Matej Ptaszek was originally a professional art photographer. Since 2004, however, he has been a professional bluesman. Matej has been listening to the blues since childhood. He is currently one of the best harmonica players in Europe in the field of traditional blues.

He was the first Czech harmonica player to perform at the World Harmonica Festival 2009 in Trossingen, Germany.

In 2011, Matej wrote the groundbreaking and comprehensive book ‘School of Blues Harp’ for the renowned Czech publisher Powermusic.

Matěj Ptaszek spent three years in South America (2015-2018), where he played blues professionally (in Ecuador and Colombia) with excellent local musicians in clubs and at festivals. In 2019, he was the first Czech harmonica player to perform live on television at the National Theatre in Prague.

Matej has shared the stage with many legends he looks up to, such as: Johny Winter, Lousiana Red, David Evans, Lurrie Bell, Mike Zito, Kenny Brown, Steve Baker, Marc Breitfelder.

The project ‘Ptaszek and Bužma - Blues and Gospel’ with Lubomír ‘Bužma’ Khýr, an outstanding Czech professional blues guitarist who specialises in a highly authentic interpretation of Mississippi Delta blues, is very topical. Together they recorded the LP ‘Blues and Gospel’ in the studio of Good Day Records, which was very well received by both amateur and professional audiences. The duo has performed at many renowned festivals in the Czech Republic, Poland, France and Germany.