Giotis Damianidis is a Greek electric guitar and electric bass player, originally from Thessaloniki and now based in Brussels. His work moves between improvised music, free jazz, and rhythm-driven experimental forms, shaped by raw physicality, distortion, groove, and collective interaction. He is currently active in Europe, presenting both his own compositions and collaborative projects within the international creative music scene.
Damianidis’ musical foundations were formed in Thessaloniki’s punk and underground rock scene of the 1990s, where DIY ethics, urgency, and a resistance to stylistic boundaries became lasting influences. His early exposure to both punk and rock instilled a love for energy, noise, and direct expression, which continues to inform his approach to improvisation and ensemble playing. Driven by a desire to explore broader musical horizons, he moved to Rotterdam in 2006, and then settled in Brussels in 2008, a city that became central to his artistic development and long-term collaborations.
Between 2011 and 2016, Damianidis was a member of Oghene Kologbo’s band, the renowned guitarist from Fela Kuti’s Africa 70. This period was a decisive moment in his career, leading to collaborations with Tony Allen, including recording together. During these years, he also toured extensively across Europe and West & Central Africa, gaining first-hand experience with Afrobeat’s rhythmic foundations and collective energy — experiences that continue to inform his approach to rhythm, repetition, and ensemble dynamics.
Alongside this trajectory, Damianidis developed projects centered on his own compositions. In 2013, he created his own label, Mr. Nakayasi, an artist-run experimental music label focused on producing adventurous, uncompromising, organic music. That same year, he formed Punk Kong, a band channeling his punk and rock background through groove-heavy structures, improvisation, and explosive ensemble playing. In 2016, he co-founded Don Kapot, further expanding his compositional language through tightly constructed forms, rhythmic complexity, and collective improvisation. In 2024, Don Kapot completed a UK tour, presenting their latest material to international audiences.
A decisive turning point came in 2018, when performing in Thessaloniki he first collaborated with legendary Japanese saxophonist Akira Sakata, a central figure of the Japanese free jazz explosion. This encounter opened an ongoing connection with Japan’s creative music community and led to the formation of the ensemble Entasis, initially featuring Sakata, Christos Yermenoglou (the first drummer of Entasis), Giovanni Di Domenico, and Damianidis. The group’s first release was Hōryū-ji by Sakata / Yermenoglou / Di Domenico / Damianidis, marking the beginning of the Entasis project.
The ensemble later evolved to include Alexandar Škorić and occasionally Petros Damianidis, touring widely across Europe between 2022 and 2025, and releasing Live in Europe on Trost Records in 2023. In 2024, Damianidis made his first trip to Japan, where he met and performed with pianist Masahiko Satoh. Their duo collaboration resulted in the release of Thousand Leaves on Trost Records, a landmark recording that has been followed by a European duo tour in October 2024 and further performances in Japan in 2025, including a quartet with Sakata and drummer Tatsuhisa Yamamoto. Parallel to this work, Damianidis and Sakata also released Adyton on Aguirre Records and Hyperentasis, a double LP on Defkaz Records, further expanding the Entasis universe.
Today, Damianidis remains active across Europe, continuously developing new projects, bands, and recordings. His work combines composition, improvisation, and long-term collaboration, exploring fresh musical connections and expanding his creative language. He regularly tours, collaborates with international artists, and presents both established and newly formed ensembles. For bookings, press inquiries, or to explore his music, visit Bandcamp, get in touch directly, or join the mailing list for updates.