A live music series focused on artistic practice and cultural exchange will return to Kigali on October 9, bringing together musicians from Rwanda, Zanzibar and Germany for an evening of East African spiritual jazz. The performance at Centre Culturel Francophone will feature a mix of oud, inanga, saxophone and harmonica, with Rwandan singer-songwriter Kaya Byinshii headlining. ALSO READ: Sarah Phenom on carrying Rwanda with her into the global music scene Byinshii, who founded Live Nyinshii, draws from blues, soul, jazz and Rwandan tradition in her work. She will perform with Hassan Mahenge, a Zanzibar-based oud and saxophone musician and educator; Rwandan inanga player Nkuba, whose training was inherited through his mother, Sophie Nzayisenga; and Rwandan-Belgian harmonica player Albert Toch. Singer-songwriter Chacha Imfurikeye will open the show with a performance drawing on Afro-fusion and contemporary tradition. ALSO READ: Through art, East African artists explore memory, identity and inheritance The evening is built around a question of continuity: how does a musical practice survive when it is passed from one generation to another? “From the coast of Zanzibar to the hills of Kigali, music carries our healing, our memory, our sense of who we are,” Byinshii said. Live Nyinshii means “Lots of Lives” in Kinyarwanda. The series was established as a space for artistes to develop their craft, experiment with their work and connect with audiences through live performance. According to organizers, its first four editions attracted more than 450 attendees. The series has also brought together musicians, art enthusiasts, talent scouts, festival programmers and cultural institutions. The 2026 edition will retain the series’ thematic format, with East African spiritual traditions providing the inspiration for the night’s performances. The show starts at 7 p.m., with admission set at Rwf15,000.
