Red Ravens Welcome New Member

On June 30, 2019, Mason Nesvadba joined the Red Ravens as their new accordion player. Mason was born in Wharton, Texas and grew up listening to the Red Ravens as a young boy. Other than the Red Ravens, Lee Roy Matocha, Anton Vrazel, John Dujka, and Kenneth Kristynik were big influences on Mason's accordion playing. Mason has developed his own style of accordion playing that you will hear at the dances.

Mason inherited his first accordion from his great-great uncle Joe Nesvadba. While attending Blinn College, Mason and John Dujka participated in Texas Folklife's apprenticeship and in 2017 Mason won the polka category of Texas Folklife's Big Squeeze Contest.

In his early days of playing, Mason would bring his tuba to dances in Rosenberg and sit in on the jam sessions with Red Ravens and Texas Sound Czech. Mason first attended a Red Ravens dance at his grandparents' 50th anniversary in Wallis, Texas.

He credits the Red Ravens for his love of polka music. Mason also sings and plays tuba with the Red Ravens which you will see at the dances. Influences of the Joe Patek Band and the Lee Roy Matocha Orchestra will be heard in Mason's tuba playing.

Best of luck to Mason on his new musical endeavor, and as he completes his studies in music education at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.