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Edward Biegaj

Music: Instrumentalist, Vocalist

Eddie is a trained opera tenor by University of Toledo Professor Tom East. He is also a trained drummer and self-taught accordionist and concertina player. He has been in several short operas. He has also played the role of Moonface Martin in the musical Anything Goes and the Zigfield Tenor in Funny Girl. He currently lives in Belvidere, NJ with his son “Edziu”. His daughter Krystal Rose Biegaj-Romanowski is married to Danny and they have a baby girl Sadie, while 2nd daughter Keszia Lorraine Biegaj-Perez lives with her husband JJ, daughter Jaiden, with one on the way, in Hawaii. Eddie has spent almost 40 years performing polka and a large variety of music styles. His voice led two Toledo based groups, Crusade and Toledo’s Polka Motion, to the pinnacle of polka music. A trained opera tenor, Eddie has been called upon to utilize his powerful voice in musicals, jazz combos, operas, rock, pop, church cantor and, of course, polka. Starting on drums, Eddie won his school’s talent contest in the 4th grade. His professional career began the following year in his home town of Toledo, Ohio. As his love for polka grew, so too did his musical tastes. In the 8th grade, he asked his father for an accordion (the Giulietti he still plays on stage) for Christmas. Concertina followed. Performing with several bands he eventually landed his first recording gig at the age of 18 with the Troubadours. Next it was move to accordion and two years with The Holy Toledo Polka Stars. Eddie was a founding member of TPM. His voice and arrangement on “Red Berries” helped TPM receive a Grammy nomination. In 1996, Eddie joined forces with his long time friend, Randy Krajewski, and Crusade was born. Eddie turned down an opportunity to sing opera in Germany to stay with his first love…..polka. He has won Male Vocalist of the Year from both the USPA and IPA and has received numerous other band award. In 2007, Eddie left Toledo and moved to Belvidere, New Jersey for steady employment. He folded Crusade that same year. Currently, Eddie is a cantor at two churches in Northwest New Jersey and is an active member at the Bayway Polish Club in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He has two daughters, Krystal and Keszia and one son, Edziu

Miguel "Miguelo" Valdes

Author; Educator; Music: Composition, Instrumentalist, Music Educator, Songwriter, Vocalist

Miguel Valdes (Miguelo) – Leader and Percussion and choirs. Was born in the Havana province of Cuba, comes from a highly musical family, including a father who was one of the top percussionists of the esteemed Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. Is a percussionist graduate from the Havana National School of Art Instructors (ENIA). After extensive training, Valdes soon found himself with a flourishing career, and was performing all over Cuba with many great musicians of different styles Richard Egues, Tropicana, La Ley. Valdes has collaborated with many talented musicians and groups, including Orquesta Filarmonica de Mexico, Gonzalo Romeu, Grupo Bandula, Elvis Crespo, Celia Cruz Albita Rodriguez, Lena Burke, Emmanuel, Natalia Jimenez, Yomira John, Dennis D’ Kalaff, Ricardo Montaner, Miky Tavera, Yuri. He also toured and worked regularly with Juan De Marcos Afro Cuban All Stars (Buena Vista). In 2010 Valdes left Mexico to come to US where he now resides permanently, since his arrival he has collaborated with many American and Latino Artists like McCoy Tyner All Stars, Francisco Mela, Rachel Ferrer, Tony Perez, Kambalache, Steve Turre, Matt Dillon, Fellove, Patato Valdes, Elio Villafranca, Mac Gollehon, Vince Herring, Dion Person, Sexteto NY, Itai Kriss, Abdou M’boup, Alex Matos, Nachito Herrera, Michel RoosWomen & New Yoruba’s, Los Hacheros, Cotton Club Big Band, Willy Chirino, Sister Sledge-Debbie Sledge, Frank Owens, Ty Stephens, John Faddis, Terell Stafford. He has three of his own CD’s and has recorded in more than forty different artists.

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