A degree from Julliard. Two Grammys. An Emmy. And that’s not all of what 36-year-old jazz wunderkind Endea Owens has accomplished. The rising star was happy to chat about her career and the nonprofit she founded that’s dear to her heart.
WM: Tell us about your newest album, Feel Good Music.
EA: I like to call it a gumbo of all things that I grew up with, under the umbrella of jazz. I wanted to play with so many different styles and rhythms, it’s not like there’s one single concept on the album. So, you might hear some swing, you might hear West African rhythms, you might hear ballads, you might hear everything all at the same time. I have another album coming out in August entitled For the People, where everyone can hear more of how I have leveled up as a bassist.
WM: What should we know about your nonprofit, The Community Cookout?
EA: It ’s an initiative started during the pandemic to provide free hot meals from local mom and pop shops and restaurants, along with a free concert. Each performance provides 200 meals, and we’ve had close to 20 concerts so far, with plans for more. The goal is to make New York and the world a better place though music, food, and activism.
WM: What’s next for you?
EA: A lot of producing. I’m collaborating with a great Oscar-and Grammy-winning rapper named Juicy J and I’m also working on a lot of commissioned works. My big dream is to do film scoring and TV scoring. I want to be the John Williams to somebody’s Steven Spielberg. I also want to expand The Community Cookout, to encourage people to really live their lives thoroughly and fully through philanthropy and music.
Catch Endea Owens at Caramoor on July 3.
