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Jan's Current Official Bio:
"Groin-pulling, wrist snapping, eye-popping, drop dead guitar playing at its best" is how Guitar World USA somewhat timidly described Jan's work. He has released three highly respected solo albums (Beyond the Common Ground, Spirit and Prickly Pear). More recently, having teamed up with writing partner Toby Bricheno, he has side stepped into the cutting-edge sound associated with bands such as The Prodigy, The Propeller Heads and The Chemical Brothers. The results of which are reflected in various albums for KPM ( The Rock Guitar Album, Rock Attitude, Boom, Dance Indie Mix 3, Pressure Cooker 1 & 2). Artists such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen, Pat Travers, John Jorgennson and Paul Gilbert (from Mr. Big) have all found their way to North London to work with Jan and record in his home studio. Jan and Toby have also composed jingles to promote (TV and radio) products such as JMC Holidays, Oil of Olay, Bodyform, Macdonald's, MasterCard and Gateway Computers.
Below is the first article I ever read about Jan. It is from Guitar World magazine, March 1993. The article was a spotlight on the brightest new talents in the guitar world. That same article was also my introduction to John Petrucci, Jimmy Herring, and Tom Morello. Needless to say, the article was quite prescient in its estimation of those players, all of whom have been of significant influence in an otherwise lackluster decade for good guitar playing.

Guitar Player, March 1994

From Bastard to Ballad: Jan Cyrka
by Chris Gill

Before Jan Cyrka became Britian's answer to Steve Vai, he bashed out three-chord rock as Flash Bastard with Zodiac Mindwarp And The Love Reaction. "I was an engineer at a recording studio when I met Zodiac" he reminisces. "I thought he was a bum who had just walked in, so I went to throw him out. They said, "No! He's a client. "We dressed up like bikers which is funny because I can't drive and I've never been on a bike." The gig lasted three years, but Cyrka became frustrated with the band's simple music. Watching Slash every night when Zodiac Mindwarp was opening for Guns N'Roses, Cyrka decided to get serious about his playing and began practicing ten hours a day. "I'm really surprised at how I've progressed. If I come up with a good idea nowadays, I can usually play it." Though Cyrka possesses incredible chops, his second album, Spirit, (Food For Thought, 102 Belsize Ln,London NW35BB) reveals that he would rather play sensitive melodies than blaze over a plodding one- chord groove. "I'm a balladhead", he admits. "A good ballad can really move people. That's where most players fall flat. Composition, arrangement, and phrasing are far more important than flashy playing. Because I'm a guitar player on a guitar-oriented label, my playing had better be good, but it also has to be musically interesting." Jan's favorite ax is a small scale Hamer Diablo with a custom tone circuit that he added. He used to record with a 50 watt Marshall JCM 900 but lately prefers a new Trace Elliot with four channels. "Channels 1 and 2 are dirty, and 3 and 4 are even more dirty. It's got a great clean sound but that's not something I use much." His effects include a CryBaby Wah and Ibanez Tube Screamer for increasing sustain. Cyrka hopes to land an elusive American recording contract. With his acute sense of melody and playful sense of humor, he certainly has more to offer than hordes of the run of the mill shredders putting out instrumental records. "I want to be as original as I can, to make my own wave. I don't do a jazz track, then a blues track. I do variations of me."