Jared Engel

Jared Engel

Musician • Filmmaker • Composer

Jared Engel is a Grammy-nominated musician who has been a mainstay of the New York City music scene since 2003. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, he is often seen on subways, sidewalks, and bike paths hauling some combination of upright bass, bass guitar, tuba, 4-string plectrum banjo, and 5-string banjo.

Many know Jared for his decade-long tenure as the house bassist for the trad-jazz and bluegrass sessions at Mona’s, a beloved East Village institution. Alongside his regular performances around New York City, he has had the pleasure of recording and performing with acclaimed artists including Abigail Washburn, David Grisman, Tony Trischka, Kaia Kater, Béla Fleck, and Steve Martin. His extensive performance history includes appearances at major bluegrass festivals across the country as well as nearly every major jazz venue in New York City.

Jared has also enjoyed a busy career as a touring musician, performing throughout the United States and around the world. In 2025, he ventured into filmmaking, writing, directing, and composing the score for Day of the Catch, an award-winning short silent film telling a true story from baseball history set in 1915. He followed it up with The Mascot Race, a partially silent comedy that premiered in 2026. He created and produces The Old Ball Game, a variety show combining baseball stories, silent film, and live music.