Kai Lyons
Afro Cuban GuitaristMaster guitarist and tres player blending Afro Cuban tradition with modern jazz.
About The Artist
Kai Lyons is a San Francisco native, acclaimed guitarist, and internationally recognized tres player whose work bridges Afro Cuban tradition and contemporary jazz. A lifelong student of music, Kai is an adjunct professor of jazz guitar at Cal State East Bay and teaches at the California Jazz Conservatory. He is also a clinician for SFJAZZ, the San Francisco Symphony, and Stanford University.
Kai’s deep connection to Cuban music began in 2016 and has shaped his artistic path ever since. Over thirteen trips to Cuba, he has immersed himself in the musical traditions of Guantánamo, Santiago, and Eastern Cuba, studying changüí, kiribá, nengón, and Tumba Francesa. He was inducted into the Añá fraternity of batá drummers and studied with legendary master Koto “El Diamante Negro.”
In 2022, Kai became the first foreigner to win first prize at the International Changüí Festival of Guantánamo, performing on the Cuban tres. In 2023, he recorded tres at EGREM Studios in Santiago, Cuba for the debut album of Síncopa Uno, a professional Cuban changüí ensemble. Whether performing solo or within an ensemble, Kai brings depth, authenticity, and world class musicianship to every stage.
