Druhá Tráva is a bluegrass band originally formed in Czechoslovakia in 1991 by Robert Kà Âesà ¥an and Luboà ¡ Malina, who had played in the group PoutnÃÂci together. As of 2021, they have released thirteen studio albums, four live albums, two compilations, as well as a number of side projects. They have been described as evolving from underground musicians who subverted Communism to international artists who "upend convention".
The Czech bluegrass genre developed in the mid-1960s, influenced by American bluegrass music. A regional tour by Pete Seeger in 1964 was a particular inspiration to Czech musicians. The Communist regime was hostile to such music, and Czech musicians with Western folk and rock influences helped advocate for the country's eventual independence.
Singer-songwriter and mandolinist Robert Kà Âesà ¥an had been a fan of American roots music since the late 1960s, listening to records that had been smuggled into the country. Kà Âesà ¥an was particularly fond of bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe. Kà Âesà ¥an went to great pains to find records and learned how to play the music on homemade instruments. He joined the band PoutnÃÂci in 1979.
Kà Âesà ¥an and another member of PoutnÃÂci, banjo player Luboà ¡ Malina, formed Druhá Tráva in 1991. The band's original lineup also included dobro player and guitarist Luboà ¡ Novotný, bassist Jià ÂàMeisner, and guitarist Pavel Malina. The group's configuration has changed considerably over its history, though Kà Âesà ¥an, Malina, and Novotný have been in the band consistently since 1991. They released their debut album, Robert Kà Âesà ¥an & Druhá Tráva, in 1991, and followed up a year later with Revival, sung entirely in English. Starodávný svÃÂt came out in 1994 and for their fourth album, the band invited singer PavlÃÂna JÃÂà ¡ová to join in the recording.
In 1997, guitarist Pavel Malina left Druhá Tráva and was replaced by Martin Ledvina. The group subsequently released three studio albums in one year: Pohlednice, New Freedom Bell (a collaboration with American bluegrass musician Peter Rowan), and Czechmate. A year later, in 2000, they toured the United States. During this period, the ensemble experienced a frequent turnover of drummers, which included à  tÃÂpán SmetáÃÂek and Miloà ¡ Dvoà ÂáÃÂek. Bass player Jià ÂàMeisner departed and was replaced by Juraj Griglák, and the group released their first compilation record, a double album titled Best & Last, in 2001. The same year, Druhá Tráva announced that they were breaking up.
In 2004, Druhá Tráva reformed, with some lineup changes. Kà Âesà ¥an, Malina, and Novotný were joined by double bass player Petr Surý (replaced in 2010 by TomÃ¡à ¡ Lià ¡ka) and guitarist Emil Formánek. Also in 2004, they published their eighth studio album, the English-language Good Morning, Friend. They followed it a year later with the live recording Live in Brno, a collaboration with Charlie McCoy.
In 2007, Druhá Tráva worked with a number of musicians, including Jan VyÃÂÃÂtal, Wabi DanÃÂk, Kateà Âina GarcÃÂa, Pavel Bobek, PavlÃÂna JÃÂà ¡ová, Charlie McCoy, and Ondà Âej Konrád on an album of Bob Dylan covers, titled Dylanovky.
Druhá Tráva has continued to tour and record to the present day. They released Marcipán z Toleda in 2011, Shuttle to Bethlehem in 2011, Pojd'me se NapÃÂt in 2013, and most recently, DÃÂl prvnÃÂ, which came out in 2020. Their current lineup includes guitarist Radek Hlávka, bassist TomÃ¡à ¡ Lià ¡ka, and drummer Martin Novák.
Members of Druhá Tráva have worked on their own solo projects and collaborations with other artists over the years. Robert Kà Âesà ¥an, Luboà ¡ Malina, and Luboà ¡ Novotný have all released solo albums; Malina formed Garcia with Kateà Âina GarcÃÂa in 2006, a group that also includes former Druhá Tráva drummer David Landà ¡tof.
Druhá Tráva has toured internationally and performed with Ricky Skaggs, Peter Rowan, Davy Spillane, and Béla Fleck, among others. The band's international appearances have attracted attention for their ability to master many different genres and eras of American roots music. Their 1999 album, Czechmate, was their first to be released in the United States and gained attention from international critics for its covers of jazz standards, opera numbers, and Appalachian folk songs. Several of their later albums were released by Universal Music Group and EMI. The band has won numerous awards throughout their career, several of them from the Czech Academy of Popular Music. This includes their 1999 AndÃÂl Award in the Folk & Country category. Since the beginning of their career, the group has faced criticism for their mix of Americana and Central European influences.
Current
Past
These are albums released under the names Druhá Tráva or Robert Kà Âesà ¥an & Druhá Tráva. Several members of the band have released solo albums, with assistance from various permutations of the Druhá Tráva lineup.