Saxophonist · Researcher · Festival Founder
A post-modern voice, now in dialogue with machines.
An award-winning saxophonist, composer, and educator, known for his unique presence in contemporary jazz — and, more recently, for teaching that presence to a robot.
Saxophonist · Researcher · Festival Founder
A post-modern voice, in dialogue with machines.
Award-winning saxophonist, composer, and educator — now teaching his presence to a robot.
· Biography ·
One saxophone, two disciplines
Dimitrios Vassilakis is a renowned Greek saxophonist, composer, and educator, celebrated for his unique contributions to contemporary jazz — and, more recently, to the emerging space where jazz meets artificial intelligence.
With a career spanning several decades, he has released five albums under Candid Records, blending traditional jazz with post-modern, forward-thinking composition. He has performed at Birdland, Ronnie Scott’s, Dizzy’s Club (Jazz at Lincoln Center), and the United Nations, where he presented the Jazz Democracy Forum.
As an educator, his research on jazz and artificial intelligence includes live performances with Shimon, Georgia Tech’s AI-powered robotic musician — presented at the Athens Concert Hall, TEDx Athens, and TEDx Tokyo.
With a career spanning several decades, he has released five albums under Candid Records, his work blending the essence of traditional jazz with innovative, post-modern, forward-thinking composition. He has performed at Dizzy’s Club (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Birdland, Ronnie Scott’s, the Smithsonian Institute, and the United Nations, where he presented the Jazz Democracy Forum for International Jazz Day.
As an educator, he has shaped the next generation of musicians through his work at leading Greek and international institutions, his educational books on jazz and saxophone, and his highly regarded research on jazz and artificial intelligence — including live performances with Shimon, Georgia Tech’s AI-powered robotic musician, presented at the Athens Concert Hall, TEDx Athens, TEDx Tokyo, and the EFG London Jazz Festival.
Teaching Appointments
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Yale Columbia · Queens College
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Georgia Tech Jazz & AI research
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Paris Conservatoire Skidmore · DePaul
Teaching Appointments
"Infinite grace, poetry and passion — the Hellenic god of post-modern expression. A rhapsodic stylist of immense power and authority.".
"Infinite grace, poetry and passion — the Hellenic god of post-modern expression. A rhapsodic stylist of immense power and authority.".
· Jazz + AI Research ·
Performing with Shimon, the robot musician
In collaboration with Georgia Tech’s Gil Weinberg and the University of Athens, Dimitrios has performed live with Shimon — an AI-powered robotic marimba player — exploring real-time improvisation between human and machine. The work has been presented at the Athens Concert Hall, TEDx Athens, TEDx Tokyo, and the EFG London Jazz Festival.
His published research includes “Jazz Mapping: An Analytical and Computational Approach to Jazz Improvisation,” presented at SMC Málaga and AES New York.
“Leader Vassilakis’ compositions offer a perfect platform for post-modern expression…whiz-kid tenor player from Greece…his style is the post-Coltrane, post-Rollins style…high-energy and immensely fluid"
· On The Bandstand With ·
A global network of collaborators.
Saxophonist, NEA Jazz Master
Drummer, composer
Vocalist, pianist
Pianist, composer
Father & Son Project
· Booking & Press ·
Bring the music — or the research — to your stage
For concert bookings, festival programming, lectures on jazz & AI, or press enquiries, reach out directly. President of Jazz Democracy NPO · Founder, Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival.