Endea Owens & The Cookout

Just in time for Jazz Appreciation Month, Grammy Award-winning bassist & composer Endea Owens debuts on the SOPAC Mainstage with her deep-pocket project The Cookout. As nimble as it is foundational, her sound serves up rhythmic dimension, buoyant melodies, Funk, Soul and plenty of Hard Bop influences. Special guest vocalist Shenel Johns joins the celebration, sharing her swinging lyricism and intimate storytelling alongside a full band of master improvisers. This Cookout feeds your mind, body & spirit — don’t miss these incredible artists performing live at SOPAC! 

Endea Owens

Detroit-raised bassist & composer Endea Owens has toured and performed with Wynton Marsalis, Jennifer Holliday, Diana Ross, Rhonda Ross, Solange, Jon Batiste, Jazzmeia Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Cyrus Chestnut, and cites Marcus Belgrave, Rodney Whitaker, and Ron Carter as her mentors. In 2018, she graduated from The Juilliard School, and joined The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as a member of the house band Stay Human. Since then, Owens has won an Emmy, a Grammy Award, and a George Foster Peabody Award. Her work has appeared on Batiste’s Grammy Award-winning album We Are, in the Academy Award-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah, and H.E.R’s widely acclaimed Super Bowl LV performance. Owens has taught students across the United States, South America, and Europe. In 2020, she founded The Community Cookout, a non-profit organization birthed out of the Covid-19 pandemic that provides meals and music to underserved neighborhoods worldwide. To date, the organization has helped feed more than 6,000 people. In 2022, Owens composed Ida’s Crusade — an original piece about the life of Ida B. Wells — for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She has written for brands such as Pyer Moss and Glossier. Endea also premiered a commission with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as the organization’s 2023 MAC Music Innovator. In addition to her work with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Owens serves as curator for the National Arts Club and has served as a fellow for “Jazzis Now!” with the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. She released her debut album Feel Good Music in 2023. 

SOPAC Member Benefits

Member Pre-Sale: Wednesday, February 12

Public on Sale: Friday, February 14

Member Discounts: Members at the Advocate Level or higher ($65+) will receive a discounted ticket price.

Accessibility & Accommodation

If you or a member of your party needs assistance, please notify SOPAC at the time your tickets are purchased. Contact the SOPAC Box Office at (973) 313-2787 or boxoffice@SOPACnow.org.