Evgeny Pobozhiy became the first Russian musician to win the 2019 Herbie Hancock International Jazz Guitar Competition. This contest is regarded as the most influential competition in the jazz world, and his victory marked a significant milestone in the history of Russian jazz. As an internationally active musician, Evgeny has graced the stages of the world's premier jazz festivals, including the Rochester Jazz Festival, the Festival de Jazz de Montréal, the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Lotos Jazz Festival, and Jazz Triumph. He has graced the stages of world-renowned jazz venues such as New York's Blue Note Jazz Club and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, London's Ronnie Scott's, Berlin's A-Trane, and Beijing's Blue Note.