Apostolis Anthimos

Apostolis Anthimos. A master of guitar, drums, and extraordinary energy suspended between the worlds of jazz and rock. Co-founder of the legendary trio SBB, longtime collaborator with Tomasz Stańko, and a valued solo artist, recording albums with musicians from the Pat Metheny Group, among others.

Apostolis Anthimos, nicknamed "Lakis" by his friends, was born into a family of Greek immigrants in 1954 in Siemianowice Śląskie. A musician of extraordinary sensitivity, he plays not only guitar but also drums, keyboards, bass guitar, and all manner of other instruments. Since 1971, he has collaborated regularly with Józef Skrzek in subsequent incarnations of SBB, also accompanying Czesław Niemen for a year and a half (1972-73). Beginning in the 1980s, he divided his time between Greece and Poland, becoming a valued session musician there, and collaborating with the bands Krzak and Dżem, as well as with Tomasz Stańko, as drummer and guitarist. In the 1990s, he led his own trio, Trias, in Greece, and at the dawn of the new millennium, he founded the Apostolis Anthimos Trio in Poland with young Polish musicians Robert Szewczuga (bass guitar) and Krzysztof Dziedzic (drums). His subsequent solo projects included Gary Husband, Erik Truffaz, and Etienne Mbappe. Apostolis has recorded over fifty albums, including solo albums such as "Days We Can't Forget" (1994, recorded with musicians from the Pat Metheny Group), "Theatro" (1999), and "Back To The North" (2006, recorded with Paul Wertico and Marcin Pospieszalski). In 2021, he summarized his career to date with the double-album live set "Apostolis Anthimos 50."

On November 22, 2025, during ProgRockFest, a meeting with Apostolis Anthimos will be held, accompanying the book "SBB. Freedom with Us. Volume I: 1971-1980". 

"An outstanding and versatile guitarist. He plays rhythmically, sounds beautiful, and doesn't overdo it with dynamics, even in the most expressive moments. He generally "weights" the music perfectly, and that's a characteristic of outstanding artists." (Jarosław Śmietana)

"He plays the guitar in his own way, easily recognizable. He has his own way of playing, on the one hand – very beautiful and melodic, on the other – aggressive, rhythmically confident. You could say he's elegant." (Tomasz Stańko)

"I learned by following in his footsteps. I think he had a huge influence on rock music in Poland. (Grzegorz Skawiński) For me, he's a true hero. A wonderful guitarist, one of the best in the world." (Jan Borysewicz)