I was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. My first musical experience was at the age of 14 from a friend who was playing the guitar. I fell in love with music ever since. I started as a self – taught musician gaining my skills from various friends who were more experienced. I started playing rock and pop music and participating in several bands.
I was really fond off guitar players such as Vinnie Moore, John Petrucci, Randy Rhoads, Steve Vai, Satriani, Eric Johnson etc. I got into jazz at the age of 18 when i started taking lessons from Sakis Zachariades, a guitar player who attended the MI school in Hollywood and was a student of Scott Henderson.
Many guitar players had influenced me. So, i begun studying guitar players such as Robben Ford, Wes Montgomey, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Grant Green etc. Meanwhile i formed a trio and a quartet and we were performing around Thessaloniki. After completing my military obligation i planned to attend the Sydney Conservatorium. Although i was accepted, for financial reasons i decided to apply in schools in Netherlands. I got accepted, together with my brother Dimitrios Kosmidis, in Maastricht Conservatorium. From the beginning, i started to play there with musicians and try to form bands and gig around the Limburg area. In 2008 i formed 2 bands: GrePol M.af.i.a (Musical Affairs Internationally Active) and GG Connection. With GG Connection i performed for three and a half years, every Thursday in Edd’s Cafe in the Jam Session. With GrePol M.af.i.a (Musical Affairs Internationally Active) i was gigging all over Limburg in clubs and Festivals.
In 2011 GrePol M.af.i.a (Musical Affairs Internationally Active) recorded their first complete CD (in 2009 they recorded a demo CD with four songs) and they promote it performing around Europe. In 2011 i also recorded a mini CD with GG Connection with three original compositions. From 2007 to 2011, while i was in Maastricht, i took a number of lessons from several teachers of different instruments, with one cause which was Jazz and Improvised music. Along with my Bachelor studies i attended for 2 years a minor subject in Music Pedagogics. I focused on teaching the guitar in the best way to students.
I took lessons from: Frank Wingold (Germany – Guitar), Gilad Hekselman (Israel – Guitar), Claudius Valk (Germany – Sax), Harmen Fraanje (Netherland – Piano), Jan Formannoy (Netherlands – Guitar), Edoardo Righini (Italy – Guitar). I shared the stage with musicians like Ron van Stratum, Gerald Canon, Phillipe Cathrine, Carlo Nardozza , Daniel Daemen, Timmy Daemen, Arnoud Gerritse, Jan Formannoy, Claudius Valk, Frank Giebels and many more.
I performed as a leader or sideman in bands such as GrePol M.af.i.a (Musical Affairs Internationally Active), GG Connection, Jazz Check it out, The Dark Essence, Maastricht Conservatorium Big Band, Theo Kosmidis Trio and Golden Eye. I participated in many Festivals such as the Jazz Masters Festival in Maastricht, the Prominade Festival, Jeker Jazz Festival, Thorn Jazz Festival, Small Festival in Greece.
At the moment, i have moved back in Greece where i want to form my own band to perform and record my own compositions but i also fly in Netherlands to perform with GrePol M.af.i.a (Musical Affairs Internationally Active) and promote our CD “Bros Playin Across” all over Europe. Besides my performances, i am also a devoted teacher. I teach privately and also in music schools in Athens.
If you are interested about electric guitar lessons & methods, “Bros Playin Across” CD or for any other information, please don’ t hesitate to contact me by clicking here.