EKEP NKWELLE

The meaning of Ekep Nkwelle’s name (pronounced Eh-kep In-kweh-leh) perfectly describes her: a gift. Her rich, soulful voice soars to deliver timeless messages to audiences with power and confidence. To develop and master her talent, the Washington, DC-born, Cameroonian-American vocalist has trained at world-renowned institutes including Duke Ellington High School of the Arts, Howard University (BA) and The Juilliard School (MM).

At Howard, she trained with master jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut. With his guidance, Nkwelle tapped into the blues as an essential language for story-telling. The two would go on to perform together at Dizzy’s Jazz Club in New York and record a duet of the late DC saxophonist, Buck Hill’s “The Sad Ones” (with lyrics written by Nkwelle to Buck Hill’s tenor saxophone solo). She was the lead soloist for four years with Howard University’s premier vocal jazz ensemble Afro Blue. Honoring the legacy of Donny Hathaway, Afro Blue released his classic song “This Christmas” on December 9, 2020 – 50 years from the initial release date. In keeping with their signature “vocal big band” sound, Afro Blue sings a swinging a cappella version with the clever use of Hathaway’s instrumental riffs with vocal improvisations from Nkwelle and Tyree Austin. The group’s documentary Afro Blue: A Year In The Life was voted Best DC Film 2020 at the DC Black Film Festival. Nkwelle was also noted for her performances with the trio group The Soul Sistas, and collaborations continued after moving from the nation’s capital to New York City.

She has performed with such venerable artists as classical pianist Lang Lang at Radio City Music Hall, and The Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra as well as jazz masters Russell Malone and Peter Washington at The Library of Congress. She also plays and travels extensively with powerhouse jazz bassist and rising star Endea Owens. Ekep has graced the stages of The Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, Dizzy’s Jazz Club, The Carr Center, and The Strathmore, among others. She has appeared at multiple jazz festivals and events, including International Jazz Day, Hudson Jazz Festival, Jazz on the Narrows (opening for Cecile McLorin Salvant), and DC Jazz Fest (opening for Regina Carter). This month, she will be featured on Endea Owens and The Cookout’s set at the Newport Jazz Festival.

Her achievements include being one of only 15 students inducted into the highly selective 2023 Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship, bestowed through nomination by Wynton Marsalis and Juilliard Jazz assistant director Dr. Aaron Flagg. In 2022, she performed on NPR’s Music’s Tiny Desk concert series, singing her arrangement of Geri Allen’s “Timeless Portraits & Dreams.” That year, Nkwelle placed First Runner-Up in The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Voice Competition, ahead of