Blues for Maggie is a new Zhenya's album dedicated to Maggie Black, a well known figure in London due to her love and undying support to jazz music and musicians. The album was released on Whirlwind Recordings in March 2018 and featured drummer Eric Harland, bassist Linley Marthe and leading Chilean guitarist, Federico Dannemann. The album was recorded at two well respected European venues, Porgy and Bess in Vienna, Austria and Paradox in Tilburg, Netherlands. On this album Zhenya plays both alto and soprano saxophone as well as introducing his new creation "alto box", which is his original way to use effects and electronics.

The concert will consist of two parts. The first part is a trio/quartet playing music from new Blues For Maggie album. The second part will be world premier of new project which includes two alto boxes (effects device) and a rhythm section. Zhenya will play with one of his favorite rhythm section of Jon Scott and Michael Janisch from London as well as a special guest, Boris Netsvetaev playing piano and keyboards. Born in St Petersburg, he resides in Hamburg, Germany; played and recorded with many respected artists including Steve Reid, Herb Geller, Lew Soloff, Franco Ambrosetti, Billy Harper, Keith Copeland and the NDR Big Band. (Zhenya Strigalev)

St Petersberg-born Strigalev is a fixture of the London scene, a bandleader, composer and player of some of the finest, most intense saxophone in town. On this live release he steps away from his usual outfit, Smiling Organism, to lead a starry trio featuring drummer Eric Harland, bassist Linley Marthe and the Chilean guitarist Federico Dannemann. Oh, and to follow a new muse: jazz-loving septuagenarian and fellow Londoner Maggie Black, who — if these seven original tracks are anything to go by — likes her music inventive, fluent and thrilling. Strigalev has long had a knack for conjuring big, frisky statements out of tight starting blocks; here he does precisely that with two saxes, an effects-laden “alto box” and three talents who’ve got his back. Serious fun. (Jane Cornwell)