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Tom Brusky Band
4055 S. 103rd Street
Milwaukee, WI  53228-2005

Phone:
(414) 546-3650. Due to my odd schedule, it can take me over a week to retrieve and return a phone call during normal hours. For a prompt response, please contact me via email. Thank you.

A very common misconception about polka music is that it's either Polish or German, but it's actually neither. Its roots are in 19th century Bohemia. Over the years, various styles of polka music developed and flourished in the United States, which include Polish and German styles among others. Our style of polka music is the Slovenian style, also known as the Cleveland style, which is the most popular style of polka music in Southern Wisconsin and across the Penn-Ohio "polka belt".

Live music for most private parties typically runs anywhere from about 90 minutes up to four hours, with the majority of performances being either two or three hours in length. We will perform for as long or short of a performance as you need and adjust our rate quotes accordingly whether you need us to play for three minutes, three hours, or three days.

Although last minute inquires are always welcome, like most bands, we book on a "first come—first serve" basis. For events during the peak Oktoberfest season (early September to early October) booking a full year in advance is always recommended.

No, that's simply not the kind of band we are. The bulk of our variety music is comprised of standards, light pop, classic country, and ballroom favorites from the 1930s through the 1970s — songs that your parents and grandparents remember fondly. This is what has made us a popular band not just for polka dances and festivals, but for events like 50th anniversaries and senior citizens' birthday parties. If you would like newer music played at your party, we'll be glad to patch your phone or MP3 player into our sound system to play during our breaks.

Absolutely! This is actually very common for us nowadays. If you'd like to bring some traditional, live music into your wedding, consider hiring us to kick out a set of polka music prior to the DJ taking over. We can also provide lighter cocktail music before or during dinner.

It takes us anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes depending on the size of our PA.

Although my band members and I are grateful to be recipients of multiple music awards, award programs with large voting memberships tend to recognize popularity over talent [see my News section's "Nominations" article]. Any polka band, regardless of their level of talent, can win music awards if they make it their mission to win them. That's simply not our goal. We do not ask for votes nor do we vote for ourselves. We prefer that you hire us strictly based on the quality of our music — not the quantity of bullets on our résumé.

 

Volume is a known problem with many bands, but not with us. At private parties, our job is to provide music for dancing and listening enjoyment – not to cause ear pain. We can literally play as quietly as a small jazz combo when desired, which is what we are often called upon to do for cocktail receptions and dinners. We can also pump up the volume when needed. When you hire us, YOU have the final say over our volume, not us. If our volume seems too high or too low, please let us know and we'll adjust it until you're satisfied.

For some private parties, especially those on Saturday nights and on weekends during peak festival seasons, a band may require a deposit. A deposit is a portion of the band's fee paid in advance, which is a standard practice in the entertainment industry. The purpose of a deposit is to ensure a last-minute cancellation does not deprive a band of promised income. We may request a deposit for some events, and the deposit will be fully, partially, or non-refundable depending on the circumstances surrounding the cancellation.