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Druha Trava

Famed on both sides of the Atlantic for its "Czechgrass" fusion of acoustic, bluegrass, folk and rock, Druha Trava is the foremost band to emerge from the flourishing Czech bluegrass scene. Its virtuoso musicians can satisfy the most hardcore fans with scorching versions of traditional bluegrass standards. But as the bands name "Second Grass" implies, DT reaches far beyond the classic bluegrass genre for inspiration. The band uses American roots music as a starting point for a synthesis of jazz, pop, folk and even classical motifs, transforming an iconic American idiom into a richly textured, highly personal statement.

DT was formed in 1991 by the influential singer-songwriter Robert Krestan, multi-instrumentalist Lubos Malina and other veterans of the acoustic music scene that had long thrived in Czechoslovakia. Krestans original songs -- renowned for their enigmatic, at times provocative, lyrics -- make up most of the bands repertoire, and they and Krestans raw, gritty vocals set the band apart.

But DT also performs bluegrass standards and covers -- in English and Czech -- of material by songwriters ranging from Mick Jagger to American acoustic veteran Peter Rowan (with whom the group collaborated on a CD, New Freedom Bell, in 1999). The groups 2007 album, Dylanovky, featured Krestans Czech versions of Bob Dylan songs.

Druha Trava and is members have produced more than a score of CDs and have won numerous Czech music awards. The band enjoys a wide following in the Czech Republic as well as a loyal fan base in North America, where DT tours for at least one month each year.

In 2012, Druha Trava received an Andel Award (Czech Grammy) for their album Marcipan z Toleda in the Country Music category. The Bluegrass Association of the Czech Republic declared Druha Trava "Group of the Year" in both 2005 and 2006.