After graduating form The Franz Liszt Academy of Music with a degree in jazz piano, composing and arranging, he won first place at the Jazz Juniors contest in Cracow, received the “Best Soloist” award at the Getxo International Jazz Festival, and in 2003, as “Best Soloist of the Year,” he recieved an eMeRton award. In 2005 he was given an Artisjus award. Over the course of his carrier he played and recorded among others with Al diMeola, Alex Acuna, Arnie Somogyi, Ben Castle, Bernard Maseli, David Murray, Dave Samuels, Dewey Redman, Krzysztof Scieranski, Garry Willis, Paco Sery, Sangoma Everett, Tony Lakatos and Winston Clifford.

After participating in the competition in Vilnius, he gave a series of solo concerts in London and Prague. Not long after forming his own trio, they played together with world-famous saxophonist David Murray at the Mediawave Festival in 2001. The concert was later voted “The Jazz Event of the Year” by the critics of Gramofon Magazine. In May 2002 the trio had Dewey Redman in its midst as a special guest. The trio has since then performed in various festivals abroad (Cracow, Macau, Vilnius and Warsaw).

He has seven albums to his name featuring different formations. In 2002, on a request from the Béla Kövér Puppet Theatre of Szeged, he composed a one-act opera, which premiered in November 2003. In the same year, together with co-writer Miklós Malek he engaged in the adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen. Their collaboration gave birth to a new piece mingling elements of classical, contemporary and jazz music. The premiere of this featured special guest Al Di Meola. The piece was later preformed at the Arena of Pula in Croatia.

In the spring of 2004 he a founded the ’Freestyle Chamber Orchestra’. Coming he have convened a hybrid ensemble of 20 members, consisting of a jazz combo, a strings section and woodwinds. Having won the first place award at The Budapest Fringe Festival in 2006, the band was given the opportunity of participating in the 2007 Budapest Spring Festival with a concert in the Urania Film Theatre. Their first record entitled “Pop Music…” was released by Classic Sound Records on the spring of 2006. With the exception of the title piece composed by Gergo Borlai and Peter Lukacs all music was originally written by Janos Nagy.

The János Nagy Trio was formed in 2000. Soon afterward, in 2001, the trio played together with world-famous saxophonist David Murray at the Mediawave Festival. The concert was later voted the Jazz Event of the Year by the critics of Gramophone Magazine. In May 2002 the trio had Dewey Redman in their midst as a special guest. In the same year they had a highly successful performance at the 12th Macau Jazz Festival. In 2003 the trio played a concert featuring Ben Castle at the Sziget Festival. In 2004 with American singer Miles Griffith at their side, the trio gave a series of concerts in Germany. In 2005 touring in Poland they performed at the 3rd International Jazz Piano Festival in Warsaw. The members of the trio have been playing together for years in various formations. The trio’s playing is made unique and exiting by the advanced level of communication of the three. Their repertoire consists of original compositions by János Nagy. Characterized by gentle lyricism, cinematic textures and beautiful and unpredictable harmonies, the trio’s music is infused with and propelled by the spirit of jazz and world music. The trio is one of the most original-sounding bands in Hungary. Their first record, Tale was released in 2004. The album features original compositions by János Nagy.

Their NEW CD, Zoo was relesad in 2010 by EMI.