ON 10 October 2026 at 7pm the Baxter Theatre will host a special concert celebrating the music and enduring legacy of Abdullah Ibrahim, one of the principal architects of South African jazz.
The Kyle Shepherd Xahuri Trio is a newly formed ensemble bringing together three distinctive voices in South African jazz: Kyle Shepherd on piano, Benjamin Jephta on bass and Marlon Witbooi on drums.
Rather than attempting to reproduce Ibrahim’s music, the trio seeks to engage with it as living repertoire — allowing space for improvisation, individual expression and the musical language of a new generation.
For Shepherd, Ibrahim’s music has been an important part of his musical development for more than two decades, making this performance both an artistic exploration and a deeply personal engagement with a master whose influence extends far beyond South Africa.
His connection to Ibrahim’s work spans more than three decades, beginning with his mother, Michele Shepherd, who performed and toured with Dr Ibrahim before later teaching at his M7 Music School in Cape Town. Inspired by this legacy, Kyle has come to know Abdullah Ibrahim’s music not simply as repertoire, but as a philosophy of listening, improvisation and artistic integrity.
“This concert is an opportunity to return to that music, honour a master who has influenced me so profoundly and explore what it means to carry that musical lineage forward,” says Shepherd.
Joining Kyle are Benjamin Jephta on double bass and Marlon Witbooi on drums. The trio has been assembled specifically for this project, with each musician belonging to a generation of Cape Town artists profoundly influenced by Abdullah Ibrahim’s music.
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