Ekep Nkwelle

A rising master of her craft, vocalist Ekep Nkwelle entrances audiences with her strong lyrical presence and an uncanny connection to phrasing that’s at once grounded and ethereal. A featured performer on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, the Washington DC-born, Cameroonian-American is among the most acclaimed young artists in jazz, known for her high-level musicality and vivid storytelling. Forging her path from Washington DC to New York City, Nkwelle has already built an impressive list of collaborators including Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Russell Malone, Cyrus Chestnut, Emmet Cohen, Endea Owens, and recently worked with the legendary Dee Dee Bridgewater as part of her exclusive, all-women artistic residency, The Woodshed Network. With a rare combination of power, soul, and emotional truth, Nkwelle has graced stages around the world, from Marian's Jazzroom to The Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, Newport Jazz Festival, and most notably, Lincoln Center, where she is celebrated as their latest rising star.