Join us for Session 5, Sunday, February 16, 2025, starting at 7:00pm with the Paul Carr Quartet featuring Billy Pierce; 8:30pm with Cyrus Chestnut and Ekep Nkwelle; and 10:00pm with Orrin Evans, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Chris Potter.

Making her Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival debut at 8:30pm, vocalist Ekep Nkwelle is poised to captivate with her powerful and distinctive sound. This 25-year-old Cameroonian-American has already carved out an impressive path from Washington, DC, to the heart of New York’s jazz scene. A graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University, and Juilliard, Ekep has wowed audiences in venues like Radio City Music Hall and Lincoln Center. Recently honored with a Juilliard Career Advancement Grant, she’s quickly emerging as one of jazz’s most promising new voices.

The Main Stage ticketing is divided into Sessions. Each Session is comprised of three power-hitting Acts. Seating is divided into groups which include Premium 4-seater tables, General 6-seater tables and then General theater seating.  ALL GENERAL SEATING TABLES ARE RESERVED FOR VOYAGER PASSPORT HOLDERS, so please purchase your all-access Voyager Passport in advance. You can pick up your Voyager Passports at the Box Office after 3pm on the first day of the festival. All proceeds from the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival directly support efforts of the Jazz Academy of Music.

About Ekep Nkwelle 

Ekep Nkwelle is a dynamic 25-year-old Cameroonian-American jazz vocalist whose career has taken her from the cultural richness of Washington, DC, to the bustling jazz scene of New York City. A graduate of the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University, and The Juilliard School, Ekep has established herself as a rising star in the jazz world. Her powerful voice and distinctive style have attracted the attention of jazz greats like Wynton Marsalis, Russell Malone, Cyrus Chestnut, and Peter Washington, as well as contemporary talents like Emmet Cohen and Endea Owens.

Her performances have captivated audiences in world-renowned venues such as Radio City Music Hall—where she performed with classical maestro Lang Lang in a Disney collaboration—The Library of Congress, Marian’s Jazzroom, The Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center. She has also made her mark at notable festivals including the Newport, Montclair, Hudson, and DC Jazz Festivals.

In 2023, Ekep received the prestigious Juilliard Career Advancement Grant, an honor personally nominated by Wynton Marsalis, following her acclaimed performance of Geri Allen’s “Timeless Portraits & Dreams” on NPR’s *Tiny Desk* in 2022. That same year, she collaborated with Dee Dee Bridgewater as part of Bridgewater’s all-women residency, The Woodshed Network.

As Jazz at Lincoln Center’s newest rising star, Ekep Nkwelle is forging a bold path in jazz, with her voice and artistry set to leave a lasting impact on audiences around the world.