Though still in her twenties, Caged Bird by New York-based vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader Ekep Nkwelle‘s (Eh-kep In-kweh-leh) — her Mack Avenue debut album — has been a long time coming. Her startling multi-octave range has appeared with a range of artists including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Kenny Barron, Joel Ross, and New Jazz Underground.
The title references Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, but also Abbey Lincoln’s “Caged Bird” that’s interpreted here. Throughout, the music crosses jazz, gospel, and blues, connecting standards and other material through distinctive phrasing. Nkwelle is accompanied by her touring band that includes pianists Luther S. Allison (tracks one and two only) and…

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