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Find out what Zhenya Strigalev is busy with

   Since the 2014 article for Musicians’ Corner I have basically recorded two albums, Robin Goodie (2015) and Never Group, and toured after. Both albums were well received. One of the reasons for Never Group is that I wanted to do an album with a trio. Tim Lefebvre and Eric Harland had never previously recorded together in the trio format, and they have great musical chemistry. They sound really fresh, and we understand each other very well.

   The album was recorded in Berlin. We were on tour and stayed on there for a few days to record it. The sessions were improvised and relaxed, growing in different directions, and we picked up the best moments from the improvisations.

   I also wanted to do a few tunes in trio format with double bass. I never forget about acoustic jazz so I wanted to record that too with Matt Penman on double bass.

   My friend John Escreet who lives in New York also added work.

   The album has different kinds of music, and is like a DJ playing diverse tracks for a listening audience.

   I am happy that the album has been well received and hope that people are discovering it.

   We are now touring, and the setting is different with two trumpets, drums and bass. I am doing some electronics and also pedals, figuring out a special way of using them that nobody else does.

   I like to propose tunes with a strong melody which inspires improvisation, a melody that isn’t locked in into one genre of jazz, but something that we can do many things with, and a lot of space to move in musically.

   I don’t like talking too much about future plans.