Lakbai Guitar Duo Showcases Filipino Sound in Dynamic Kenya Collaboration

The Lakbai Guitar Duo captivates the audience with soulful renditions of Filipino music.

NAIROBI, 16 June 2025 – The Lakbai Guitar Duo from the Philippines brought Filipino music to the spotlight during “Strings & Soul: Lakbai x Kenya Live,” a vibrant cultural night held on 13 June, organized by the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi in partnership with Geco Café.

The event celebrated the 127th Philippine National Day and the 50th anniversary of the Embassy’s establishment in Kenya.

The Lakbai Guitar Duo, composed of Jeffrey Malazo and Jenny de Vera, opened the night with expressive performances of traditional and contemporary Filipino pieces. Their classical skill and heartfelt delivery brought the spirit of the Philippines to the Nairobi stage.

They were later joined by The Jazztified, a well-known Kenyan jazz ensemble, celebrated for their improvisational style. Together, the two groups, each honoring their roots, gave a collaborative performance featuring two classic pieces: the Filipino folk dance “Cariñosa,” reinterpreted in a jazz style, and the African classic “Ami O” by Bébé Manga, with acoustic guitar accompaniment.

Guests enjoyed a powerful mix of Filipino, Kenyan, and African music that showed how culture connects people.

“This event was more than sharing music. It was about artists listening, adapting, and creating something new together,” said Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte Tang.

The Lakbai Guitar Duo’s visit to Kenya was supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. END

Filipino and Kenyan musicians come together — jazz Cariñosa and Ami O with acoustic guitar.

A full house at Geco Café enjoys a vibrant evening of cross-cultural music.

Ambassador Tang poses for a photo with Lakbai Guitar Duo.