boom chick trio

Rob Flax is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator with a playful heart and an open mind. He describes his music in a concise way: “I play things with strings, I hit stuff, and I sing.” Behind this simple tag line lies a rich depth of genre-bending, from classical and jazz violin to bluegrass fiddle, to blues and rock influences, and beyond. Rob has performed nationally and internationally with groups of many different styles, including opening for B.B. King and Tower of Power, playing viola and violin with the Trans Siberian Orchestra and YouTube star Jacob Collier, upright bass in an Argentine tango ensemble, mandolin and fiddle in various bluegrass bands, electric violin and synthesizers in Billy Wylder and several other rock bands, collaborations with modern dancers, and more. As a composer Rob has written music for choreographers, film (including work on projects for James Franco and Anthony Bourdain), and several original projects. Rob is a graduate of the New England Conservatory, and he currently lives in Boston.

Slava Tolstoy is a Boston based guitarist, singer and producer, originally from St. Petersburg Russia. Slava’s original songs are best described as energetic pop-rock with tight arrangements, virtuoso soloing and deep and meaningful lyrics in the best traditions of Russian rock. World class musicians, including Grammy winners and nominees were carefully selected to play in Slava’s band and on his latest studio album – “Songs About the Sea” (Песни Про Море). Between 2018-2020 Slava has recorded and performed in a duo with Fedor Chistyakov – the leader of a legendary rock band “Nol”. One of Slava’s most known projects is International String Trio that fuses Gypsy Jazz with World Music, this group has toured across USA many times and gained significant national recognition.

Max Ridley is a musician, composer and educator based in Boston. He has shared the stage with renowned musicians such as Jeff Coffin, Kenny Werner, Tia Fuller, Ralph Peterson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack Dejohnette, Bruce Molsky, Perico Sambeat, Walter Smith III and Jerry Bergonzi. He has performed in venues such as the Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Umbria Jazz Festival. He also teaches music as a guest lecturer at different colleges around New England (such as Longy School of Music and the University of New Hampshire) and at the Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts Academy.