Dorothy Ashby - Afro Harping - Landmark Album - Jazz Funk Soul Harp LP
LP

Dorothy Ashby - Afro Harping



Cadet Records – LPS 809

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue


Country: US

Released: 2006

Genre: Jazz

Style: Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk

New


1. Soul Vibrations
2. Games
3. Action Line
4. Lonely Girl
5. Life Has Its Trials



6. Afro-Harping
7. Little Sunflower
8. Valley Of The Dolls (Theme)
9. Come Live With Me
10. The Look Of Love





She is best remembered for her pioneering jazz funk studio work in the 1960's. She was befriended by singer Bill Withers, (Lean on Me), who helped her obtain work with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and other prominent popular musicians. She released nine solo albums in the 60's, the best of which are the three albums for Cadet:
Afro Harping, Cadet LPS-809,
Dorothy's Harp ( vinyl) Cadet LPS-825
Rubaiyat, Cadet LPS-841


Her father was jazz guitarist and she grew up sitting in on jams with her piano. She took up the harp in high school where she had to share an instrument with many students. After several successful years as a pianist in Detroit jazz clubs, she took a huge risk in realizing her goal of purchasing her own harp and cleverly marketing her trio with free shows and events.


The album, Afro Harping, is a ground-breaking recording because of its merger of classical string arrangements, chunk bass, tight winds and a throbbing drum beat. The ethic of jazz is to internalize the melody long enough to hold it in your soul. Then, in the case of the harp, to literally PULL it from within your body and using your prism, your own paradigm ... directing its energy through the instrument and sending the song's power into the room. Dorothy's prism was lush, quirky, funky and full of nuance.


:
"Jazz harp isn't just a novelty, though that is what you expect. The harp has a clean jazz voice with a resonance and syncopation that turn familiar jazz phrasing inside out."

Simply put, this album is an astonishing fusion of what, until Dorothy, seemed inconceivable to jazz aficionados!

it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard Evans at Cadet Records that her sound really began to cook -- breaking down genres and expectations in the trademark style of the best late 60s sides from the Chicago underground. The record's got a bit of funk, a bit of jazz, and a soul -- The album includes two funky originals -- "Soul Vibrations" and "Afro-Harping" --




Dorothy Ashby - Lonely Girl - ('68)

from the paramount film "harlow"