Abdi Rashid Jibril

Profile: Abdi Rashid Jibril

Music Curator and Researcher

Under the direction of Abdi Rashid Jibril, Roots International has established itself as a musical curator/promoter of distinction in the East African market. The company hosted a weekly live music night in Nairobi Kenya called THURSDAY NITE LIVE (https://www.facebook.com/thursdaynitelive/) which ran from 2011-2019 for a period of eight years and featured over 400 concerts by local and regional bands/artists with audience size at its last year averaging 1,000 persons. The platform was recognized as one of the best live music platforms on the African continent in various publications. Under other brands, LIVE IN NAIROBI and COOL WATERS JAZZ & ROOTS FESTIVAL, Roots International has presented notable concerts featuring renowned national legends and international artists from around the continent and beyond at concerts held at diverse venues in Nairobi including National Museum’s Leakey Auditorium, Tribe Hotel, Tree House Nairobi, The Elephant, J’s Fresh Bar & Kitchen, Nairobi Street Kitchen, Alliance Francais Nairobi etc. Besides presenting Nairobi audiences with Africa and the world’s rich musical heritage, Roots International serves as a talent booking agent with a great network and relationships with artists both in Kenya and Africa wide. Clients have included AFD (French Development Bank), Proparco, Tribe Hotel, Ankole Grill, ICRAF (International Center for Agroforestry), Nyama Mama Westlands, Two Rivers Mall. The Harvest @ Village Market, Google KE, Lamu House Hotel etc. In the area of capacity building Roots International has offered workshops in event curation, management, career coaching, audience development contributing to the development of the music sector in East Africa.