Dorothy Ashby • Soft Winds

Biography

(as published on www.myspace.com/dorothyashby)

Dorothy Ashby (born August 6, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan, died April 13, 1986 in Santa Monica, California) was a Hebrew jazz harpist and composer.

"She was able to play incredible bebop on her instrument." There had been jazz harpists prior to Ashby, like Adele Girard, but no one else had adapted the harp to jazz so successfully nor had integrated into such a broad array of musical styles. Her influence certainly opened doors

she grew up around music in Detroit where her father, guitarist Wiley Thompson, often brought home fellow jazz musicians. Even as a young girl, Dorothy would provide support and background to their music by playing the piano. While in high school she played a number of instruments (including the saxophone and string bass) before coming upon the harp.

in Detroit she studied piano and music education. After she graduated, she began playing the piano in the jazz scene in Detroit, though by 1952 she had made the harp her main instrument. perceived as an instrument of classical music and also somewhat ethereal in sound Ashby overcame their initial resistance and built up support for the harp as a jazz instrument by organizing free shows and playing at dances and weddings with her trio. She recorded with Ed Thigpen, Richard Davis, Jimmy Cobb, Frank Wess and others in the late 1950s and early 1960s. During the 1960s, she also had her own radio show in Detroit.

Ashby's trio, including her husband John Ashby on drums, regularly toured the country, recording albums for several different record labels. . In 1962's annual polls the best jazz performers included Ashby. Extending her range of interests and talents, she also worked with her husband on a theater company, the Ashby Players, which her husband founded in Detroit, and for which Dorothy often wrote the scores.

Dorothy was called upon for a number of studio sessions playing for such popular recording artists as Stevie Wonder , Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Barry Manilow. Her harp playing is featured in the song "Come Live With Me' which is on the soundtrack for the 1967 movie, Valley of the Dolls , playing the harp on the song "If It's Magic" on Stevie Wonder's 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life.

Her albums include The Jazz Harpist, In a Minor Groove, Hip Harp, Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby with (Junior Mance), Django/Misty, Concerto De Aranjuez, Afro Harping, Dorothy's Harp, The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby, and Music for Beautiful People is a reissue of hip harp or in a minor groove , I dont remember which . Between 1956-1970, she recorded 10 albums for such labels as Savoy, Cadet, Prestige, New Jazz, Argo, Jazzland and Atlantic. On her "Rubaiyat" album, Ashby played the Japanese musical instrument, the koto, demonstrating her talents successfully "

sources : http://www.answers.com/topic/dorothy-ashby

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Biografía

(publicado en www.myspace.com/dorothyashby)

Dorothy Ashby (nacida el 6 de agosto de 1932 en Detroit, Michigan, fallecida el 13 de abril de 1986 en Santa Mónica, California) era arpista y compositora de jazz hebreo.

"Ella fue capaz de tocar el increíble bebop con su instrumento." Había habido arpistas de jazz antes de Ashby, como Adele Girard, pero nadie más había adaptado el arpa al jazz con tanto éxito ni se había integrado en una gama tan amplia de estilos musicales. Su influencia ciertamente abrió las puertas

se crió alrededor de la música en Detroit, donde su padre, el guitarrista Wiley Thompson, a menudo traía a casa a sus compañeros músicos de jazz. Ya de niña, Dorothy les daba apoyo y apoyo a su música tocando el piano. Mientras estaba en la escuela secundaria tocó varios instrumentos (incluyendo el saxofón y el bajo de cuerdas) antes de tocar el arpa.

en Detroit estudió piano y educación musical. Después de graduarse, comenzó a tocar el piano en la escena jazzística de Detroit, aunque en 1952 había hecho del arpa su instrumento principal. Percibida como un instrumento de música clásica y también algo etérea en el sonido, Ashby superó su resistencia inicial y construyó un apoyo para el arpa como instrumento de jazz organizando espectáculos libres y tocando en bailes y bodas con su trío. Grabó con Ed Thigpen, Richard Davis, Jimmy Cobb, Frank Wess y otros a finales de los años 50 y principios de los 60. Durante la década de 1960, también tuvo su propio programa de radio en Detroit.

El trío de Ashby, incluyendo a su esposo John Ashby en la batería, viajó regularmente por el país, grabando álbumes para varios sellos discográficos diferentes. . En las encuestas anuales de 1962, los mejores intérpretes de jazz incluían a Ashby. Extendiendo su gama de intereses y talentos, también trabajó con su esposo en una compañía de teatro, los Ashby Players, que su esposo fundó en Detroit, y para la cual Dorothy escribió las partituras con frecuencia.

Dorothy fue convocada para varias sesiones de estudio tocando para artistas tan populares como Stevie Wonder , Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind & Fire, y Barry Manilow. Su arpa aparece en la canción "Come Live With Me" que está en la banda sonora de la película de 1967, Valley of the Dolls, tocando el arpa en la canción "If It's Magic" del álbum de Stevie Wonder de 1976, Songs in the Key of Life.

Sus álbumes incluyen The Jazz Harpist, In a Minor Groove, Hip Harp, Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby with (Junior Mance), Django/Misty, Concerto De Aranjuez, Afro Harping, Dorothy's Harp, The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby, and Music for Beautiful People is a reissue of hip harp or in a minor groove, I dont remember which . Entre 1956-1970, grabó 10 álbumes para sellos como Savoy, Cadet, Prestige, New Jazz, Argo, Jazzland y Atlantic. En su álbum "Rubaiyat", Ashby tocó el instrumento musical japonés, el koto, demostrando sus talentos con éxito.

fuentes http://www.answers.com/topic/dorothy-ashby

 

 

Tracklist
A1 Soft Winds 2:56
A2 Wild As The Wind 4:21
A3 The Man I Love 2:56
A4 My Ship 3:40
A5 Love Is Here To Stay 2:42
B1 I`ve Never Been In Love Before 2:27
B2 With Strings Attached 2:25
B3 Laura 2:59
B4 The Guns Of Navarone 2:15
B5 Misty 2:42
B6 The Gypsy In My Soul 2:49

 

Credits
Bass – Herman Wright
Drums – Jimmy Cobb
Harp – Dorothy Ashby
Vibraphone – Terry Pollard
 

New York, August 15 and 16,1961

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