Druha Trava

Tuesday , July 13, 1999
12:00 am
Location: Elderly Instruments
in-store performance (free)

Druha Trava is not your ordinary bluegrass band. The group, whose name means "Second Grass," was formed in 1991 in the Czech Republic. Their musical heritage comes from a place far from the Appalachian communities where bluegrass originated. Druha Trava plays a free in-store performance at Elderly Instruments (1100 N. Washington, Lansing) at noon Tuesday July 13. At 8:00 p.m. that evening, the group will play a full concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor. Since its formation, Druha Trava has achieved star status in their Czech homeland and the group is one of the most awarded and internationally acclaimed European bands. Each of the five members is a masterful multi-instrumentalist whose influences include bluegrass, jazz, rock, country, folk and classical music. In the words of the Chicago Tribune, "There is never any doubt of (Druha Trava's) exceptional ability at playing 'grass of any generation." Dirty Linen Magazine boasts that Druha Trava is "a truly fine example of world music and how American music with distant roots in Central Europe has somehow gone full circle." Druha Trava was co-founded by Robert Krestan, the group's lead singer and principal writer. In the Czech Republic, Krestan is recognized as one of the premier stars of bluegrass and country music. He credits the "tramp movement" with the extraordinary popularity that bluegrass is presently enjoying in his country. (In the Czech Republic, the expression "tramp music" refers to an ever-evolving style that combines such Western influences as swing, country and bluegrass.) Krestan explains that this affinity for Western music was inspired further by Pete Seeger who toured the country in 1982 and introduced the 5-string banjo to a population that was unfamiliar with the instrument. As a result of Seeger's musical ambassadorship, many musicians began to play stringed instruments, learn the melodies of traditional American folk and bluegrass songs and adapt Czech lyrics to fit the melody lines. Robert Krestan and Druha Trava are expanding that trend by performing bluegrass songs in both English and Czech. Druha Trava came together in the 1991 and in only 7 years (and after 5 albums on Venkow/ Polygram) they have become known as one of the most successful international bluegrass bands of all time. They have been awarded Band of the Year by the Czech Recording Industry as well as by the Banjo Jamboree Festival in Strakonice. In addition to Krestan, Druha Trava includes the followng members: Lubos Malina (banjo player and co-founder), Lubos Novotny (Dobro) , Martin Ledvina (guitar) and Jiri Mesner (bass). Individually, each of these musicians has received the Czech Bluegrass Association's Instrumentalist of the Year award on his respective instrument. Together they have created their own exciting brand of progressive bluegrass which has made them one of the best selling bands of any genre in the Czech Republic and has earned them appearances with Ricky Skaggs, Tony Trischka, Bela Fleck, Peter Rowan, Laurie Lewis and Ireland's Davy Spillane. Czechmate, Druha Trava's sixth album and first US release, should further establish the band as one of the foremost progressive bluegrass groups performing today. In the words of Bluegrass Magazine, "Czechmate is one of the most exciting albums you'll hear this year." Druha Trava is currently scheduled to make 3 tours of the US in 1999 with appearances planned at major music festivals including MerleFest and RockyGrass.

Check out recordings we carry featuring Druha Trava