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6,346 guitarists - a New World Guitar Record
May 1, 2009 saw 6,346 guitar players join together to play the Jimi Hendrix hit "Hey Joe" and more than tripled the standing record for "Largest Guitar Ensemble" of 2,052 set last year in Concord, California. The event took place in the historic center of Wroclaw, Poland - a city which has taken on the title of "Wroclaw Guitar City" - a title that seems merited. In fact, the Mayor, Rafa³ Dutkiewicz, was among those playing, as was Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse and festival founder and director, Leszek Cichoński. Cichoński is a well-known musician and music educator in Poland and the festival was an outgrowth of one of his educational programs and has taken place - and grown - annually since 2003. Beyond the 6,346 guitar players, there were thousands of spectators and supporters in the Wroc³aw city center as well as other guitar players taking part online and in coordinated events in Sweden, the US, Canada and Australia (though those do not count towards the record). One of the objectives of the organizers is to establish May 1st as "World Guitar Day" and more coordinated simultaneous events are planed for next year and beyond.
Now it is the German's turn as they make their attempt on May 10th in Mainz.
Further information at:
www.myspace.com/thanksjimifest
Some Video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATAbwGOzzxY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqAz2x6-VA0
Queue to Registration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cJ-OP0q67w
we have some media reply already:
Guitar World
Modern Guitars
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Play with us! Online !
If You have passibility to record your own two minutes video, feel free to contact for details via mail damian.n6@gmial.com and put the video on our ftp: server ftp://79.110.194.229 - please log in anonymously
You can also watch how Wroclaw beats Guitar Guinness World Record here
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Play with us! May 1, 2009!
Join us in person in Wroclaw or on-line Thanks Jimi Festival - or
contact us if you want to create a simultaneous event!
You are invited to the Wroclaw Rynek and to play "Hey Joe" with TOP
Polish guitar players Leszek Cichonski ,Krzysztof Jaworski, Marek Raduli, Sebastian Riedel and his group Cree, Mietek Jurecki, Ryszard Sygitowicz, Andrzej Malcherek, Jacek Krzaklewski, Radek Chwieralski,
Krzysztof Misiak, Zygmunt Janiak, David Price (USA), and Chicago's own
Stan Skibby.
Also joining us this year are Todd Wolfe (USA - guitarist with Sheryl
Crow), Feedback Family (Sweden), Egon Poka (Hungary), Massimo Ormea
(Italy) and Steve Morse of the legendary band DEEP PURPLE - you can play
"Smoke on the Water" and "Hey Joe" with us! This is a free event, open
to all, in the beautiful historic center of Wroclaw.
GUITARISTS OF ALL COUNTRIES UNITE!!!
World Guitar Day 2008 Breaks previous Guinness World Record!!! - 1,881 guitar players playing together in Wroclaw Guitar City!!! Be a part
of breaking that record in 2009!
Read about on the BBC.
Founded in 2003 by Polish guitarist Leszek Cichonski in tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and an annual event since, the "Thanks Jimi Festival" takes place in the Rynek (Old Town Square) of the beautiful medieval city of Wroclaw (aka Breslau), Poland. The festival has grown into the largest guitar event in the world after securing the Guinness World Record for the Largest Guitar Orchestra in 2006 with 1,581 confirmed guitar players (including Wroclaw city mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz who participates every year) all playing together simultaneously (and official estimates of an additional 15,000 people in attendance). The event is transforming into the center of an annual 1st of May "World Guitar Day" and is expanding significantly with satellite events happening simultaneously around the world as well as private individuals and smaller groups being able to also take part in real time via the web.
2009 only looks to be bigger than last year's record breaker. Please join us in a day of universal, positive creative celebration and a new UNION and solidarity (this is Poland after all...) of guitar.
Please join us! Contact us via e-mail
watch the Festival documentary
Learn to play the songs here:
"With the power of soul, anything is possible" -J. Hendrix
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the city of Wroclaw in making this event happen! It would not be possible otherwise.
WROCLAW GUITAR CITY!
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A new World Guitar Record was set the 1st of May
* 1951 guitars* played Jimi Hendrix's blues-rock hit 'Hey Joe' and
other songs at the Old Town Square in Wroclaw, Poland, on the 1st of
may 2008. This event sets a new Guinness' World Record for the largest
number of guitars simultaneously playing the same song. This was the
sixth attempt: last year 1881 guitars participated in the event witch
was the best score in the World.
The attempt took place during the 'Thanks Jimi Festival'
dedicated to the music of the world's best known guitarist, Jimi
Hendrix. It was organized on the initiative of Leszek Cichonski - a
respected musician and music educator from Wroclaw, Poland, who wants to
attain a goal of teaching guitarists a new Hendrix's song every year.
The event is transforming into the center of an annual 1st of May "World
Guitar Day" and is expanding significantly with satellite events
happening simultaneously around the world as well as private individuals
and smaller groups being able to also take part in real time via the web.
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Play with us! May 1, 2008!
Join us in person in Wroclaw or on-line - or contact us if you want to create a simultaneous event! Jan Borysewicz, Leszek Cichonski, Krzysztof Jaworski, Zbyszek Krebs, Jacek Królik, Marek Raduli, Mietek Jurecki, Wojciech Pilichowski, Ryszard Sygitowicz, as well as Carlos Johnson (USA), Egon Poka (Hungary), David Price (USA), A.G. Weinberger (Romania), Party Blues (Germany) and others. And you?
GUITARISTS OF ALL COUNTRIES UNITE!!!
World Guitar Day 2007 Breaks previous Guinness World Record!!! - 1,881 guitar players playing together in Wroclaw Guitar City!!!
Read about on the BBC.
2008 only looks to be bigger than last year's record breaker. Please join us in a day of universal, positive creative celebration and a new UNION and solidarity (this is Poland after all...) of guitar.
"With the power of soul, anything is possible" -J. Hendrix
The INCREDIBLE Thanks Jimi festival's promo-video on YouTube.
While it is in Polish, anyone can learn the songs here:
http://fanclub.cichonski.art.pl/grg.htm
Some of those that joined us last year - from Sweden:
http://www.surrealismmusic.bravehost.com/jimifestival.html
http://fampersson.se/
And Berlin:
http://www.rockinberlin.pl/rock_pliki/page0002.htm
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the city of Wroclaw in making this event happen! It would not be possible otherwise.
WROCLAW GUITAR CITY!
Please join us! Contact us via e-mail
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Thanks Jimi Festival 2007
The "Thanks Jimi Festival" has grown into the largest guitar
event in the world after securing the World Record for the
Largest Guitar Orchestra in 2007 with 1,881 confirmed guitar players
all playing together simultaneously (and official estimates of an
additional 15,000 people in attendance).
even BBC informs :
Almost 2,000 musicians have gathered in the Polish city of Wroclaw to play a rock anthem by Jimi Hendrix.
The guitarists were aiming to set a new Guinness World Record by gathering
1,881 guitarists
in the city's market square to play Hey Joe.
......... it was the biggest guitar ensemble in recorded history, though Guinness has not yet officially confirmed the feat.
more http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6613261.stm
The Guitar Record fans just finished an english version of "Guitar Emotions" fanclub website . Invite to visite and register please .
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Thanks Jimi Festival 2006
1581 guitars played Jimi Hendrix's blues-rock hit 'Hey Joe' at the Old Town Square in Wroclaw, Poland, on the 1st of may 2006, last week. This event sets a new Guinness' World Record for the largest number of guitars simultaneously playing the same song. This was the fourth attempt: last year 1201 guitars participated in the event. The previous record (1555 guitars) belonged to Epiphone - the American guitar producer.
The attempt took place during the 'Thanks Jimi Festival' dedicated to the music of the world's best known guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. It was organized on the initiative of Leszek Cichonski - a respected musician and music educator from Wroclaw, Poland, who wants to attain a goal of teaching guitarists a new Hendrix's song every year.
1581 guitars from all over Poland, as well as from countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden and the USA, gathered at the Old Town Square in Wroclaw despite the rain falling persistently since the day before. Until the last moment the weather forecasts were not optimistic, putting the whole event in danger but just before the general rehearsal (electric & acoustic guitars tuning) by 3 p.m. the rain suddenly stopped. When at 4 p.m. the orchestra conducted by Leszek Cichonski performed 'Hey Joe' the sun was shining! Thanks to... Jimi? Additionally, the world's largest guitar orchestra performed the hits: 'Little Wing', 'Red House', 'Wild Thing' , as well as Cichonski's own 'Thanks Jimi'.
The idea was born nearly ten years ago during the summer blues guitar workshop held by Cichonski in Zakrzewo, when 16 participants have played together 'Hey Joe' for the first time. The idea to play this song by hundreds of guitars has been maturing for many years.
Even though the record was set, the 'Thanks Jimi Festival' will be continued in the next years.
Guitar Guinness Record - photo gallery
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Thanks Jimi Festival 2005
In May 2005, 1201 guitarists gathered
in Wroclaw's historic Old Town Square to
play Hendrix's songs together, with an estimated 15.000 additional observers in the
audience.
This time we're meeting each other on May 1st 2006 on Wroclaw's Market Place in
the city centre. It“s gonna be our 4th attempt to
beat the Guitar Guinness Record and third edition of "Thanks Jimi
Festival".
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So far the world biggest guitar orchestra was performing on american“s EPIPHONE guitar producer
anniversary, where 1555 musicians were assembled playing together.
(http://www.gibson.com).
As in the past three years, the festival will be preceded by a two-month educational workshop via mass
media and the internet. "My idea was to teach people Hendrix's songs so that we would be able to play
them together," says Cichonski. "And step by step we mastered three songs."
So if you are either a professional axeman or an amatour, present or would be, male or female... and
if you still aren't hooked on this fest reading the above description, you never will! But mark
these words, Wodstock Fest. was only once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. So was Altamont Fest. THANKS JIMI
FEST is ahead of them - it was reproduced succesfully for the third time. Contrary to them both -
THANKS JIMI FEST is alive, well and kicking. You can make it even better - BE THERE
THIS YEAR OR
JUST BE SQUARE !!!
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...to see more amazing photos click:
photo gallery - GRG 2005
They wrote about us in october issue of Guitar Player Magazine (click):
http://cichonski.art.pl/news/artykul_GP2005.pdf
You may want to check those international links:
http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?storycode=7749
http://www.hendrix-links.de/guitarrecord.html
http://www.guitarz-for-ever.com/jimi-hendrix-super-hit-hey-joe.html
See Thanks Jimi Festival
history!
And more photos from World Guinness Record beating in our
gallery!
Your help and contribution is highly appreciated!
You can download the event
info
and send it to your
friends.
Spread the word on your guitar and music forum!!! Let's make it
an international event this year!
Well, we hope to see you guys in Wroclaw
soon! Cheers!
w w w . c i c h o n s k i . a r t . p l
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