Slow-Blues.com — Global Blues Encyclopedia
Back to artists
Leszek Cichoński
Foto: Ja Fryta ze Strzegomia (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Blues Rock

Leszek Cichoński

Born: 25. november 1957, Wrocław, Polen• Poland• Active: 1981–i dag
Blues Rock

Poland's premier blues-rock guitarist (b. 1957, Wrocław), founder of the annual "Thanks Jimi Festival" and its Guinness World Record mass guitar performance (8,122 guitarists in 2025).

Instruments
Gitar, Vokal
Labels
MIDI-MAX, Independent
from
Wrocław, Polen
Born
25. november 1957, Wrocław, Polen
Leszek Cichoński was born on 25 November 1957 in Wrocław and began playing acoustic guitar at age twelve, inspired by B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix (Source: pl.wikipedia.org; leszekcichonski.pl). He made his professional debut in 1981 with the band CDN, alongside the later-famous Paweł Kukiz, before completing studies at the Institute of Atmosphere Protection at Wrocław University of Technology in 1982 (Source: pl.wikipedia.org). Cichoński has collaborated with international artists including Carlos Johnson and Tony McPhee, and played major blues festivals such as the Monterey Bay Blues Festival in California and the Narooma Blues Festival in Australia (Source: pl.wikipedia.org). In 1991 he established the ensemble Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop, which over five years gave more than 150 concerts in Poland and the Czech Republic with guests including Chicago guitarist Carlos Johnson, Sammy Fender and Stan Skibby (Source: leszekcichonski.pl). Since 2003 he has organized the "Thanks Jimi Festival" on Wrocław's Market Square every May, a Jimi Hendrix tribute that includes an annual Guinness World Record attempt for mass guitar playing — the record stood at 8,122 guitarists playing "Hey Joe" simultaneously in 2025, up from 588 at an earlier attempt (Source: pl.wikipedia.org). He is also known as the pioneer behind Poland's first instructional cassette course for guitar students, through his own publishing house MIDI-MAX, work that earned a bronze medal at the international music fair INTERMEDIA in Wrocław in 1994 (Source: leszekcichonski.pl). His discography includes "Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop" (1991, cassette), "Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop Live" (1996), "Thanks Jimi" (2001, with Stan Skibby), "The Best of Studio & Live" (2008, CD+DVD), "Sobą gram" (2011, CD+LP) and "Thanks Jimi Symphonic" (2021) (Source: pl.wikipedia.org). He has been awarded the Maria Jurkowska Prize from Polskie Radio Program III (1994), the Guitar Award 2014 as Poland's best blues guitarist, and the bronze (2017) and silver (2022) "Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis" medals (Source: pl.wikipedia.org). In 2017 he received his own krasnal (the small cartoon-gnome statue Wrocław is famous for), named "Leszko" in his honor (Source: pl.wikipedia.org).

Musical Influence

As Poland's leading blues-rock guitarist since the 1980s, and the pioneer behind the country's first instructional material for guitar students, Leszek Cichoński has personally trained an entire generation of Polish guitarists (Source: leszekcichonski.pl). The "Thanks Jimi Festival" and its annual Guinness record attempt have become a national tradition drawing thousands of amateur and professional guitarists to Wrocław every year (Source: pl.wikipedia.org). Blues Top 2024 ranked him Poland's 6th best guitarist (Source: twojblues.com/blues.pl Blues Top rankings).

Formative experiences

  • •1981: Professional debut with the band CDN, alongside Paweł Kukiz (Source: pl.wikipedia.org).
  • •1991: Established the ensemble Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop (Source: leszekcichonski.pl).
  • •2003: Started the "Thanks Jimi Festival" in Wrocław (Source: pl.wikipedia.org).
  • •2017: Received his own krasnal statue, "Leszko," in Wrocław (Source: pl.wikipedia.org).

Stories & Anecdotes

"In 2025, 8,122 guitarists played "Hey Joe" simultaneously on Wrocław's Market Square during Cichoński's "Thanks Jimi" record attempt, up from 588 participants at an earlier attempt (Source: pl.wikipedia.org)."
"In 2017 Wrocław honored him with his own krasnal — the small bronze statues the city is world-famous for — named "Leszko" (Source: pl.wikipedia.org)."

Collaborators

Carlos Johnson

Chicago guitarist, guest with Guitar Workshop and at Thanks Jimi.

Tony McPhee

Collaborator (The Groundhogs).

Stan Skibby

Guest artist on the album "Thanks Jimi" (2001).

Sebastian Riedel

Performed together at "Thanks Jimi" concerts.

Watch & Listen

Featured

Thanks Jimi - Leszek Cichoński & Malford Milligan z orkiestrą symfoniczną NFM

YouTube

Thanks Jimi Leszek Cichoński feat. Marek Raduli

Thanks Jimi Leszek Cichoński feat. Marek Raduli

Sebastian Riedel / Leszek Cichoński / Marek Raduli - Thanks Jimi

Sebastian Riedel / Leszek Cichoński / Marek Raduli - Thanks Jimi

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Discography

YearTitleProducerStudioLabelChartSalesMusiciansYouTubeNotes
1991Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop——MIDI-MAX———Cassette. Source: pl.wikipedia.org.
1996Blues-Rock Guitar Workshop Live——MIDI-MAX———Source: pl.wikipedia.org.
2001Thanks Jimi——MIDI-MAX———With Stan Skibby. Source: pl.wikipedia.org.
2008The Best of Studio & Live——MIDI-MAX———CD+DVD. Source: pl.wikipedia.org.
2011Sobą gram——Independent———CD+LP. Source: pl.wikipedia.org.
2021Thanks Jimi Symphonic——Independent———Source: pl.wikipedia.org.

Famous songs

01Thanks Jimi (2001) — Title track, tribute to Jimi Hendrix.
02Hey Joe (Guinness record attempt) (2025) — Performed by 8,122 guitarists simultaneously.

Awards & Recognition

1994
Maria Jurkowska Award
Polskie Radio Program III
2014
Guitar Award
Best Polish Blues Guitarist
2017
Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis
Bronze Medal
2022
Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis
Silver Medal
2024
Blues Top
#6 Guitarist (Poland)

External links

Official website Official website Wikipedia (PL)

Booking / Contact

Booking agency
KA-International Art Management
Agent/management
Katarzyna Krzysztyniak
Booking email
Not publicly available
Booking phone
+48 793 355 877

Kilde: leszekcichonski.pl.

Source

Are you the artist, or do you represent the band or booking agency? We want the booking information here to always be accurate and current. Please send us the correct details via our contact form, and we'll update the profile as soon as possible. Go to the contact form

Sources

Keep SlowBlues independent. Official merch — wear the blues.

Shop merch