Legendary smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G performs at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
On a night where everything could have gone wrong again, almost everything instead went right at Stanbic’s Kenny G Only 'One Night' weekend concert at KICC, Nairobi.
For the organisers, the evening carried the weight of redemption for the VIP-esque event. The ghosts of June 10, 2023, still lingered.
That infamous evening when the American R&B legends Boyz II Men headlined the second edition of the Stanbic Yetu Festival, a show so disastrous it spawned a lawsuit and became one of the city’s most talked-about fiascos of what can go wrong when ambition outpaces execution.
On that ill-fated concert, backed by a Sh35 million budget and months of publicity, it promised the world but delivered chaos. By night's end, the Boyz II Men Stanbic Yetu Festival had deflated into a damp squib.
For an event that commanded premium prices of Sh30,000 for VVIP and Sh8,000 for regular tickets, the litany of failures was staggering.
Bad sound, no clear separation between VIP and regular zones, a leaking dome that buckled under a heavy downpour, and faulty screens that denied regular ticket holders their promised close-up views. To make matters worse, the event at Uhuru gardens ended abruptly before midnight- an almost unheard-of early curtain call that left everyone bewildered.
The fallout was swift and severe.
Organisers issued a public apology promising to do better next time, while the Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the more than 6,000 projected attendees seeking refunds from Stanbic and Radio Africa Event. The case still drags on in court.
Redeemed
Fast forward to last Saturday, and everything felt different. Determined to erase the stains of 2023, organizers took a calculated step back and this time also collaborating with Tusker Malt for more financial muscle.
After sitting out 2024 entirely, a strategic retreat to regroup and recalibrate, they returned with the Kenny G concert, conspicuously dropping the ‘Yetu Festival’ branding and dramatically returning with a back-to-basics approach, scaling back projected attendance from 6,000 to a more manageable 1,200.
Jazz lovers attend Kenny G’s “One Night Only” concert at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
And the approach paid dividends. Kenny G’s soulful performance at the KICC lived up to its billing, transforming the Tsavo Ballroom into a space where smooth jazz and satisfied smiles replaced the bitter memories of 2023, judging by the rapturous reactions inside the hall.
Experiential
This time, the build-up to Kenny G’s concert wasn’t drowned in noise or overblown hype but rather a deliberately measured buzz.
Tickets were priced more modestly at Sh8,500 for Early Bird Gold, Sh10,000 for Advance Gold, and Sh14,500 for last-minute Gold.
Platinum tickets sold by reservation only, at Sh35,000, promising an exclusive dining experience complete with Churrasco service for a projected 520 guests that included political elites such as Peter Kenneth, and CEOs Jane Karuku (EABL), James Mworia (Centum), Joshua Oigara (Stanbic), Peter Ndegwa (Safaricom)Nation Media Group chairman Joseph Muganda, who were in attendance, among others.
With the gates opening at 4:30pm, the ticketing process was smooth and orderly, a departure from the past.
Legendary smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G performs at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
The venue choice proved inspired, offering generous parking, particularly for platinum guests who could arrive without the usual Nairobi parking anxieties.
Beyond the gates stretched a striking 400-meter blue carpet that set the tone for the night. At its first corner, Gold ticket holders found a stylish open lounge, perfect for grabbing a drink, enjoying a quick meal, or simply catching up, though its cozy design did little to fend off the biting Nairobi night cold. On the opposite side, a tastefully designed dome housed the Platinum lounge, where welcoming cocktails awaited.
A few more measured steps past a magnificent water fountain brought you to the grand Tsavo Ballroom - the evening’s heart. Its dual entrances clearly designated for each ticket tier.
Legendary smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G performs at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
Inside, the contrast was striking. Platinum tables, set for four, evoked a banquet hall with elegant décor, fresh flowers, and a steady flow of food and drinks.
Gold ticket holders, meanwhile, were greeted by neat rows of black chairs, their only complimentary comfort being a lone 500ml water bottle perched on each seat. Functional, if somewhat spartan, but at least everyone had a clear view of what they'd come for.
Musical artist Coster Ojwang performs during Kenny G “One Night Only” concert held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
Man of the Hour
Kato Change, Kenya's Afrojazz guitarist and two-time Latin Grammy nominee (2021, 2025), set the evening in motion with a compelling 45-minute opening set.
As Kato exited to warm applause, the stage transformed. A five-piece orchestra materialized. A bass guitarist, percussionist, drummer, electric guitarist, and pianist.
At 10:20 PM, the 69-year-old jazz legend, a man who's moved over 75 million albums and whose melodies defined the 90s Sundowner radio moments across Kenya, took the stage in his signature navy blue casual suit.
Legendary smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G performs at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
What followed was nothing short of extraordinary, a two-hour and a half-nonstop performance that felt both epic and intimate.
The proscenium backdrop became a living canvas, shifting seamlessly through evocative themes with each song, golden sunsets melting into hilly valleys, tranquil seascapes washing over the crowd, creating a deeply therapeutic, almost cinematic experience.
Yet Kenny G wasn't the only star that night. His Brazilian percussionist seized the spotlight with a captivating 20-minute Samba drumming solo that had the entire ballroom mesmerized, hands clapping in rhythm, bodies swaying involuntarily. When the percussionist took his bow, Kenny G returned to close the evening with a carefully curated finale – a handful of classics from the 60s and 70s.
Legendary smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G performs at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on September 27, 2025.
But it was his rendition of My Heart Will Go On the iconic love theme from Titanic, that proved transcendent, earning him a standing ovation from the entire auditorium.
It was less a performance and more a collective soul-stirring moment, touching every heart in its own unexplainable way.
For every dollar quoted by booking agencies AAE Music, Celebrity Talent International, and BookingEntertainment.com, placing Kenny G’s performance fees between $100,000 (Sh13 million) and $300,000 (Sh39 million), the night proved worth every cent.
As the Nairobi night grew colder, fans departed clutching signed autographs and CDs (Sh3,500 each), tangible mementos of an intangible experience.
Hearts full and spirits lifted.
