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Del Sinchak Band performs at Boardman Park
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Helen Sinchak (right) and granddaughter Nina (left) listen to The Del Sinchak Band at Boardman Park on Aug. 16. Nina loves to listen to her grandfather play music on stage.
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.The Del Sinchak Band play at Boardman Park’s summer concert series, Music in the Park. The Band includes, from left, keyboardist and accordionist Ron Austalosh, saxophonist Joe Colapietro, accordionist Del Sinchak, and bassist Alan Koss. Not shown is drummer Bob Smrecansky..
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Aaron Rudolph (middle) and daughters Katie (left) and Kelsie (right) enjoyed seeing The Del Sinchak Band perform at Boardman Park on Aug. 16. The Music in the Park summer series brings families together to listen to all types of music.
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Shown, from left to right, are Roy Wright, Earl “Dig” Coffin, Peter Gross and Bill Becherer who volunteered at the Music in the Park’s concession stand for the Del Sinchak Band's performance.
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Sister Eleanor Santangelo (left), Sister May O’Leary (middle) and Sister Mary Ann Diersing (right) from Usurline Mother House in Canfield listened to The Del Sinchak Band at Boardman Park.
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Rob (right) and Hannah Henderson (left) dance to the polka and waltz music offered by The Del Sinchak Band at Boardman Park on Aug. 16 as part of the Music in the Park summer concert series.
By ALISA MANNA
As part of Boardman Park’s summer concert series, Music in the Park, polka-group The Del Sinchak Band performed on Aug. 16.
President of the American Federation of Musicians and leader of The Del Sinchak Band, Del Sinchak scheduled all of the park concerts throughout the Youngstown and Mahoning County area. The band was scheduled to play several festivals, clubs and park concerts during the summer.
“We play all over the place during the summer,” Sinchak said. “We just came back from Frakenmuth, Mich. for a music festival.”
The Del Sinchak Band’s current line-up consists of bassist Alan Koss, saxophonist Joe Colapietro, keyboardist and accordionist Ron Austalosh, drummer Bob Smrecansky and accordionist Del Sinchak.
Most of the songs the band played at Music in the Park were those Sinchak selected from previous albums.
“We have 10 CDs out, so I picked from each one or a couple of them,” he said.
Most notable of the group’s albums are “Let the Sunshine In” and “Polkapizzazz,” which were both nominated for a Best Polka Album Grammy Award in 1999 and 2005.
Sichak said the band may specialize in polka and waltzes, but they also play pop music. The band released an all-pop album, “Look at Us,” which was their best selling and biggest requested album.
“We try to mix it up so that everybody out there appreciates that we just don’t play polka,” Sinchak said.
One thing was certain, the band had a dedicated following and a committed audience, whether it was family members, old friends or casual listeners.
Sinchak’s wife, Helen, son, Rodney, and granddaughter, Nina, all came to see the band perform.
“She loves to come and watch her papa play,” Helen said of Nina.
Nina was often accompanied by Colapietro’s granddaughter, Emily, who came with her father and brother to see the saxophonist.
Hooker Smith, from Leetonia, and his friends from Struthers, Mary-Ann and John Basista, went to school with Smrecansky and Sinchak and usually attend most of the band’s performances.
Martha Mescaros, from Boardman, and JoAnn Maxgay, from Youngstown, both belong to a Polka Roster and try to support Del Sinchak whenever possible.
Sister Eleanor Santangelo, Sister Mary O’Leary and Sister Mary Ann Diersing from Ursuline Mother House in Canfield are long-time fans of Del Sinchak.
“We’ve seen him a few times before and love his music,” Sister Diersing said. “We don’t come out as much as we’d like to.”