Jazz guitarist and composer Keenan Ahrends calls Johannesburg, South Africa, home. Armed with an undergraduate degree in jazz performance from the University of Cape Town and the Norwegian Academy of Music (2009), as well as an honours degree in performance from the University of Witwatersrand (2019), Ahrends' musical journey has taken him far and wide.

In 2021, he earned a Pro Helvetia artist residency in Basel, Switzerland, spending three immersive months composing, recording, and performing. Ahrends' global presence is further marked by extensive tours within South Africa and internationally. His collaborative spirit has seen him share stages with luminaries like Louis Moholo, Feya Faku, Thandi Ntuli, Malcolm Braff, Andile Yenana, Carlo Mombelli, Afrika Mkhize, Herbie Tsoaeli, Buddy Wells, Mark Fransman, Shane Cooper, SOMI, and others.

Ahrends' notable performances include captivating audiences at renowned venues and festivals such as the Birds Eye Jazz Club (Switzerland), Amersfoort Jazz Festival (The Netherlands), Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Reunion Island Ocus Pocus Festival, Joy of Jazz Festival, Edge of Wrong Festival, and the Standard Bank Youth Jazz Festival. His music has reverberated in eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), Sweden, Norway, Mozambique, and Nigeria.

In 2017, Ahrends made a significant mark with the release of his debut album 'Narrative,' featuring an ensemble including Romy Brauteseth, Claude Cozens, Sisonke Xonti, and Nicholas Williams, garnering critical acclaim. His sophomore album 'Perseverance: Live at the Bird’s Eye' (featuring Romy Brauteseth, Sphelelo Mazibuko, Domenic Landofl, Lukas Thoeni) followed in 2022. As a versatile composer, Ahrends has crafted compositions for his trio and larger ensembles, including the Cape Town Ghoema Orchestra. Known for his evocative musical writing, emotive improvisation, and sensitive musicianship, Ahrends stands as a key figure in the emerging southern African jazz arena, leaving his indelible mark on numerous albums and diverse musical projects.