Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, John Czajkowski founded Hectic Watermelon with John on guitars, Darren DeBree on drums, and Harley Magsino on bass. The 2006 debut Hectic Watermelon album, The Great American Road Trip, features Jerry Goodman (of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Dixie Dregs) on electric violin. The jazz-rock tour de force quickly established Hectic Watermelon as a fiery and creative new force while earning critical acclaim and a number one ranking in the UK Alternative Jazz polls published by Jazzwise magazine. John is now active writing and recording material for an upcoming Hectic Watermelon album.
John collaborated with German drumming phenom, Marco Minnemann on a multi-album project called Normalizer 2 with guitarist-composers Mike Keneally, Alex Machacek, Trey Gunn, Marco and John - with each writing and recording a complete album around a virtuoso 52-minute drum performance. John's part of this 5-CD set is called "West ZooOpolis."
John holds a Masters of Music degree in contemporary composition from San Diego State University. Prior to his MM, John studied classical guitar extensively with Romero Disciple, Robert Wetzel.
Hectic Watermelon has performed over 30 shows in California including a short summer tour, Warped Tour and gigs with Jerry Goodman (Dregs, Mahavisnu Orchestra) and Mark Wood (Trans Siberian Orchestra). The most memorable show was the CD release concert with Jerry Goodman at San Diego State University.
John Czajkowski cites the following guitarists and composers as his chief influences and inspirations: Frank Zappa, Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, Adrian Belew, Vernon Reid, Mike Patton, Pat Martino, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Dusan Bogdonovic, Egberto Gismonte, Ornette Coleman, the Assad Brothers and the Romeros. He has been influenced by many major 20th century classical figures, but he is most inspired by the free-spirited and rebellious attitude of American maverick composers such as John Cage, Harry Partch, George Crumb and Scott Johnson. Lastly, there is always some 70's TV music in there as well.
John is a proud endorsee for Ernie Ball guitars, Egnater Amplifiers, Fractal Audio, Tonefreak Effects, DiMarzio pickups, RJM Instruments, and Ear Candy Speaker Enclosures.