Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini

by Brianna Suazo | Nov 15, 2022

Presented by KGNU

Doors: 7:30 PM
Showtime: 8:00 PM

Trombonist and singer/songwriter Natalie Cressman and Brazilian composer, guitarist, and singer Ian Faquini have created a uniquely intimate duo collaboration, drawing from impressionism, jazz, and the great Brazilian songwriting tradition. The duo’s global take on music is largely expressed through the distinct compositional voice of Faquini, with occasional lyrics penned by Cressman. Their original material features songs in three different languages and encompasses a vast spectrum of musical ground. With the warm instrumentation of acoustic guitar and trombone and two-part vocal harmonies hugging the Brazilian-accented Portuguese, Cressman & Faquini weave their musical voices together to create a fully orchestrated sound befitting a much larger ensemble. Together Cressman and Faquini performed in the US at venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ Center, and in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, and Italy.

Cressman has spent the past eleven years touring the jam band circuit as a horn player and vocalist with Phish’s Trey Anastasio, while also collaborating with many illustrious figures on the New York City jazz scene. When she’s not performing her own music, Cressman can be found collaborating with some of the most illustrious figures in rock, funk, jazz and beyond, which have included Phish, Big Gigantic, Carlos Santana, Escort, Wycliffe Gordon, Nicholas Payton, Anat Cohen, The Motet, and Umphrey’s McGee.

Born in Brasília and raised in Berkeley, Faquini was a member of the renowned Berkeley High School Jazz program before going on to study at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley and, immediately after graduating, joined the faculty there. He has performed throughout Europe, Japan, Brazil and the United States and has shared the stage and recording studio with such names as Guinga, Brad Mehldau, Chris Potter, Spok, Lee Konitz, Fleurine, among many others.