Lakis Tzimkas was born in Thessaloniki and grew up in Kozani, Greece. His first band was Social Squash, punk band formed in 1984. His first study on electric bass was at Jazz Conservatory in Thessaloniki with Manolis Sideridis. In 1994 further studies at American Institute of Music in Vienna, with Angus Thomas, Jonas Hellborg, Wayne Brasel, lead to achieving a Professional diploma. In 1995 studies on jazz contrabass at Art University of Graz, Austria, with Wayne Darling, Ewald Oberleitner and Mark Dresser. In 1996 he had his first solo-bass concert. In June 2000 he finishes the studies and achieves a Master degree. In June 2008 he finishes his classical studies in Contrabass at University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki with Eugenios Politis.
During his staying in Austria he played and toured with the Big Band and the Symphony Orchestra of Graz University, in Austria, Slovenia, Poland and Slovakia. He worked with musicians such as Wayne Brasel, Mark Murphy, Fritz Pauer, Angus Thomas, Henry Robinett, Alan Jones, Sheila Jordan, James Carter, Karl Ratzer and others.
Since July 2000, he lives in Thessaloniki, Greece, and he plays in many different bands with numerous styles varying from be-bop to funk, contemporary music.
Namely, he played with Sakis Papadimitriou and Georgia Syllaiou, with Sheila Jordan - at Half Note Jazz Club, in Athens, January 2003, and on tour in Greece, March 2004 - Andy Sheppard, Rex Richardson, Milcho Leviev, Danny Hayes, Chicko Freeman, Mordy Ferber, Christos Rafalides, Jeff Boudreaux, Sanni Orasmaa, Ed Neumeister, Michel Hatzigeorgiou, James Carter, Uli Rennert, Clyde Stubblefield, Joris Dudli, Jon Hendricks, Rick Margitza, Adam Nussbaum, Richie Morales, Airto Moreira, Glen Ferris, Chuck Manning, Ron Petrides, Venchi Blagoev, Dimitrios Vassilakis, Takis Farazis, Takis Barberis, Vaso Dimitriou, Savina Giannatou, Nikos Touliatos, Nikos Anadolis, Sami Amiri, Faton Macula, Antonis Ladopoulos quartet, Tilemachos Moussas band, Giotis Kiourtsoglou, Dimitris Gouberitsis, Charis Kapetanakis, Giannis Oikonomidis, Kostas Kouvidis, Nikos Vargiamidis, Plan 3 trio and formed or co - initiated the Lakis Tzimkas & Oleg Chaly quartet, Trio Balkano, with Pantelis Stoikos (trumpet) and Alekos Papadopoulos (drums).
Apopsis trio, Bass to Bass, a contrabass duo with Nektarios Karantzis, Categoria X, a funk project, and Free Call, an electronic free jazz project.
In addition, he conducted and played with the "Magic Road Big Band", in October 2002, with Milcho Leviev and Vicky Almasidou as special guest performers.
He played in jazz clubs and festivals like Porgy and Bess, in Vienna, Orpheum, in Graz, B Flat in Berlin, Rabbat jazz festival, in Morocco, Warsaw summer jazz days, in Poland, Santorini jazz festival and Sani jazz festival, Thessaloniki Olympic city jazz festival and Athens Olympic city jazz festival, in Greece, Euro jazz festival in Mexico, Plovdiv Jazz Festival, and many others in Greece and Europe.
He taught at Philippos Nakas Conservatory, Ionian University and Music School of Serres
He teaches electric bass, contrabass, jazz ensemble and jazz harmony at Modern Music Conservatory and Music School in Thessaloniki.
Discography
Faton Macula – “I Remember You” (1998)
Krzystofa Górniak – “Tales” (2000)
Blue Train with Wayne Brasel – “Sky Paths” (2002)
Snoopy's Love - “Humans On Mother Earth are H.(O.M.)E.” (2003)
Lakis Tzimkas – “Different Faces” (2004)
http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/item/2274-terra-incognita-ii-%E2%80%93-2005.html
Terra Incognita - “Terra Incognita II” (2005)
http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/item/2274-terra-incognita-ii-%E2%80%93-2005.html
Apopsis Trio – “Epiroes” (2005)
http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/item/2201-epiroes-%E2%80%93-2005.html
Trio Balkano – “Sometime Now” (2006)
http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/item/2290-some-time-now-%E2%80%93-2006.html
Tilemachos Moussas (2006) Cycnostalagma -
http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/item/2055-cycnostalagma-2006.html
Free Call - “Montage For The Lost Time” (2006)
http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/item/2231-montage-for-the-lost-time-%E2%80%93-2006.html
Bass to bass (2006)
Smoking Rabbit Cugar Baby (2010)
Plan 3 – Plan 3 (2013)