Sami Vasileios Amiris, F.L.C.M., M.Mus., B.Sc.
He was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. He was a scholarship student in Anatolia College for all years of middle and high school.
He studied music, first with Panagiotis Moralis, whom he sites as an influence in listening and playing by ear, and later in Contemporary Conservatory of Thessaloniki. At Anatolia, he studied music with Prof. William Gladd, whom he sites as a great influence in all aspects of his musical growth.
He studied Mathematics at the University of Crete, Heraklion and University of Athens, jazz studies at London College of Music, classical piano with Prof. Dimitri Toufexis, a concert pianist and conductor of international stature and a Julliard Alumnus and Professor and composition with Dr. Ath. Zervas, Profs. Th. Antoniou, Fabio D’Andrea..
Very important for his musical development were the long-time association and friendship with the master drummer Zach Pinakoulakis, and the brief encounter he had with the great Mal Waldron.
Central in his musical life have been the collaborations with Yiannis Stavropoulos and Periklis Trivolis in the power Jazz piano trio “Nukeleus” (“Masterpieces Revisited” two-CD album released in 2009) and with Antonis Ladopoulos in the highly interactive and critically acclaimed saxophone – piano duo “Phos” (“Phos” released 2012, “Expanded Matrix” released 2016, many more albums available on Soundcloud).
He has been the pianist of the Big Band of the Municipality of Athens since 2000 and also serves as its current musical director.
He teaches at Deree, the American College of Greece.
He has appeared in countless jazz festivals and venues both inside and outside Greece, both as a leader and sideman. He has shared the stage with people like Bobby Shew, Ralph Peterson, Nils Lundgren, Rex Richardson, Markus Stockhausen, Arild Andersen, Patrice Heral, Craig Bailey, Chico Freeman, Ron McClure, Sean McGowan, Reiner Witzel, David Garibaldi, Dom Famularo, Walfredo Reyes Jr, Marko Djordjevic, Manuel Orza, Veronica Mortensen, Takis Paterelis, Giotis Kiourtsoglou, Vasilis Rakopoulos, the Athens State Symphony Orchestra etc.
He has lectured in various seminars in various institutions and festivals, like the Pannonian Bridge Project (Novi Sad, Serbia), 6th Summer Jazz Academy (Corfu), Ioannina Jazz Festival, University of Macedonia, Deree, etc.
As a teacher, he has had many success stories. Students of his have enrolled in many of the world’s most prestigious music institutions, both at the undergraduate and graduate level.
He is considered one of the best-known jazz pianists in Greece. His style encompasses many influences, from classical and contemporary music to jazz and blues and all related styles, to the music of Central and South America, Cuba, as well as Africa, India, Arabia, Maori and Ancient Greek music.
He puts great emphasis on the use of complex rhythmic techniques in music, and how to create new sonic landscapes using them. He is also very fond of the rhythmic and melodic possibilities inherent in the Eastern and Ancient Traditions.
He is a firm believer that mathematics is one of the greatest tools to open new worlds in every field of music. Also, he believes that creative musicians should have a good knowledge of the physics of sound to better understand their craft, and be competent in music technology, as the possibilities are endless.
Currently, he lives in Athens, Greece.