Jessica Wright

A New Orleanian with a musical lineage that traces back 4 generations, Ms. Wright has always had the passion for the arts. A self-taught bassist, she is from a musical family including her great-great grandfather, Sylvester Coustaut, who was a cornet player and founding member of the Onward Brass Band, and his brother, Manuel Coustaut a dance band leader in New Orleans in the late 1800’s. She first displayed her connection to music through dance at the early age of 3. She performed for a total of 14 years at Ballet Hysell in the Garden District, under the direction of Diane Carney and the late Maestro Harvey Hysell. During these years, Ms. Wright also performed in other genres of dance including salsa, flamenco, and jazz. Never straying too far from music, she played flute in her elementary school band. She then began playing bass guitar in 2003 as an eighth grader at St. Mary’s Dominican High School. One of Ms. Wright’s greatest accomplishments to date is founding the use of electric bass in marching band and carnival parades in New Orleans in 2003. While in college, Ms. Wright played electric and upright bass for the St. Edward’s University Jazz Ensemble (“Steady”) and was the bassist for Austin based jazz group, “the Altered Five.” Currently a freelance musician, Ms. Wright is also affiliated with local acts including the Vegas Cola Band and CoolNasty. Within the past couple of years, Ms. Wright has begun experimenting with photography, using a Nikon D3300. Her subjects generally include landscapes, nature, and everyday life as a New Orleanian. Her photography has been featured by Defend NOLA and the Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel among other local blogs and Instagram pages.