Lara St. John & Polkastra

An eclectic and international cast of characters including a Canadian folk fiddler/jazz trumpeter, the Met’s contra bassoonist, an Israeli accordionist and an internationally renowned violin soloist met in a New Jersey studio to record a polka album just for fun. An idea that began as a lark quickly grew into an eccentric, virtuosic and energetic exploration of the roots of polka: folk, classical and jazz.

Polkastra is a unique world music project that celebrates both the joy of music and the power of dance to unite cultures. From the American Midwest and the North of Canada to the mountains of Bohemia and the deserts of Israel, their latest CD entitled “Apolkalypse Now” poses the important question “Would you like sauerkraut, poutine, goulashor hummus with that?”