Jared Engel

Jared Engel is a professional musician and a 22-year mainstay of the New York City music scene. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, he has appeared on Grammy-nominated recordings and is a familiar sight on subways, sidewalks, and bike paths hauling an arsenal of instruments that includes upright bass, bass guitar, tuba, 4-string plectrum banjo, and 5-string banjo.

Perhaps best known for his decade-long tenure as bassist for both the trad-jazz and bluegrass sessions at Mona’s, a beloved East Village institution, Engel has recorded and performed with artists such as Abigail Washburn, David Grisman, Tony Trischka, Kaïa Kater, Béla Fleck, Steve Martin, Naomi & Her Handsome Devils, and Stéphane Wrembel. He is also a frequent collaborator with Tony Trischka, Sean Kiely, Baby Soda, Aurora Nealand, Mike Davis, and The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band.

Engel has performed worldwide and at many of New York’s most storied venues, including The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note, Lincoln Center, Birdland, and Barbès. In 2025, he made his debut as a filmmaker with the silent short film Day of the Catch, which recounts a true episode from 1915 baseball lore and features his original live score.