Gidon Nunes Vaz

Gidon Nunes Vaz (b. 1991, Amsterdam) is a Dutch jazz trumpet player based in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Currently, he holds the 5th (solo) trumpet chair in the Danish Radio Big Band, one of Europe’s leading jazz orchestras. A position he has since 2023. He is affectionately nicknamed in Japan as "The Trumpet Poet" (トランペットの詩人) and is known for his distinctive tone and lyrical expressiveness. His natural approach has distinguished him as a remarkable figure in the contemporary European jazz scene. Besides his appearance as a leader, he has performed as a sideman alongside many renowned artists, including Cécile McLorin Salvant, Joyce Moreno, Jesse van Ruller, Madeline Bell, Ivan Lins, Gary Smulyan, Donny McCaslin, Benjamin Herman, John Clayton, and numerous professional big bands and ensembles. He has performed on festivals and stages worldwide and he has released multiple albums under his own name. Gidon’s musical foundation was shaped early on in the jazz workshops of Peter Guidi. He later graduated cum laude with a Master’s degree from the Conservatory of Amsterdam (2015), studying with Ruud Breuls. During his studies, he also trained with Terell Stafford and John Swana at Temple University (Philadelphia, USA) in 2013.