Lake George Arts Project

Ekep Nkwelle
2026-09-20 15:00 (America/New_York) | Shepard Park, Canada Street, Lake George, NY, 12845, United States
Ekep Nkwelle
Her voice has captivated legendary jazz figures such as Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Barron, Dianne Reeves, the late Russell Malone, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Cyrus Chestnut, earning her multiple opportunities to collaborate with these luminaries.
A dynamic performer, Ekep has left her mark on world-renowned stages such as the Nice Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and SFJAZZ.
After earning her Master’s Degree in 2023, she received the Juilliard Career Advancement Grant, nominated by Marsalis, in recognition of her talent and potential. In addition to performing, she is committed to arts education, having attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University, and The Juilliard School. Her involvement with key organizations like The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Jazz Houston, and The Woodshed Network highlights her dedication to cultural engagement and giving back to her community.

HER MUSIC

Ekep NkwelleMoody’s Mood for Love (Live at Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society)

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Miguel Zenón Quartet
2026-09-20 17:00 - 18:15
Miguel Zenón Quartet
Grammy Winner, Doris Duke Artist and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón represents a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists and composers of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between jazz and his many musical influences.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has released eighteen recordings as a leader, including his latest, the Grammy-nominated Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard (2025) and the Grammy-winning album El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2 (2023). He has worked with luminaries such as The SFJAZZ Collective, Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Perez, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Kurt Elling, Joey Calderazzo, Steve Coleman, Ray Barreto, Andy Montañez, Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band, The Mingus Big Band and Bobby Hutcherson.
In April 2008 he received a fellowship from the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Later that year he was one of 25 distinguished individuals chosen to receive the coveted MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant.” In 2011 he founded Caravana Cultural, a program which presents free-of-charge Jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico. In 2022 he received an Honorary Doctorate from La Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the highest honor bestowed by the institution. In 2024 he received a Doris Duke Artist Award from the Doris Duke Foundation.
Zenón has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe and The Chicago Tribune. In addition, he topped both the Jazz Artist of the Year and Alto Saxophonist of the Year categories in the 2014 JazzTimes Critics Poll and was selected as Alto Saxophonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020 (when he was also recognized as Arranger of the Year). In 2023 he was recognized by the same organization as the Composer of the Year.
As a composer he has been commissioned by SFJAZZ, NYO Jazz, The New York State Council on the Arts, Chamber Music America, Logan Center for The Arts, The Hyde Park Jazz Festival, The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, MIT, Spektral Quartet, Miller Theater, The Hewlett Foundation, Peak Performances, PRISM Quartet, Kinetic Ensemble and many of his peers. Zenón has given hundreds of lectures and master classes at institutions all over the world and is an Associate Professor in the Music & Theater Arts Department at MIT.
Zenón lives in New York City with his wife Elga and their daughter.

HIS MUSIC

Miguel Zenón & Luis PerdomoEn La Oscuridad

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