Album Notes

A unique string ensemble that blends music from several traditions was founded in 1999. Since then “International String Trio” performed at more than 1000 events including several prestigeous festivals and concert halls (Wang Center, Boston Center for the Arts, etc.) The group is famous for its stylistic diversity – their repertoire includes classical, jazz, popular and world music (Italian, French, Russian, Jewish, Latin American, Irish).

Slava Tolstoy – Guitarist, Musical Director
Slava’s background includes studies of Composition and guitar performance at St.-Petersburg Jazz Conservatory, Russia. He received his Bachelor Degree in Contemporary Writing and Production from Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music, where he was a scholarship student. He founded “International String Trio” in 1999 and developed a unique performance concept for the ensemble.

Joe Kessler – Violinist
Joe Kessler has been playing and teaching violin professionally in the Boston and Philadelphia areas for over fifteen years. He has played with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page; Greg Brown, and Morphine. He plays regularly with Sunday's Well in Boston and Klingon Klez and Atzilut of Philadelphia. He is one of the founding members of the Middle East Peace Orchestra, which recently played a sold-out show at the Klezmopolitan Festival in Paris.

Ippei Ichimaru – Acoustis Bassist
Ippei Ichimaru has been a professional bass player/arranger since 1991 in Australia and America. He does more than 250 performances a year and is one of the most active bass players in Boston. He has had the pleasure of playing with or arranging for many talented international musicians such as Gil Askey, Danilo Perez, Phil Wilson, George Garzone, etc. He is a member of a critically acclaimed jazz band “Four Minus One”.