Ekep Nkwelle, Hudson Jazz Festival Mainstage Performance

Lady Ella. The First Lady of Song. The Queen of Jazz. For more than half a century, Ella Fitzgerald was jazz royalty. But few know the immense challenges she faced on her road to success, or that it once led to a girls reformatory school in Hudson, New York.

At only 24 years old, Cameroonian-American vocalist Ekep Nkwelle is only a few years older than Ella was when she became a household name. Like Ella, Ekep is forging her own path to success – from the vibrant streets of Washington, DC to the heart of New York City’s jazz scene, Ekep’s extraordinary talent has earned her a prestigious Juilliard Career Advancement Grant and a reputation as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s latest rising star.

In an exclusive Hudson Jazz Festival performance, Ekep Nkwelle channels Ella Fitzgerald’s indomitable spirit with an evening of song drawing from her own material and the timeless tunes of the Great American Songbook.

Let’s celebrate! Join us for the 2024 Hudson Jazz Festival Opening Night Party at Return Brewing following this event.

View the full 2024 Hudson Jazz Festival lineup here.