Steam - Slovakia

The band Steam was formed at the end of the year 1999 by banjo player Ján Bratinka a year after broke up of his band BG Album. It was an answer to hole in one of line of bluegrass in Slovakia, inspirated by the american band Skyline. It is so-called city bluegrass influenced by jazz, funk and rock. The band is basically at the begining of perspective route and had been invited on Bluegrass festivals to Austria, Czech republic etc. The band is based on musicians that are pretty experienced in this way. The guitar player Peter Baláž, who came to the band from one Bratislava's band - Vegetband, where he played five strings banjo and he also played in one blues band in Bratislava. Adrián Minaroviè, the best mandolin player of this time in Slovakia, is from Zvolen. He came from the band Grassland. Great bass player Peter Davidek, who came from rock scene and lead vocalist Barbora Streicherová, from Pezinok, where she was a member of country and bluegrass focused band, that is not existing now. So it is formed of musicians from the whole Slovakia. The music, which the band plays, is blugrass in a modern meaning. It is not a copy of the Skyline, also it has maybe the greatest influence on the Steam. The Steam is following its own way. The way full of experimentation, searching of new sound of bluegrass and mainly breaking the barriers. In its repertoir are not-known songs as well as own pieces. You can find there traditional songs from Bill Monroe, Hot Rize, Seldom Scene or from the others american legends. But we have to say, that they are sometimes different from the traditional and original pieces. The Steam wants to go by his own way and to play the bluegrass with own feeling. The Steam had posibillity to present this on many domestic festivals as Bluegrass festival in Horná Poruba, Dobrofest Trnava, Bluegrass evening in Pezinok etc.
Contact:  Bratinka@infostat.sk