D Street Band
D Street Band
lenny
Tim Okrzesik
Tim "TimmyO" Okrzesik
Polka music was always in our home as long as I can remember. My dad (Bob Okrzesik) played in polka bands from the 1950's until the late 90's. My claim to fame started in 1969 when I played drums at a few three-piece gigs with my dad on sax and clarinet, and my uncle (the late Jerry Drust) on accordion.Then, in 1978, I helped form the "Mid-West Sounds" along with Gerry Tarka. I worked with them until the early 80's. I then joined "Chicago's Milwaukee Ave." for about a year. From the mid-80's until the early 90's, I played with Chi-Town Express. It was in 1992 that I would return to Gerry Tarka's MWS until the band retired in 2005. In the winter of 05, I helped form, and was co-leader of, "New Phaze" along with Tony Blazonczyk. In April of 2009, I played my last job with Tony B. and New Phaze. For the past forty years I have played drums. This time around I will be playing Clarinet and Sax. In the late 80's I was interested in playing Clarinet and Sax, because that's what my dad played, so I decided to take a few lessons, and did so from Whitey Ryniec. Since then, I've picked it up occasionally, especially at Christmas time for Polish Caroling. One dream that I've had in the past few years was to play in a traditional style polka band with my two sons (A.J. and Andrew). "LennyZielinski and the D Street Band" made that dream come true.
D Street Band
lenny
