Nikos Thessalonikefs (b. July 24, 1989, Marousi, Greece) is a drummer, improviser, and jazz musician currently based in Amsterdam. A graduate of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with both a Bachelor’s (2018) and Master’s degree (2021) in Jazz Performance, Nikos has developed a distinctive voice rooted in rhythmic exploration, improvisation, and cross-cultural dialogue.

His academic work reflects a deep interest in philosophy, culminating in the thesis Heidegger and Jazz Improvisation, which interprets Martin Heidegger’s Origin of the Work of Art through the lens of the jazz improviser. Since 2023, he has been teaching at the Ionian University’s Jazz Department, mentoring the next generation of musicians.

Nikos is an award-winning artist:

Best CvA Soloist – Keep an Eye Jazz Awards (2016)
2nd Prize – Keep an Eye Jazz Awards (2019, with Liquid Identities)
1st Prize – Keep an Eye the Records (2022 & 2023, with Order and Federico Calacagno Octet)
Winner – Leiden Jazz Award (2021, with Önder)
He has performed at many of the Netherlands’ leading jazz stages and festivals — including Bimhuis, Concertgebouw, LantarenVenster, Paradox, Grachtenfestival, and Amersfoort Jazz — as well as throughout Europe in Greece, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Nikos remains an active figure in the Dutch jazz scene, collaborating with numerous ensembles such as:
Liquid Identities, Federico Calacagno Octet, Adrian Moncada Sextet, James McClure Quartet, Hendrik Muller Trio, The Rain Dance Collective, Maripepa Contreras Quintet, Mungo Bungo, and Jort Terwijn’s Önder.

His debut album as a bandleader, Nikos Thessalonikefs Quartet, featuring original compositions and musical concepts, is slated for release in the coming months.