Endea Owens – Bassist and Composer

Endea Owens is an American bassist, composer, and bandleader from Detroit whose music connects jazz, gospel, funk, blues, and the African American musical tradition through a distinctly community-centered perspective.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, she studied and received mentorship from figures including Marcus Belgrave, Rodney Whitaker, and Ron Carter. Her career includes collaborations and performances with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, Solange, Jon Batiste, Jazzmeia Horn, and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

In 2018, she joined Stay Human, the house band of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Her work also appears on Jon Batiste’s We Are, alongside contributions to film projects and internationally broadcast performances.

Alongside her artistic career, Owens founded The Community Cookout, an initiative combining live music with food distribution. That relationship between artistic creation and community also runs through her work as a composer and her debut album, Feel Good Music.