Photograph by Will Gamble.
The tagline of the Wall Street Jazz Festival boasts its intention to combine traditional and progressive jazz but fails to mention its ability to seize the absolute best women at the moment for the two-day festival. The Friday August 31 performance at Backstage Productions, “The Art of the Duo,” is the first place to see acclaimed singer-pianist Dena DeRose and bassist Rich Syracuse alongside Ingrid Jensen, a world-traveling trumpeter, and Natalie Cressman, whose resume includes performances with Carlos Santana and Shiela E. in famed venues such as Carnegie Hall, and a soon-to-be released album with her Secret Garden quartet—all staggering accomplishments, particularly when considering that Cressman is 20. Free performances on Saturday take place on the corner of Wall and North Front Street with the additions of Chris McNulty and the Estrella Salsa Band.
Wallstreetjazzfestival.com