It may be hard to imagine that a bluegrass band based overseas has actually plied its trade for more than 30 years, but indeed, that’s the case with the Czech-based group Monogram. These days, most of the band calls the country’s capitol city Prague home. The group currently consists of Jaromir Jahoda (banjo, vocal), Zdeněk Jahoda (mandolin, vocals), Jindřich Vinkler (guitar, lead vocals), and Erik Banič (bass, vocals). Vinkler writes the majority of the songs, but the band’s other members contribute material as well.
Monogram traces its history back to 1993, when it was founded by the Jahoda Brothers and Jakub Racek, who later left in 2013. “During that time, a few musicians changed in the band,” Jaromir explains. “Jakub and Pavel Lžičař probably had the most influence earlier on in the band’s history. My brother Zdeněk and I have been in Monogram from the beginning. Jindra, Erik, and I got together through various meetings and jamming sessions. Even though bluegrass is quite widespread over here, it’s still a small pond. We knew each other then, and among the active players, we all know each other well now.”
Jaromir describes Monogram’s sound as one that adheres to bluegrass basics — as purveyed by banjo, guitar, mandolin, double bass, and three-part vocals. “We’re bluegrass-cut, but influenced by other genres,” he added. “I think Monogram has its own authentic sound.”
Asked about influences, he responded in a general sort of way. “This is a very broad question,” he replied. “Basically, all music crosses different genres, but above all, of course, so does bluegrass. If I had to make it very short, it would definitely be the music of Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, David Grisman, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Béla Fleck, Slávek Hanzlík, JD Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Blue Highway, The Boxcars, Lonesome River Band, Tony Trischka, Tony Rice, New Grass Revival, Tim O’Brien, and many, many more.”
That approach has served Monogram well. Over the course of their collective career, they’ve garnered a number of important awards. The CBA (Czech Bluegrass Association) named them Best Instrumental Group several times. In 2008 and 2015, they received the EBMA award as the European Group of the Year. The individual members also won the Instrumentalist of the Year award several times in the realms of banjo, guitar, and mandolin.
To date, Monogram has recorded some six albums. Three of them were awarded Album of the Year honors by the CBA. Their latest album, Simple Man, consists entirely of their original compositions.
Not surprisingly then, Monogram makes a habit of touring frequently on the European festival circuit, as well as in concert on their own — especially in Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Great Britain, and France. “We performed at the IBMA festival in the USA twice,” Jaromir said. “We performed at home in the Czech Republic at Banjo Jamboree, Porta, Prázdniny v Telči, Stodola Michala Tučného, and Zahrada, etcetera, and abroad at the Crapone festival, La Roche Bluegrass festival in France, the EWOB festival in the Netherlands, Family Fest in Switzerland, and the SPBGMA fest in Austria.”
He added that they’ve also collaborated with other artists, including Chris Jones, Slávek Hanzlík, Bill Keith, Druhá tráva, Lilly Drumeva, Petr Kocman, Bratři Nedvědovi, Tony Ackerman, Jimmy Bozeman, and Petr Kůs. That’s in addition to the loyal following they’ve gathered on their own. “We play covers with other musicians, mainly at jam sessions,” he explained. “But as a band, we follow our own path of creation. We have been playing music as a band for over thirty years, and people are still coming, so I hope they still enjoy it.”
Apparently, they do, and as a result, Jaromir offers his own theory as to why bluegrass maintains an international appeal.
“Bluegrass comes from folk music, which it still more or less is,” he mused. “It enjoys great popularity, but I don’t know if it is as big as it is sometimes presented. I think that in the Czech Republic, and in Europe as well, it is still more or less on the fringes of all musical styles. Other genres still predominate in the media with a large majority, and many listeners outside the community don’t even know that bluegrass exists. But that’s probably normal. However, compared to other European countries, bluegrass is very widespread in the Czech Republic, and it finds its way to the listener.”
