Rui Silva started his music studies at the jazz school Hot Club in Lisbon, where he had lessons with some of the great musicians from the jazz scene in Portugal.

He had the privilege to represent the Hot Club at the International Association of Schools of Jazz meeting (IASJ) conducted by David Liebman in Paris. It was then that he decided to move to the Netherlands and finish his jazz studies at the Royal Conservatorium in Den Haag.

Since has played actively in numerous projects as a guest and band leader and performed around Europe, South America and Australia.