Chris Kosides

Chris Kosides is a jazz violinist, composer, educator, illustrator, and photographer from Greece. Raised in a musical family, he was drawn to jazz from an early age, influenced by artists like Evan Price, Chick Corea, George Benson, Chet Baker, and Svend Asmussen, as well as Radiohead and Nick Drake, who shaped his songwriting and electronic approach.

He studied classical violin at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki while teaching himself jazz. In 2012, he moved to the Netherlands to study jazz improvisation with Tim Kliphuis at Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg, a pivotal experience that shaped his musical identity.

As a founding member of DOT Quartet, he toured Spain and the Canary Islands following the release of their album Travelers. He later formed a gypsy jazz quartet with guitarist Dion Berardo, touring Greece and performing at DjangoFest Athens. He has collaborated with artists such as Thomas Baggerman, Flip Krajenbrink, Manouchedrome Trio, and Gjermund Larsen and has performed at venues and festivals including Fifty Fiddles Festival, Incubate Festival, Pilgrim Harbour Festival, North Sea Round Town, Amsterdam Blue Note, Technopolis, Megaron Thessaloniki, and De Doelen.

In 2022, he released his debut album World That He Wants, featuring original compositions. He currently performs with Divarco, a gypsy jazz quintet he co-founded with violinist Stergios Loustas, focusing on early jazz repertoire and original arrangements.

In 2020, he launched Jazz Violin Playground, an online platform for jazz violin education and transcriptions. He teaches students worldwide through online lessons.

Alongside music, he works as an illustrator and photographer, specializing in album covers, posters, and promotional materials. His second album, primarily acoustic, is set for release in 2026.