ABOUT
The goal of starting the Chops was to provide improvised music to fans with a unique take that is more raw than what is around. Compositions are heavily inspired by west coast psychedelic rock, the Bosstown sound and the Nuggets Collection album. During the debut show of the Chops, the band's name came to be when an older man asked what the band's name was. He exclaimed that the band had big 'chops' while asking. The name was originally going to be temporary but soon got solidified as permanent.
The brainchild of 1960s psychedelic music lover, songwriter, singer and guitarist Seth Gomez, the Chops has grown from a seed of 1960s flower power into an up-and-coming jamband blossoming into the New England music scene. Formed in 2019 with a vision of blending vintage rock musicality with modernity, the band featured a rotating lineup before settling with full-time members Bethany Komine (bass), Chris Celucci (drums), Emma Derhak (vocals), Matt Glickman (Zach Nugent, Buddahfly) on keyboards and Seth Gomez on guitar. The Chops have shared stages and bills with Mihali (Twiddle), the Magic Beans, Big Something, Max Creek, and more. Members have also performed alongside members of the Grateful Dead and Furthur (late Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh's band).
Matt Glickman
Born and raised in New York City, Matt studied classical piano and theory for thirteen years with a Virgin Records artist (beginning at age four) and began his career in bohemian Greenwich Village selling out venues such as The Bitter End and Caffe Vivaldi as a teenager. He moved to Boston in 2016 to attend Berklee College of Music, where he studied organ with one of B.B. King's keyboard players. During college, Matt musically moved away from conventional influences and began to become known in the New England jamband and reggae scene. Since then, he has performed with members of Goose, The Elovaters, Furthur, Ripe, and more. He has toured and recorded with Buddahfly, the Yardbirds, Mark King Band, Zach Nugent (Melvin Seals and JGB) and others. He has also opened for reggae legend Freddy McGregor and GRAMMY winners Kabaka Pyramid and has been invited to share the stage with Jon Fishman (Phish), Oteil Burbridge (Dead and Company) and Tom Constanten (Grateful Dead). Matt has been playing piano and organ as a full-time member of the Chops since fall of 2024 and has written a handful of originals that are in the band's repertoire. He cites the use of a high degree of dynamics in Jerry Garcia's guitar playing as a major influence on his keyboard playing. In 2022, a gig Matt had with Sunshine Garcia Becker of Phil Lesh and Bob Weir's band Furthur was an extremely heart-warming emotional experience that led him to determine that he wanted to play music full-time for the rest of his life.
Chris Celucci
Chris is a native of the Boston area who has been drumming since he was twelve years old and was instructed by Martin Bernert. Some of his largest influences include Jojo Mayer, Nate Smith, Yussef Dayes and John Bonham. Chris spent his childhood listening to old school funk and disco as well as psychedelic rock from the 60s, 70s and 80s. He has always connected to a vintage sound and has great appreciation for legendary musicians of retro eras of music. In addition to adding a rhythmic backbone to the Chops, Chris has played alongside American Idol finalists and more.
Bethany Komine
Starting from early childhood piano lessons, Bethany has been surrounded by music. With deadhead parents, lullabies at home included songs from Jerry Garcia and David Grisman's bluegrass album "Not for Kids Only" and Grateful Dead tunes such as "Franklin's Tower" and "Ripple". From performing in musicals and concert choirs to spending five years in a competitive hip-hop dance team, to attending hundreds of live jamband concerts, Bethany's passion for music has proved a total-body experience.
Seth Gomez
Inspired by a rich tapestry of American music, Seth draws inspiration from a diversity of legends such as Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Sam Cooke, Miles Davis and more. His playing strives to blend improvisational liberties with intricate musical textures. From his earliest days on the music scene, Seth has set out with a bold mission: to recreate the signature psychedelic of the 1960s with a new twist, infusing musical history with modern improvisation and songwriting. Playing music as a self-taught guitarist has allowed for a melting pot of styles to breathe through his original music. Seth's musical journey includes collaborations with icons such as Tom Constanten (original keyboardist of the Grateful Dead) and Chicago blues virtuoso Frank Bang (former guitarist for Buddy Guy), showcasing a versatility that spans psychedelia, jazz and blues. These experiences have deepened Seth's sound while highlighting his ability to bridge generations of musical influence. With a vision rooted in the past but reaching towards the future, Seth Gomez continues to push the boundaries of Boston's music scene. His path to becoming a musician was not planned, but was forged by passion. Surrounded by classically trained players but teaching himself every step of the way, he made a deal with himself: give it two years, work harder than ever and see how far music could really go. When quarantine lockdown hit, he recognized it as a once in a lifetime window to focus. He stepped back from everything else and immersed hinself in guitar, songwriting and building a sound. By the time the world reopened, Seth was ready, what he created became the early spark of the Chops, setting the band up to come out strong.