SPOTLIGHT SESSIONS JADILI SESSIONS / LISTENING SESSIONS WORKSHOPS / LIVE PERFORMANCES LIVE RECORDINGS

The Santuri Salon is our new space at The Mall (basement level) in Westlands, Nairobi.

It is Santuri’s multi-functional space for workshops, performances, listening sessions, panel discussions and more.

The Santuri Salon is also a place for DJs and music producers to access world class hardware and software Santuri shares with the community. What’s more, we also have a library focusing on music culture books and publications.

The space is open to the community for hire. Simply contact the Santuri Salon on:

+254 768 226 199 (mobile / WhatsApp) or email salon@santuri.org

BOOK THE SANTURI SALON NOW

SPOTLIGHT SESSIONS @ THE SANTURI SALON

Spotlight Sessions is a monthly event series held at The Santuri Salon, where we proudly present exceptional emerging musicians from the East African region. With the generous backing of the Ignite Culture EA grant, we have established an inclusive environment that allows these talented artists to showcase their unique and experimental projects before an intimate and receptive audience.

Kicking off in June 2023, our Spotlight Sessions are free to attend on the last Thursday of every month until December. We encourage you to mark your calendars and join us for these immersive events.

If you are an emerging East African musician seeking an opportunity to showcase at Spotlight Sessions, apply on the next call.

Spotlight Sessions : mphilo

27th July 2023

The third Spotlight Sessions was truly a unique family affair. Kenyan storyteller mphilo performed never-heard-before tracks alongside her sisters on drums and vocals, while MR LU* looped it all up on Ableton. The eager audience enjoyed her soulful singing, spoken word, nyatiti sounds and even composed two original tracks together during the incredible event.

Book Santuri Salon >> https://forms.gle/FRVkEBo9bRaY7YLB9

JADILI SESSIONS

Swahili for discuss, Jadili Sessions are our thought-provoking panel discussions held at The Santuri Salon. Held every other month, we bring together artists, entrepreneurs and experts to explore the depths of music, culture and creativity. From exploring the ethics of sampling traditional instruments and cultures to unravelling the history of electronic music, and examining the role of traditional music in today's contemporary contexts.

K-SHAKA REUNION

Friday 11th August

We celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip hop globally with a heartwarming homecoming show. The legendary Kenyan hip hop trio of KShaka (formerly known as Kalamashaka) made their long-awaited reunion at The Salon, before performing later that night at The Mist. This special session allowed KShaka fans to recall their rich history since the early 90s and express their undying love for them.

MUSIC LISTENING SESSIONS

NYUMBANI EP LISTENING SESSION

Released during Africa month, Nyumbani EP is a truly collaborative and continental project that connects Kenya, Zambia and South Africa. During the intimate listening session, the fresh duo of DJ Ally Fresh and DJ Mura shared BTS stories with their friends and fans. Fun fact: the title track was conceived by the SEMA alums in a Santuri classroom.

Book Santuri Salon >> https://forms.gle/FRVkEBo9bRaY7YLB9

FUNDRAISERS

Preserving Coastal Music Heritage

Tuesday, 9th May 2023

From the late 1960s to 2022 musicians from the East African coast recorded at ‘Mbwana Radio Service’ in Mombasa’s Old Town. Some of
the music styles in the catalogue are taarab, mwanzele, kayamba or gozi. On the roster of the cassette label were stars like Zuhura Swaleh, Maulidi Juma, and Nyerere wa Konde. At the end of last year the studio and shop closed its doors permanently but the cassettes still exists albeit in a precarious state. That’s why we need your support in preserving the diverse collection! The event featured music and conversations celebrating the rich heritage, addressing current issues and exploring possible futures.
All proceeds go to the preservation initiave.

In conversation was:

Nassoro Mwinyi, custodian of the collection
Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi, cultural anthropologist
Wairimũ Nduba, founder of @werjokenya.

WORKSHOPS

Kalanzi Music Distribution Workshop

Thursday, 27th April

Tangaza Magazine project manager Kalanzi facilitated an enlightening music distribution 101 workshop for our SEMA production students and our wider audience. He delved into the history of music distribution, explored various platforms available for distribution, and imparted valuable insights on music marketing. The session concluded with an engaging Q&A segment where students shared their personal experiences in distributing music online.

Evolution of Kenyan music: Intro

Saturday 25th March

LaMusicJunkie hosted the first edition of the Evolution of Kenyan Music series, taking us back to the origins of Kenyan popular music in the 1940s. DJ Jojo's expertly curated vinyl selections showcased the diversity of Kenyan sounds, making for a fun and fascinating music discussion. Enjoy this captivating trip through time here:

https://bit.ly/evolutionofkenyanmusiczilizopendwa

LIVE PERFORMANCE

Reflective Surface by Muthoni ni Mimi

10th March 2023

Muthoni Ni Mimi held her first showcase event at The Salon and it was absolutely mesmerising. Her multidisciplinary performance fused spoken word, live painting, acoustic music, African percussion and live electronics using Ableton Push. Attendees described the SEMA alumna's performance, who doubles as a musician and psychologist, as sound healing.

Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA)

SEMA Sundowner

Thursday 27th April 2023

Our first sundowner event at The Salon featured a fun eclectic mix of female and male Kenyan DJs. Barno, SeLO, Sirtoontzalot and Kimina played urban hits, Kenyan rhythms and electronic beats, creating a chill and relaxed atmosphere. This intimate sundowner brought the Santuri students and community together to connect on a cool Thursday night.

SEMA Open Day

Get a taste what the Santuri Electroonic Music Academy (SEMA) has to offer with free workshops and classes.

13th January 2023

Live Recordings

Dipa Konnection Video Shoot

Nairobi’s next top band passed by The Salon to shoot a music video for their upcoming release.

Them Mushrooms Live

The legendary Kenyan music band recorded a live show as they celebrated 50 years of Them Mushrooms.

“Santuri has been a much needed breathe of fresh air in the Nairobi music space post-pandemic, bringing together equally inspired and curious music minds to learn, engage and interact. The Santuri Salon is a perfect add on to this ecosystem, right in the heart of Westlands (Nairobi party district), providing a space to showcase some of the magic the city is making. It was an honour for Them Mushrooms, one of Kenyas most iconic bands, to able to jam in the space to a small exclusive audience, in the build up to the Hamsini Tour celebrating 50 Years of Live music”.

George ‘Porgie’ Gachui, Them Mushrooms’ Manager

Book The Santuri Salon for your event: https://forms.gle/FRVkEBo9bRaY7YLB9