Leszek Cichonski

He started early. As a twelve years-old he ....wielded a battered acoustic playing ;House of the rising sun. He spent long years at home, playing with the likes of BB King, Hendrix. In 1982 He graduated from Institute of Protecting Atmosphere at The Wroclaw Technical University, not even thinking of music as his final destination. Now he is considered as the best Polish blues-rock guitar player. Leszek Cichonski was born on 25th Nov., 1957 in Wroclaw. He was the first in Poland to prepare an instructional course with audio tape for guitar players Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop. He is also the publisher of this material and other education products. His instructional projects and workshops together with MIDI-MAX - his publishing house - were awarded with the Bronze Medal at the International Music Fair INTERMEDIA '94 in Wroclaw. Since 1991 he's been a band-leader of his own group GUITAR WORKSHOP employing top Polish musicians as well as a promoter for Poland. In 1996 he had recorded "Leszek Cichonski & friends - LIVE" with some of the best polish guitarists: Grzegorz Skawinski, Jerzy Styczynski, Dariusz Kozakiewicz and Carlos Johnson from Chicago. Leszek Cichonski is a laureate of the Maria Jurkowska Award granted every year by the Polish Radio Programme 3 musical journalist for his propagation of the blues and musical education among young people. According to "Gitara i Bass" and "Twoj Blues" magazine, he is the best polish blues-rock guitarist of 2001, 2002 and 2003 year. Over a period of last five years, he has organized and played more than 150 concerts in Poland and Czech Republic with Chicago based blues players. Chicago's greats, Carlos Johnson, Sammy Fender, Pistol Pete came to Poland at different times and played with the band, Guitar Workshop. He put together Tribute to Jimi Hendrix Tour last year. Cichonski's last CD, Thanks Jimi" is his tribute to Jimi Hendrix. It features Chicago's own Stan Skibby and Anika - a very talented woman from Wroclaw. Thanks Jimi - The new Cichonski's album is the tribute to Jimi Hendrix containing such classics as Hey Joe, Purple Haze,Foxy Lady. However it's not only cover tunes that make the album. Leszek has written Thanks Jimi instrumental piece full of exciting riffs and solos as well as Crazy Horse for which the lyrics have been written by Stan Skibby. New release by Leszek Cichonski should satisfy the worshipers of blues and more.