European Bluegrass Summit 2025 - Bands
Open Mic Event
on Friday evening, February 28th, 2025
Orea Hotel Pyramida – Sun Room – Doors open at 17:45
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2025 Kids on Bluegrass Europe Band
Introducing our first ever Kids on Bluegrass inter-European performance collaboration, a representation of young talent hailing from several nations. Recommended and celebrated youngsters from the European network of bluegrass and Kids on Bluegrass Europe (KOBE), this is a truly exciting composition of musicians. Thomas Marinello (FR) – Mandolin, Honza Handlik (CZ) – Banjo, Wilma Ternesten (SE) – Guitar
Blue Fate
Blue Fate began in 2014 when Ingo Mucha (Banjo) and Peter Jung (Guitar, Vocals) decided to meet up in the basement of Peter’s parents’ house to play some contemporary Bluegrass music together. The jams were happily supported by coffee and cake by Peter’s parents, thank you Elke and Peter Snr.
The duo quickly grew towards a bigger band. The first addition was the Norwegian Kjetil Holden (Mandolin) and shortly after this Robin Heinbockel (Double Bass) joined the band. At last (but not least) Nora Breitmoser-Widdecke (Fiddle) joined and made the classic five-piece line-up complete.
Blue Fate has played bluegrass music for many occasions from local concerts in their hometown of Braunschweig to the streets of Greven for the 2023 GrevenGrass Festival.
Blue Forest Pickers
Fusing classic bluegrass with the freedom of jazz and the richness of other folk traditions, the Noah Hassler-Forest Band performs a mix of original instrumental music and traditional bluegrass repertoire. Noah Hassler-Forest (24), a Dutch violinist/fiddle player and composer based in Barcelona, leads and composes for the band, which takes on different formations. It already has a Dutch lineup, a Spanish lineup, and now a brand new line-up, specifically created for the showcase here in Prague, featuring Ondra Kozak (guitar), Kylie Anderson (mandolin), and Loes van Schaijk (bass). In 2024, Noah won first prize for his music at the competition of the Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival.
Grass Device
The five piece group from Slovakia, consists of well known musicians in Slovak / Czech bluegrass scene. The band loves to play traditional and contemporary bluegrass covers as much as they enjoy to write their own original songs and make own arrangements. The band was formed in 2022 and made slovak and englisth demo recordings. In 2023 the band performed at various festivals in Slovakia, Czech republic, The Netherlands and Switzerland.
Jozef Gubiš – bass, vocals
Vladimír Križan – guitar, vocals
Peter Burza – fiddle, vocals
Michal Barok – mandolin, vocals
Michal Vrabec – banjo
Karoline & the Free Folks
Karoline & the Free Folks is an artist from Lyon who draws inspiration from traditional American music such as folk, country or bluegrass. She invites us on a journey to the heart of America, its wide open spaces and its traditional roots music with a cheerful and poetic register.
Lluís Gómez Bluegrass 4tet
An international band led by Spanish banjo player Lluís Gómez (five string banjo) who is joined by Ondra Kozák (guitar and vocals) from the Czech Republic, Raphaël Maillet (fiddle and vocals) from France, and Maribel Rivero (double bass and vocals) from Spain. The four members, multi-instrumentalists and singers, are well-known on the European Bluegrass scene. Within this collaboration, they play straight and progressive Bluegrass with added spices from their respective countries. You will listen to songs in Spanish, Catalan, French, Czech, and English, and original compositions.
Since 2020 Lluís Gómez has been involved in a Zoom group called “The Flatheads” with banjo players such as Jake Schepps, Adam Larrabee, Hank Smith, Nat Torkington, Tony Trischka, Béla Fleck and others where they discussed the banjo techniques, he has been an assistant teacher for Béla Fleck at the prestigious Blue Ridge Banjo Camp and has taught Banjo Flamenco workshops there. He currently teaches banjo, mandolin and violin at different schools and plays in several bluegrass, folk, and jazz manouche bands, hosts a bluegrass session in Barcelona, and is a regular contributor to different media.
Od plotny skok
A band hailing from the Czech Republic, it all started with a group of friends getting together to play music in the summer of 2006. Our sound has evolved over time as we introduce new instruments and experiment with our unique vocal range. Our style, ladygrass, is a reflection of who we are – Female bluegrass band.
Our melodies are inspired by foreign bands such as Alison Kraus, Rhonda
Vincent, Claire Lynch, Donna Ulisse and others, in combination with our own Czech lyrics and three or four-part harmonies. In recent years we have also been playing our own compositions. You can listen to our music on two CDs – Ladygrass (2012) and We Know Each Other (Známe se, 2022).
Piotr Bułas & Garage Folks
Authentic Bluegrass with a Polish Spirit, Piotr Bułas & Garage Folks is a band that blends the authentic sound of American bluegrass with the energy and passion of Polish musical culture. After performing at Poland’s most renowned country and folk festivals, such as Mrągowo, Wolsztyn, and Lesko Country Festivals, and Nääsville Festival in Sweden, the band has also captivated audiences on smaller stages, earning praise for their energetic performances and flawless musicianship.
At the heart of the band is Piotr Bułas, not only a skilled musician, but also a renowned luthier, Piotr’s workshop, Bułas Banjos, is known for producing high-quality banjos, mandolins, and guitars played by musicians across Europe and the USA.
Playing together for just two years, the band has rapidly grown and developed, delivering memorable performances that combine traditional bluegrass tunes with original compositions. The band is currently working on their debut album of original material, which is highly anticipated. With their infectious energy, tight vocal harmonies, and authentic bluegrass style, Piotr Bułas & Garage Folks create unforgettable live performances, bringing the roots of bluegrass to life for audiences everywhere.
Piotr Bułas (banjo), Rafał Jabłoński (guitar, vocals), Weronika Plutecka (fiddle, vocals), Marcin Żebrowski (mandolin), Paweł Dubaniewicz (guitar), Edward Górecki (double bass)
Swedish Delegation
Here is some info on the Swedish band: musicians which normally play in different bands, but to the EBMA it is a long journey south to manage to travel with a full band, so forces across Sweden have combined and will play as Swedish Delegation!
The Swedish Delegation is representing bluegrass from the west coast of Sweden with Åsa Loid singing, Niek Dekker on mandolin and Anders Ternesten on Guitar. All of them have a long history in bluegrass with Åsa and Niek currently playing in 49 Fingers, and Anders in Rookie Riot. They play traditional bluegrass including some original material.
Table for Two
Table for Two is the duo project of Signe Borch (The Tenderhearted) of Denmark en Thierry Schoysman (Rawhide and The Sons of Navarone) of Belgium where they put close harmony central on the menu.
What started in May 2016 as a marathon jamsession of traditional bluegrass on guitar, banjo and two vocals, has evolved to a varied repertoire.
With ingredients from various styles and still served with two-part harmony singing.
Over the last couple of years the program has been completed with original compositions for two mandolins, in close harmony of course.