* Who is Veronique?

In addition to being the Xecutive Producer and lyricist on "Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation", Veronique is known as The "Weird Val" of Dark Cabaret, for her hilarious parodies and side-splitting covers. (Imagine if Jim Morrison and Elvira had a twisted, Edith Piaf-like love child).

She is the recipient of The Unanimous Choice Award for Best Independent Cabaret Artist by the Los Angeles Music Awards for her benefit recording Cabaret4Choice.

Why Spooky Polka? What better vehicle for a MADemoiselle of mixed heritage, (Polish/French/Lithuanian), who grew up attending 13 different schools, whilst traversing the globe?

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* ABOUT Veronique Chevalier's Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation:

Veronique originated the idea for the PHU recording; researched the stories; wrote all the lyrics; chose the title; coined the descripiton of the genre "Gothic Polka", and chose the different composers and performers for the project. Incidentally, the recording was an Official Selection on the 51st Annual Grammy Ballot in the Polka Category.

This is a 'concept' album which means the entirety is greater than the sum of it's individual tracks. While a single song might be enjoyed alone, the full scope of the recording can only be appreciated by listening to all the tracks as one (dead) body of work, and it is best heard in the track order that you see listed below. PHU is an 'odd'itory trip around the world, and is a unique opportunity to take a progressively more spook-tacular journey to different cultures.

One thing that ties the entire work together is the fact that peoples of every land have a rich heritage of supernatural lore, and this is your chance to take some of the ghastliest ones for a spin. Polka Haunt Us makes everyday Halloween!

Our Motto:

We sure as HELL ain't yer Grandpappy's Polka, and we're DAMNED proud of it!

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* ABOUT The Individual Tracks on PHU:

1) The Beer Hall In Hell

An over-the-top send up of all those beer-glorifying Polkas, this “Oompah of Doom” is clearly a morality tale.

Veronique Chevalier: Vocals * Kerry Christensen: Yodeling * Jann Castor: Programming
Producer(s): Veronique Chevalier & Jann Castor * Arrangement: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio(s): Motion Music Man Studios/Hoffman House Studios
Recording Engineer(s): Jann Castor/Roger Hoffman

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2) Ghost Train

This is an country/roots tinged ballad, based on a faithfully recounted paranormal incident taking place
in the early 1900s, that took to lives of six victims.

Mike Surratt: Vocals, Accordion, Keyboards * Jann Castor: Addtional Programming, Sound Design
Producer: Jann Castor Arrangement: Mike Surratt
Recording facility/studio(s): Mic-In-A-Shoe Studios/Motion Music Man Studios
Recording Engineer(s): Mike Surratt/Jann Castor

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3) Castle Leap

This Celtic Polka is based on Ireland's most haunted fortress. It has an 800 year history of ghostly occurances within the confines of its keep.

Marion Ramsey: Vocals * Jann Castor: Background Vocals, Programming
Producer/Engineer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio(s): Motion Music Man Studios

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4) After Wife Polka Tango

Based on the historical fact that deceased Argentinian First Lady Evita Peron's corpse was embalmed and put on public view by her widower, dictator Juan Peron. This tale is told from the point-of-view of a bride who returns from the dead.

Veronique Chevalier: Vocals * Lili Haydn: Vintage French Violin, circa 1827
Mike Surratt: Accordion & Keyboards * Jann Castor: Backing Vocals
Producer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Mike Surratt
Recording facility/studio(s): Mic-In-A-Shoe Studios/Lililand Studios/Motion Music Man Studios
Recording Engineer(s): Mike Surratt/Lili Haydn/Jann Castor

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5) Bubbe's Dybbuk Polka

An Eastern European musical style graces this tale. Dybbuks are mischeivous spirits in Jewish lore, that are used as an explanation for bad or odd human behavior. The song is based on “A Jewish Ghost Story” by Ted Roberts, a prolific writer and former Nashville lyricist

Gary Shapiro: Vocals (Man & Bubbe) * Jann Castor: Dybbuk Voices, Programming
Producer/Engineer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio(s): Motion Music Man Studios

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6} White Witch Of Jamaica

A Reggae Polka, based on this Caribbean nation's most familar supernatural tale, is about the infamous 18th Century serial murderess Annie Palmer,a white woman familiar with the Dark Arts.

