BIO

The musicians of Desert Polka Party has been blasting Bavarian beats at Arizona’s Oktoberfests and German events for years. Each of them is a top-call player in Phoenix, performing regularly in all sorts of ensembles. Trombonist Benjie Messer’s arrangements of traditional polkas and waltzes start with a trio of accordion, tuba and drums, led by virtuoso accordionist Tony Putrino, and then add a top-notch 4-piece horn section of trumpet, clarinet, saxophone and trombone. For variety, Desert Polka Party shows often include traditional jazz, klezmer, and pop songs turned into polkas. Their eponymous 2025 album is available to stream everywhere.