Endea Owens

Endea Owens, a Detroit-raised bassist, composer, and recording artist, is recognized as one of jazz’s most vibrant emerging talents. Mentored by jazz icons like Marcus Belgrave and Ron Carter, she has toured with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, and Jon Batiste. A Juilliard graduate, she joined The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2018, where she’s earned an Emmy, Grammy, and Peabody Award. Endea’s music has appeared on Jon Batiste’s Grammy-winning album We Are and in the Oscar-nominated Judas and the Black Messiah. Passionate about philanthropy, she founded The Community Cookout, feeding over 6,000 people. In 2022, she composed Ida’s Crusade for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the NYO Carnegie Hall Orchestra. She also premiered a new work with the Cincinnati Symphony and is a curator for the National Arts Club. Her debut album, Feel Good Music, was released in September 2023.