Veronique Chevalier: Lead Vocals * Gee Rabe: Accordion & Steel Pan * Kirk Brundage: Drums
Jann Castor: Sound Design, Voices of The Undertaker & The Devil * Brian Netzley: Bass
Producer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Veronique Chevalier & Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio(s): Addison Sound/Motion Music Man Studios
Recording Engineer(s): Robert Tepper/Jann Castor

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7) Devil's Guitar

A Metal Polka, based on an American yarn about a lazy young man with visions of being a rock star (polka star?), who is seduced by the preternatural powers of a guitar once belonging to a legendary old Mississippi blues man- possibly Robert Johnson himself.

Goh Kurosawa: Vox, Electric Guitar, Les Stansel Acoustic Guitar, Jerry Jones-built Electric Sitar, Bass & Programming
Jann Castor: Additional Guitars & Sound Design
Producer(s): Goh Kurosawa & Jann Castor * Arrangement: Goh Kurosawa
Recording facility/studio(s): Onigawara Studios/Motion Music Man Studios
Recording Engineer(s) Goh Kurosawa/Jann Castor

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8) Fisher Bird Girl

This hauntingly Gothic classical waltz is based on a traditional Norwegian folktale of a strange, enchanted girl who seems to morph into a Fisher Bird (cormorant) every year on Midsummer Day. Or does she...?

Elisabeth Ekornes: Vocals * Jann Castor: Programming,
Producer/Engineer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio: Motion Music Man Studios

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9) Blank Face Goblins

Based on the Japanese legendary Blank Face Goblins (Nopperabo) who trick unwary passersby who are foolish enough to go out alone at night, this composition is probably the world’s first Asian Industial Polka!

Kai Kurosawa: Warr Guitar, Bass, Taiko Drums, Programming * Mika Bando: Vocals & Vocal Arrangement
Goh Kurosawa: Guitar * Vinny Golia: Shakuhachi & Woodwinds
Producer(s): Kai Kurosawa & Jann Castor * Arrangement: Kai Kurosawa
Recording facility/studio(s): Little Wooden Bridge Studios/Torico Studios
Recording Engineer(s) Kai Kurosawa/Mika Bando

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10) Strange Faces In The Floor

A recounting of the eerie appearance of depictions of faces on the kitchen floor of
Spain's most-haunted house, located in Belmez, this waltz incorporates Bulerias (a 12 beat flamenco form),
as well as traditional palmeros (hand-clapping patterns).

Goh Kurosawa: Electric Guitar, Les Stansel Acoustic Guitar, Jerry Jones-built Electric Sitar, Bass & Programming
Veronique Chevalier: Lead Vocals * Jann Castor: Strange Voices & Sound Design
Producer(s): Goh Kurosawa & Jann Castor * Vocal & Musical Arrangements: Goh Kurosawa
Recording facility/studio(s): Onigawara Studios/Motion Music Man Studios
Recording Engineer(s): Goh Kurosawa/Jann Castor

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11) Kalkajaka Polka

Black Mountain (known as Kalkajaka by the Aborginals) in the outback of Queensland, Australia, has a long history of unexplained phenomena and sightings of strange apparitions, dating from pre-history up until today.

Jann Castor: Lead Vocals, Chanting, Tribal Drums, Dijeridu, Programming, Sound Design
Producer/Engineer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio: Motion Music Man Studios

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12) Full Moon Face Off

Taking inspiration from werewolf lore, this Gypsy Polka serves as a sonic illustration of what could happen late at night to anyone foolhardy enough to venture out unaccompanied during the wrong portion of the lunar cycle.

Alex Meixner: Siwa-Figli Super Cobra Elegant Accordion, Electric Bass * Lili Haydn: Vintage 1827 French Violin
Jann Castor: Vocals & Sound Design * Jon Asbath: Guitar
Producer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Alex Meixner
Recording facility/studio(s): Sleepy Weasel Studios #2/Lililand Studios/Motion Music Man Studios
Jon Asbath/Lili Haydn/Jann Castor: Recording Engineer(s)

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13) Polka Haunt Us

Not so much a song as a sonic monster. Don't listen to this one alone in the dark!

Veronique Chevalier: Vocals * Jann Castor: Vocals, Programming
Producer/Engineer: Jann Castor * Sound Design: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio: Motion Music Man Studios

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13 + 1) Vampire Surprise

How a resourceful cook can turn the tables on those pesky Tranysylvanian blood-suckers.

Veronique Chevalier: Vocals * Jann Castor: Programming
Producer/Engineer: Jann Castor * Arrangement: Jann Castor
Recording facility/studio: Motion Music Man Studios

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FULL LYRICS & MORE:

http://polkahaunt.us/Pages/Lyrics.html