Veteran Milwaukee polka musician Mike Schneider is spreading some holiday cheer, German and Polish-style, with his latest album Christmas Kielbasa.
“The idea had been in my head for years, and then in 2018, after the release of my last traditional polka album, I decided to move forward with a Christmas project,” Schneider said. “I thought it would be something that would appeal to my younger ‘Pint Sized Polkas’ audience, to the traditional fan, as well as someone who doesn’t necessarily include polka in their usual music rotation but might be looking for something fun and different this holiday season.”
The 12-track album contains a healthy mix of toe-tapping holiday classics such as “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” and “Up on the Housetop,” and a few decidedly Midwestern tracks such as title track “Christmas Kielbasa,” “Klaus the Yodeling Reindeer” and “Polka Round the Christmas Tree.”
In light of the tumultuous events this past year, Schneider hopes that his album brings much-needed joy to listeners. “Polka music is some of the happiest music you’ll ever hear,” he added. Christmas Kiebasa is available for purchase on CD at his website and digitally on Spotify, Amazon and other major streaming platforms.
