Kenyan trumpeter Mackinlay Mutsembi is in the race to break the Guinness World record for the longest continuous trumpet performance, playing non-stop for 24 hours.
The race started on Friday, January 31, at Nairobi’s Geco Café and is expected to end on Saturday, February 1, at 10:00pm.
Before delving into the details of the marathon, let’s get to know our marathoner. So, who is Mackinlay Mutsembi?
Mackinlay Mutsembi is a renowned Kenyan trumpeter and music producer. Often referred to as “Africa’s Trumpeter,” Mackinlay is the founder and director of the Nairobi Horns Project, Afrolect Jazz, and Afrolect Academy.
Supporters of Kenyan trumpeter Mackinlay Mutsembi cheering him on at the Nairobi’s Geco Café, February 1, 2025.
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Mackinlay Mutsembi
Mackinlay holds a Masters in Business Administration and is an alumnus of the University of Nairobi and the Afrolect International Jazz Fest.
He was born in Nairobi, but his parents relocated to Mombasa, where he grew up and attended primary and secondary school. Currently, he is based in Nairobi, a city he says is receptive to the kind of music he does.
Motivated by Kenya’s long-distance marathoner Eliud Kipchoge’s mantra of “No human is limited,” Mackinlay believes that the marathon is an opportunity to inspire creatives to test the boundaries of what is possible.
The 24-hour concert pledges to blend his diverse musical influences with the energy and rhythm of Nairobi’s music scene.
The marathon has been divided into six different sets, assembling a stellar lineup of musicians and bands to accompany him.
The sets comprise a mixture of jazz, afro-jazz, R&B, pop and soul, jazz fusion, originals, and chill ballads, and a celebration of Kenyan music.
This is not the first time he will be engaging in a long-hour performance. In October 2024, his audience was already left in awe after his previous 12-hour performance in the same venue.
If he breaks the record, he will join Chef Maliha Mohammed, who broke the Guinness World Record after emerging as the longest-cooking chef in 2019. Maliha set a new record by cooking for 75 hour nonstop, beating the previous 68-hour record.
Meanwhile, another Kenyan 21-year-old, Muthoni Truphena, is also aiming to break another record by hugging a tree for 48 hours continuously. Another Kenyan eyeing to break another record is George Achoka looking to hug 15,000 people in 24 hours on February 13 and 14 outside Nation Center.
An image of a Guinness World Records Certificate.