Michal Kielak

Try theMichal “Cielak” Kielak was born in 1977. He started playing harp when he was 15 years old. In 1995 he began working with a blues band from Bydgoszcz, Green Grass (they are still playing together from time to time). Kielak plays on Green Grass '2001 CD entitled “Tancz Z Nami”.Kielak played on many important blues festivals in Poland, including: Rawa Blues Festival in Katowice, Blues Express in Zakrzewo, Bluesada in Szczecin, Olsztyn Blues Nights, Autumn With The Blues in Bia--ystok, Torun Blues Meeting etc.In the meantime, Cielak started to work on different projects, playing with many bands and musicians considered to be “the first league of Polish blues” (Kasa Chorych, Blues Flowers, Jaromi, Blues Menu, Double Six, Doktor Blues, Magda Piskorczyk — among others).In 2002 Kielak began his cooperation with a band from Inowroclaw, Szulerzy. Together they recorded Szulerzy's debut album entitled “Bez Ciebie”. In the spring of 2003 — backed only by Jaromi, great songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Blues Flowers band — Cielak recorded CD called: “Cielak & Jaromi — Rozum Cielecy”.After that, Kielak — with help from his friends, including Jaroslaw Tioskow, leader of Kasa Chorych — recorded a CD which was a tribute to the late Ryszard “Skiba” Skibinski, legendary Polish harp player who died in 1983. CD's title is: “Michal »Cielak« Kielak: Tribute to Ryszard »Skiba« Skibinski”. The critically acclaimed album (no.2 in Blues Top 2003 contest for “best blues CD of the year”) found huge audience and is the only Polish CD distributed and recommended by famous www.kharps.com (American website which specializes in deep harmonica blues).During the annual Bydgoszcz Harmonica Meeting in 2002, Michal Kielak won fourth place during the harmonica contest. This year, in Blues Top 2003 survey, Cielak was second–best in “best blues harp player” category and was number nine in “blues personality of the year” category.This was a time of hard work for Kielak, but it brought him success in 2004. Michal took part in several interesting sessions — his harp can be heard on critically acclaimed „Jaromi & Szulerzy — Gra w piki daje wyniki” CD. His touring schedule is also growing steadily — more than 60 concerts with different bands can be impressive. On the road Kielak met musician worth mentioning... , the world–famous jazz violinist, with whom Michal played a series of gigs in Germany. Cielak, together with Magda Piskorczyk, went to Memphis in USA, a place that holds the annual International Blues Challenge — the most prestigious contest of blues bands in the world. Magda and Michal were the first Poles ever to attend this competition and, what is so important, gave a great show. The trip was especially important for Michal, whose harp playing impressed — and this is not a joke — the whole Memphis. After listening to Michal's improvisations, Ronnie Ray — harp player and leader of The Coolers — called him „(...) one of the best of all Europe”. Cielak's enormous skills — better than the ones most American harp blowers have — made the legendary Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin — master of the slide guitar who played with Muddy Waters for many years and who is a contributing writer to the world's largest blues publication, Blues Revue — invite Kielak on stage to sit in with him! It was one of the most beautiful experiences in Michal's life and a sign that he should keep up the good work.This year is going to be as good for Michal as the last one and the best prove for that is the new album of Michal's regular band, Szulerzy. The CD called „Pilnuj sie!” has just been released and it already got great airplay in Polish radio stations. But that's not the end... Good news is also coming from different countries. On foreign playlist Cielak's solo album, „Michal »Cielak« Kielak — Tribute to Ryszard »Skiba« Skibinski” is still very popular. On February 18th 2005, the song called „Kasa Chorych” from that CD reached number one at Top 10 Chart in Blues Radio Germany — listeners of the show decided that the song was even better than recordings made by the American soul–blues legend, Mighty Sam McClain!Just recently Michal Kielak was invited to Germany again to play as a special guest star in a concert by the famous Engerling — this was their 30th birthday concert. Unfortunately, he had to turn this proposition down because of his previous plans.Some time ago Michal was invited by famous Boogieman, Adam „Coolish” Kulisz, to become the lead harmonica player in his band „Coolish Blues Session”. It was a culmination of a longer acquaintance because they had already played together — Kielak played the harp on Coolish's new CD „Blues Navigator: Live In Harenda” and took part in a concert gathering the creme of the crop of Polish blues musicians „Polish Blues Session”. With Coolish Kielak recorded an album called --100% Cotton Blues-- -- an intimate meeting between two musical personalities where Delta blues was fused with Silesian sensibility. The result was simple -- lots of gigs (more than 100 a year). During those shows Michal and Adam united with Tomek Karkoszka, a fabulous drummer and a leader of highly regarded acoustic band, Blue Sounds. Apart from contributing his talents during the recording session for --Little Wing-- compilation CD and helping his friends, Blues Flowers and Jakpa Blues Band record their new discs Micha-- is touring on regular basis with the legendary Kasa Chorych -- Polish group, whose debut single --Blues Chorego / Szalona Baska-- released 25 years ago climbed up to no. 3 on the annual chart in one of Baltimore USA radio stations (it was topped only by new Albert Collins and Muddy Waters albums). With Kasa Chorych Michal was invited to USA to play a few gigs tournee -- New York, Chicago or the state of New Jersey-- people living in all those places spent some unforgettable time with his music.