“After Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jazzmeia Horn, and Samara Joy, who debuted at Umbria Jazz, Ekep Nkwelle will join this list.” Here’s how Artistic Director Carlo Pagnotta presents this 25-year-old Cameroonian-American singer, the new revelation among the female jazz vocalists. No wonder she was honored with the prestigious Juilliard Career Advancement Grant.
From the vibrant streets of Washington, DC, to the heart of New York City’s jazz scene, Ekep’s artistic path through the esteemed Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University, and The Juilliard School has been quick and without uncertainty. She has quickly won the esteem of Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Russell Malone, Cyrus Chestnut, Peter Washington, and Emmet Cohen. She performed in renowned venues such as the Radio City Music Hall, where she shared the stage with pianist Lang Lang, the Library of Congress, Marian’s Jazzroom, the Kennedy Center, and the Lincoln Center. She also performed at the Newport Jazz Festival. She collaborated with Dee Dee Bridgewater during the fourth year of her exclusive, all-women artistic residency, The Woodshed Network.
Umbria Jazz is honored to introduce this rising star to the Italian audience.
Ekep Nkwelle
- Ekep Nkwelle, voice
- Luther S. Allison, piano
- Jeremiah Edwards, double bass
- Nazir Ebo, drums
