Album Notes

".... With "Thanks Jimi" Leszek Cichonski has successfully crossed all musical barriers and has produced an excellent, top-shelf heavy guitar "Hendrix tribute" disc that stands up with the best of them".
(grooveyardrecords.com)


"A fresh arrangement for Voodoo Chile is important news. Leszek Cichonski and Stan Skibby show a sound grasp of Hendrix tone and make credible effort to re-create his vibe..."
(Blues Revue Magazine)



Thanks Jimi has got a few prestigious Awards of Polish Music Magazines :

BLUES TOP AWARDS

The Best Blues Album 2001- Thanks Jimi -a tribute to Jimi Hendrix,
The Best Blues Guitar Player 2001 - Leszek Cichonski
The Best Blues Famale Singer 2001 - Anika ( first apearience on a CD )

(according to Twoj Blues/Your Blues magazine).


GUITAR TOP 2001 AWARDS :

The Best Rock Guitar Album - ;Thanks Jimi - a tribute to Jimi Hendrix !!!,
The Best Rock Guitarplayer - Leszek Cichonski !!!
(according to Gitara i Bas Magazine )



He started early. As a twelve years-old he ....wielded a battered acoustic palying ;House of the rising sun. He spent long years at home, playing with the likes of BB King, Hendrix. In 1982 He graduated from Institiute 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 promotor 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 jurnalist 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 worshippers of blues and more.

Here is a letter writen by Leszek to Jimi Hendrix



TRANSLATION FROM THE CD THANKS JIMI


Hey Jimi !

It's a good thing to have an older brother...I was about 11 when my brother brought home a 45 and I listened to Hey Joe and Purple Haze for the first time. The next one was All along the watchtower, which literally knocked me off my feet. Each new album in our home (vinyl back then, of course...) called for a celebration. But each recording by you was a revelation. I instantly knew right then, it was something exceptional, a perfect connection between sound and emotions. It was MAGIC!

I played a number of concerts with Wlodek Lola Krakus and Andrzej Ryszka celebrating your life and music in the eighties. I still remember that incredible experience.

Although you have been gone now for 30 years, once again I wanted to feel your vibes through my music and capture that feeling on this recording - as a dedication to you.

I played a series of dates with Lola and Andrzej again in Sept 2000. Stan Skibby from Chicago joined us. You are close to him as well. We called it A tribute to Jimi Hendrix;. People in Poland remember you very well -the crowd joined the band singing Who knows" word by word in Blue Note in Poznan ...The performance in Free Blues Club in Szczecin was recorded at the beginning of the tour, unrehearsed so to speak. It was a spontaneous jam - I certainly felt your presence that evening...

Between the gigs we recorded your immortal hits Foxy Lady, Purple Haze and Voodoo Child in just three days - I hope you don't mind me getting carried away with my own arrangements...

I have also prepared something especially for you - my version of JJ Cale's Cocaine. Skibby and I drifted away in our solos, and I am convinced we traveled close to ...you. ...got a natural high on Cale's Cocaine.

I wonder if you like Anika in Foxy Lady and Voodoo Child? She was originally reluctant to sing Voodoo Child saying she did not feel that number, did not feel like singing it. It took me a long time to convince her to sing it...these women...

Thank you for being with us all that time...Thanks Jimi...

Leszek Cichonski




CD review from Blues on Stage by Vasja Ivanovski :

Leszek Cichonski, one of the best European blues rock guitarists is the man behind this project and he does Jimi's music justice with inspired performance which really smokes!
(...) [Stan Skibby] is like Leszek, a fabulous player who treats Jimi's songs with respect of deeply rooted blues musician.
(...) Some live tracks present what this great bunch of players are capable of! Treat yourself to some excellent stuff and try to get a copy!

P.S.

Visit the official website

www.cichonski.art.pl

for more details & to play the blues with Leszek's licks !!! - just moving your mouse :-))