DOROTHY ASHBY

Cool Jazz / World Fusion • United States
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There have been very few jazz harpists in history and Dorothy Ashby was one of the greats. Somehow she was able to play credible bebop on her instrument. As a pianist she studied at Wayne State University, and in 1952 she switched to harp. Within two years, Ashby was gigging in jazz, and in 1956 she made her first recording as a leader. Between 1956-1970, she led ten albums for such labels as Savoy, Prestige, New Jazz, Argo, Jazzland, Atlantic, and Cadet, guested on many records, and was firmly established as a top studio and session player. She moved to the West Coast in the 1970s and was active up until her death.

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Thanks to JS for the addition and snobb for the updates

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DOROTHY ASHBY Discography

DOROTHY ASHBY albums / top albums

DOROTHY ASHBY The Jazz Harpist album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
The Jazz Harpist
Cool Jazz 1957
DOROTHY ASHBY In a Minor Groove (aka Dorothy Ashby Plays For Beautiful People) album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
In a Minor Groove (aka Dorothy Ashby Plays For Beautiful People)
Cool Jazz 1958
DOROTHY ASHBY Hip Harp album cover 3.75 | 2 ratings
Hip Harp
Cool Jazz 1958
DOROTHY ASHBY Soft Winds: The Swinging Harp Of album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Soft Winds: The Swinging Harp Of
Cool Jazz 1961
DOROTHY ASHBY Dorothy Ashby (aka Jazz Harpist Extraordinary) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dorothy Ashby (aka Jazz Harpist Extraordinary)
Cool Jazz 1962
DOROTHY ASHBY The Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby
Cool Jazz 1965
DOROTHY ASHBY Afro-Harping album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Afro-Harping
Cool Jazz 1968
DOROTHY ASHBY Dorothy's Harp album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dorothy's Harp
Cool Jazz 1969
DOROTHY ASHBY The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby (aka Music To Instant Karma) album cover 4.25 | 2 ratings
The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby (aka Music To Instant Karma)
World Fusion 1970
DOROTHY ASHBY Django / Misty album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Django / Misty
Cool Jazz 1984

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DOROTHY ASHBY Reviews

DOROTHY ASHBY Afro-Harping

Album · 1968 · Cool Jazz
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
Rokukai
I've been listening to this one for years now (thanks Sams!), and it's been playing all day in my player. It's been good-to-great background music for me. It's mainstream jazzy loungish feel is easy on the ears. It's not really funky or street, just melodic jazz with a harp as a lead instrument. Dorothy Ashby is a super figure in the history of jazz music, yet remains unnoticed except her single "The Moving Finger" being featured on rare groove comps and other various samples.

The first two songs are great, with the second "Games" showing a cool latin inflected beat, showcasing the harpist's instrumental prowess in the most glorious manner.

Most of the songs just kind of roll along, I mean how dynamic can you really be over the course of an album with the harp as your main instrument?

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