Biographies

Druha Trava is a wonderfully individual band from the Czech Republic that is hard to describe. They perform new acoustic world music with bluegrass influences. You might hear them perform a bluegrass tune, Bob Dylan tune or one by another American or British artist, or one of their many originals. Though they basically use a typical bluegrass complement of instruments, you might see the banjo player also pick up a clarinet or Irish whistle. This along with the versatility of the dobro player helps create much of their unique sound.

The Bluegrass Association of the Czech Republic declared Druha Trava "Group of the Year" in both 2005 and 2006.

Past and present members

Singer and writer Robert Krestan (1991-present) has been recognized with numerous honors in his home country in both bluegrass and country music. He has been "Male Vocalist of the Year" at the Banjo Jamboree Festival numerous times and has been awarded "Country Artist of the Year" by the Czech Music Academy on several occasions. He is a contributing writer for two Czech music publications, Folk & Country and Melodie, and has published a book of poetry and short stories, Napsal Jsem Jméno Svy Na Zdi (I Wrote My Name on the Wall). He has also translated a number of American novels into Czech, among them, William Eastlakes's "The Bamboo Bed" (in Czech: Umirali jsme v bambusu) and Jim Harrison's "Legends of the Fall" (in Czech: Legendy o vasni). Robert is co-founder of Druha Trava, along with Lubos Malina. Most recently, he was awarded "Best Male Vocalist" by the Bluegrass Association of the Czech Republic for both 2005 and 2006.

In 1992, Lubos Malina (1991-present) was named overall "Best Banjo Player" at the 20 plus year old Banjo Jamboree Festival. This was after being voted "Banjo Player of the Year" annually since 1986. Along with Robert Krestan, he recorded six albums with the band Poutnici. Both in 1989 and 1990, Poutnici received the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music award for Best Non-American Recording of the Year. His first solo recording, Naper se a Pukni! (All You Can Eat) was released in 1996 and his second project, A Piece of Cake, including guest artists Davy Spillane, Peter Rowan, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka, and Druha Trava, and was released in August, 1998. Most recently his third solo project, Afterparty, was released on Good Day Records in 2004. Multi-instrumentalist Lubos has been performing on Irish whistle and clarinet as well as his banjos. The Bluegrass Association of the Czech Republic awarded him "Best Banjo Player" in 2005, and in 2006 honored his "Dueling Fingers" album as the "Album of the Year".

With a long history in the folk band Duo Cis as well as with the legendary Czech newgrass group Prudusky, Lubos Novotny (1991-present) plays dobro. (The Dobro was actually invented by a Slovak family, the Dopyeras.) He has been named "Dobro Player of the Year" from 1992 until 1997 by the Banjo Jamboree Festival as well by the Slovak Association of Country Music in 1992 and 1993. His first solo recording, Joy of the Sorrowful, was released in 1995 and his second recording, Venku z travy (Out from the Grass) was released in 2000. Lubos also performs with a group called Testify. When Druha Trava returned to the Banjo Jamboree Festival in 2004 after their long absence, Lubos was once again named Dobro Player of the Year. The Bluegrass Association of Czech Republic has designated Lubos Novotny as "Best Dobro Player" every year from 2000-2006!

On acoustic double bass Petr Sury (2002-present) maintains the beat for Druha Trava. He was educated at the State Concervatory and Janacek Music Academy, both in Brno, Czech Republic. Since the mid 70's he has part a part of a number of bands and orchestras including Opera Orchestra of National Theatre in Brno and Cimbalom Band of Frantisek Cerny. He appears on the 1994 Druha Trava album "Starodavny svet", as well as Lubos Malina's first two solo banjo albums.

Emil Formanek (2004-present) lives in Bratislava, Slovak Republic and the band has known him for 15 years. He played guitar on Lubos Novotny's first solo album and also on Lubos Malina's first solo album. He is a past member of the bluegrass band Fragment and has been playing acoustic and electric guitar for the biggest country star in Slovakia, Alan Mikusek, since he left Fragment. He has also recorded guitar for many other country, folk and rock bands in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Emil joined Druha Trava early 2004 and plays guitar and mandolin. He recorded on their all English acoustic album released in 2004 and rereleased in June, 2006 by Compass Records in Nashville.

Stanislav Paluch, (2002-2003) born 7/7/1977 in Cadca, Slovakia, studied violin at Conservatory in Zilian and graduated from the Academy of Music and Drama in Bratislava. He plays various genres ranging from Slovak traditional folk music, jazz, new acoustic, classical chamber and early music and has been awarded numerous honors in violin competitions.He has toured and recorded with a number of groups and began touring with Druha Trava in 2002 and continued through 2003. He recorded with them on their 1775 Poems of Emily Dickinson CD. He is now leader of the Stano Paluch Trio and occasionally guests with Druha Trava.

Michal Vavro (2002-2003) studied classical music and double bass at the Conservatorium and the Academy of Music in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. He has been a member of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra since 1993 and has toured in Japan, the United States and throughout Europe as well as being part of other orchestras. Since he was thirteen, Michal has had a great interest in American folk and bluegrass music, which lead to his involvement with both the bluegrass and world music band Teagrass and the bluegrass band Fragment. In 2002 the acoustic music project Acoustic Colours was released (G-Music 026). Michal recorded this project along with Stano Paluch. The project combines many musical influences from bluegrass, ethnic, jazz and Slovak folk music. He toured with Druha Trava through 2003.

Guitarist, mandolinist and vocalist Martin Ledvina (1997-2003) came to Druha Trava after recording and performing with the Petr Brandejs Band. In 1996 and 1997, Martin received honors from the Czech Bluegrass Association for both guitar and vocals. In 1996 and 1997, he was named "Guitar Player of the Year" by the Banjo Jamboree Festival. In the fall of 2003 Martin left in order to play fulltime with Lenka Dusilova.

Juraj Griglak (2002) of Slovakia performed on bass for a period of time in 2002 and appears on the 1775 Poems of Emily Dickinson CD.

Jiri Meisner (1991-2001) provided the bass line and vocal harmonies for the group from its beginning until the fall of 2001. His background in rock music injected a unique edge to the band's repertoire. He took top honors for his bass playing at the Banjo Jamboree Festival from 1992 until 1997, and in 1995 was named "Bass Guitar Player of the Year" by Bluegrass Calendar Readers Poll. When he left the band, he began playing with Kamelot.

Pavel Malina (1991-1997) was the original guitar player in Druha Trava. It was he and his brother Lubos that originally amazed American audiences with Druha Trava?s version of Skocna (Dance of the Comedians) from Smetana?s opera The Bartered Bride. He left Druha Trava early in 1997 and has a music store in his home town of Pisek, Czech Republic. Since leaving Druha Trava Pavel spent two years with Fragment and now performs with Pavlina Jisova & CS Band.

Druha Trava has utilized various drummers on their many albums. They toured the US acoustically from 1993-1997. In 1998 they used two different US drummers on their US tours. In 1999 and 2000 Stepan Smetacek, who performs with Lenka Dusilova was a regular part of the group and appeared in band photos. In 2001 Milos Dvoracek came on their two US tours. Beginning in 2002, Druha Trava again began touring the US as an acoustic band. In 2004, they returned with their new lineup, and with a new all acoustic album that came out in Czech Republic just before they left, which they were able to bring along on their tour.