Dorothy Ashby – Afro-Harping

Hvis man er til semi-støvende breakbeats — der vækkede mindelser om lyden af samme på Stevie Wonder-albummet ‘For Once in My Lifetime’, — er Dorothy Ashbys (1932-1986) album ‘Afro-Harping‘ udgivet på Cadet Records i 1968 en lækkerbiksen.

Ashby er kendt for at bruge harpen som et imrpovisionsinstrument og som hovedinstrument (på samme måde som fx klaver eller saxofon), hvor den ellers var kendt for at som et baggrundsinstrument. ‘Afro-Harping’-albummet blev indspillet på Ter Mar Studios i Chicago i februar 1968.

Ter Mar kendes også for indspillinger for blandt andet Muddy Waters, Etta James, Fleetwood Mac, Chuck Berry. Af sleevet fremgår det helt specifkt, at Asbhy spiller på en harpe fra Lyon & Healy, der har bygget harper siden 1889.

Ashby er blevet samplet bredt, men den mest kendte brug er nok Bonobos ‘Essence of Sapphire’. Nummeret ‘Games’ har noget af den samme grooviness og det samme drive, som jeg finder i noget af Kamasi Washingtons musik, som jeg er helt vild med. Coverversionen af The ‘Look of Love’ er lige til en tarantinofilm.

Overordnet set knitrer det hele dejligt, og instrumenterne ligger spredt bredt ud i stereoperspektivet. På den negative side svømmer bassen lidt ud, og de høje toner er lidt underkuede optagemæssigt (men optagelsen har også mere end 50 år på bagen, så alt er, som det skal væer, synes jeg).

My wife really likes this record. She finds the use of harp in Jazz to be insightful and is surprised that only a few (including Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane) have attempted it, and shown it can be a delight. I love that music like this exists, that we both enjoy.

Ruderoy's opinions below are his own, and completely at odds with my wife's.

Anyone can easily listen to this music on youtube these days and decide for themselves if it is for them. Ruderoy is most welcome to sell his copy. I am sure he will not find it hard to sell since it is much appreciated by others.

Maybe someone could do a feature and presentation on this album , maybe even a on the whole album and the individual tracks and a back ground to the players and even Dorothy Ashby ‎herself and other records Dorothy Ashby ‎has produced to give a comparison and knowledge with pointers to give us an educational insight to what i may have missed and misinforming to the reader. Personally i think the album is waste of money and space.

I bought this album about 30 years ago and was so upset [ i think i gave the album away? ] but i need to check my collection that i keep in many places. I was so shocked at the praise this album received. When i got it home and played it I thought it did not have any afro sound, I wanted to get rid of it, It had no Rhythm what so ever [ AFRO ! , AFRO WHAT ? ] Please make sure you listen to the music before buying, even the re -issue. I think the record gets its ratings because of the fact a harp is being played -- the album title ---- and the front cover picture [ NOT THE MUSIC ] If i do find it maybe i could frame it and put it on the wall [ I THINK THE COVER AND TITLE ARE AMAZING.] What type of music is being played JAZZ ? BLUES? SOUL? REGGAE?, CALYPSO?, AFRICAN RHYTHMS?. What are the stand out tracks? Which track/tracks make this album so appealing and collectable and expensive?

Does anyone know who else played on this record? or is all information lost forever?

Ok... I am thinking this.

Bass sounds like Carol Kaye but might be Phil Upchurch or Richard Evans. The Flute has got to be Frank Wess. They are totally tight with her and from her earlier recordings it just seems to sound right.
Percussion - Well her husband of course, but there is at least two persons on percussion on each track. Maybe Richard Evans?
What kind of organ/electric piano is on this record? Is it an early moog? no idea who is maybe playing it.
Strings - Unknown but maybe the same as on Soulful Strings?

I always find it curious to see her listed as "Miss Ashby" when of course she was always Mrs. Ashby. Is this subliminally racist and sexist all at once? Got to love the 60's - maybe they were the same as the 50's after all...

I wish she could have been recorded more in the 1970's under her own name, and of course that she would have lived even longer. One of the lesser known jazz greats imho.

Absolutely soothing, chill bossa jazz. Harp works in Jazz too.