Max Vax was born in 1975 in Gorky, Russia. He received his first classical piano lesson at the age of six. After finishing the special music school, he went on to continue his professional classical training. He became a student of the Balakirev College of Music in the city of Gorky.

Around that time he got interested in jazz music. In Russia he performed classical and jazz recitals, was a guest at two TV-shows. In 1993 he came to Holland to begin his professional jazz training at The Rotterdam Conservatory, which he finished in 1999. In Holland Vax performed classical music and jazz throughout the country. He appeared on a few live radio shows, as Radio Rijnmond, Classic FM. His recitals took place at such venues as Nederlands Congres Center, Goudse Schouwburg, De Doelen, the Rijnmond Jazz Gala and others. In the Autumn semester of 1995 he studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where his professors were Hal Crook, Ray Santisy, Lazlo Gardony and Dave Samuels. He also studied with Don Friedman. Vax played with musicians such as Tony Lakatos, Claudio Roditi, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Dick de Graaf and Hein van der Geyn.

Currently, he is leading his own trio, and performing as a soloist. In july 1999 the trio did a tour in the USA, performing at the Iowa Jazz Festival, Jazz Showcase and Green Dolphin Street (Chicago) and the Dakota (St. Paul/ Minneapolis).

The Max Vax Trio recorded the CD »A Personal Touch« in the fall of 1998. The CD was produced by Bird-Award winner Hein Van de Geyn. The liner notes in the accompanying booklet are by Don Friedman.

The Trio´s second CD »Unspoken Words« was recorded in april 2001. This recording was produced by Mike Gehrke with support of the Jazz-Club Hannover. In June of 2003 Max Vax won the 1st prize at the 5th Monaco International Jazz Soloists Competition. In spring of 2004 the Max Vax Quartet won the 1st prize at the 3rd International Jazz Contest in Granada, Spain.

Max Vax died in a car accident on july 22nd 2008 in Russia.