David “Nigel” Alan Kurdziel was born on May 2, 1963, in Buffalo, NY. He was first exposed to polka music at church picnics and from polka shows. Nigel’s cousin, Gino Kurdziel, played for the renowned G Notes. His older brother Mike was a drummer, and his younger brother Kevin played accordion. Nigel started playing guitar at the age of 11 and joined his first band, The Melody Men, at age 12, playing bass with his brother on drums. In 1981, he graduated from the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, where he took music theory and performance classes, played coronet and piano, and auditioned to play upright bass with the orchestra. Nigel considers Vinny Horoschok, Vinnie Bozzarelli, Eddie Blazonczyk Sr, Stas Mikruit, and Joe Dudek to be among his polka music influences.





Nigel’s 48-year polka career encompasses the following milestones:






  • Joined Steel City Brass 1978 replacing Ron Urbanczyk. Played for about two years.




  • Performed and recorded with The Dynatones from 1979 – 1984.




  • Played with the reformed Dynatones from 1988 – 1990.




  • Joined and performed with John Gora and Gorale from 1991 – 1994.




  • Moved to Grand Rapids, MI in May of 1994 and performed with the Michigan Connection from 1998 - 1999.




  • Recorded and played with Frank Borzymowski & Friends during the summer 1999.




  • Joined Gerry Kaminski’s Merry Makers in 2001




  • Started filling in with Eddie Blazoncyk’s Versatones in 2001 and eventually joined full-time until the band ended in 2011.




  • Joined Polka Network in 2012.





Nigel filled in with many other bands over the years, including the Krew Brothers, Skylarks, The Knewz, Happy Richie, and Wanda & Stephanie, to name a few. He also performed on over 70 recordings to date (see Discography below) most notably, Live Wire by The Dynatones and the Grammy Award-winning album, Another Polka Celebration by Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones.





Despite his busy musical career, Nigel found the time to help young, aspiring polka musicians. He provided musical lessons to Maria Vinecki, who went on to perform admirably with the talented Box On group. He also gave lessons to Kyle Kohan’s brother, Chris Stamer. Nigel has worked for the greater good of polka music by faithfully performing the important duties of an IPA Elector for over 34 years.





DISCOGRAPHY





ALBUMS / CD’S





1982         DYNATONES – LIVE WIRE





1982         DYNATONES – INTERNATIONAL POLKA FEDERATION LIVE





1983         DYNATONES – FIFTEEN & NINE





1984         BRASS WORKS – IT TAKES PEOPLE LIKE YOU





1985         SUNSHINE – HEAT





1985         THE BOYS – THE BOYS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN





1985         STEEL CITY BRASS THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS





1986         SUNSHINE – PUT SOME SUNSHINE IN YOUR LIFE





1986         EDDIE BLAZONCYK’S VERSATONES – LET’S CELEBRATE AGAIN





1987         DYNATONES – INTERNATIONAL POLKA FEDERATION LIVE





1987         POLKAS FOR CHILDREN





1987         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – ANOTHER POLKA CELEBRATION





1987         AMPOL AIRES – ONE MORE TIME





1987         JERRY & AL – SQUEEZBOX SERENADE





1988         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – 25th ANNIVERSARY





1988         DYNATONES – POWER OF TEN





1989         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – GOOD OL' DAYS





1989         DYNATONES – LIVE WIRE II





1990         A KOLBERT SAMPLER





1990         JERSEY POLKA RITCHIE – MR. CONCERTINA





1990         DYNATONES – WHEN THE BAND PLAYS A POLKA





1990         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – EVERYBODY POLKA





1991         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – ALL AROUND THE WORLD





1992         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – ALL AMERICAN COUNTRY FAVORED POLKAS





1992         AN IMMIGRATION STORY





1993         WANDA & STEPHANIE – POLKA DATE





1993         HAPPY RICHIES POLKA BAND – BORN TO POLKA





1993         LIL’ WALLY – NATIONAL HITS (2 CD’s)





1993         STEEL CITY BRASS – OUT OF CONTROL





1993         JOHN GORA & THE GORALE – TAKE A SPIN





1993         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – A NEW BATCH OF POLLAS





1994         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – ALWAYS, FOREVER AND A DAY





1995         DYNATONES – VINTAGE POLKAS





1995         EDDIE BLAZONCYK’S VERSATONES– BETTER THAN EVER





1995         POLISH VILLAGE CHRISTMAS





1996         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC





1998         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – SHAKIN' NOT STIRRED





1999         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – SMOKIN’ POLKAS





1999         CHRISTMAS IN CHICAGO (2 TRACKS)





1999         FRANK BORZYMOWSKI & FRIENDS – I PLAYED POLKAS





2000         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE





2001         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – LIVE AND KICKIN’





2002         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – MY FATHERS SHOES





2002         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – PASSION FOR POLKAS PBS DOCUMENARY (CD/VIDEO)





2002         GERRY KAMINSKI’S MERRY MAKERS – TOP SHELF POLKAS





2003         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – VERSALICIOUS





2004         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – HIGHWAYS AND DANCE HALLS





2005         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – UNDER THE INFLUENCE





2006         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED





2006         STEPHANIE – I CAN HEAR YOU





2006         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – POLKATIME 20 OF THE GREATEST HITS





2006         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – GREATEST HITS VOL II





2006         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – CRACKER BARREL ALBUM COMPILATION





2006         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES –





2007         MICHIGAN CONNECTION – POLKA PARTY TIME





2008         STEPHANIE – MEMORIES





2008         BRASS EXPRESS – CLASSIC TRACKS





2008         EDDIE BLAZONCZYK’S VERSATONES – SLIPPERY WHEN WET





2010         STEPHANIE – THIS IS POLKA MUSIC





2012         FRANK BORZYMOWSKI & FRIENDS – SAX IS GOOD FOR YOU





2015         SCRUBBY AND SUNSHINE – LIVE





2017         THE PROJECT – 1st AND TEN





Singles





1977         STEEL CITY BRASS – LOVE SICK / THE SHOE GOES ON THE OTHER FOOT





1980         DYNATONES – WHERE WERE YOU / ONLY YOU





1980         STEEL CITY BRASS – ABRACADABRA / YOUNG MAIDENS





1982         POLK–E–NOTES – LILLIANS / COALMINER OBEREK





1981         BUFFALO’S PO STARO KRASKU – FORTUNES OF WAR / SHOULD HAVE STAYED SINGLE





1982         SKYLARKS – CONCERTINA / BOYS AND GIRLS





1982         BUFFALO BRASS – BRIGHT STAR / UNDER THE OAK TREE





1985         SUNSHINE – HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNY / ZOSIA





1986         SUNSHINE – LIVE – WHO STOLE THE KISZKA / NO GONNA DRINK





2007         EDDIE BLAZONCYK’S VERSATONES – CHICAGO BEARS SUPERBOWL XLI TRIBUTE


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