Ekep Nkwelle

Wed, Sep 25

*PLEASE NOTE: All 7PM and 9PM shows at Smoke are Dinner Shows $25 | $40 | $45 Ekep Nkwelle – vocals Julius Rodriguez – piano Russell Hall – bass Brian Richburg – drums “Although only 25, Ms. Nkwelle skillfully [does] what great jazz singers are expected to do by bringing us, the audience, into the creation process, getting us to feel and breathe along with her.” —The New York Sun Rising star Ekep Nkwelle makes her Smoke debut backed by an impressive trio with pianist Julius Rodriguez, bassist Russell Hall and drummer Brian Richburg. A DC-born, New York-based jazz vocalist of Cameroonian-American descent, Nkwelle was recently a special guest of Cyrus Chestnut at Smoke and now returns to lead her own group. In addition to Chestnut, she has performed with Russell Malone, Wynton Marsalis, Emmet Cohen, and Endea Owens, as well as collaborating with eminent classical pianist Lang Lang. She has performed at Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and Newport and Montclair jazz festivals, and perhaps most notably, was featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series. Don’t miss this exciting new artist.