Dorothy Ashby Afro-Harping Deluxe
A BONA FIDE ‘CULT’ CLASSIC, AFRO-HARPING IS THE FIRST OF A RAREFIED AND OUTSTANDING TRILOGY OF SOUL-JAZZ ALBUMS BY DOROTHY ASHBY THAT WERE PRODUCED FOR CADET RECORDS (CHESS) BY RICHARD EVANS BETWEEN 1968 AND 1970.
Remastered from the original ¼ inch tapes by Alex Wharton at Abbey Road Studios, Afro-Harping is filled front-to-back with sumptuous and hypnotic grooves. Its African percussion, soulful orchestrations, in-the-pocket rhythms and Dorothy’s virtuosity take it far beyond jazzy mood music and made it a favourite of beat heads and producers; sampled by Pete Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Dee (aka J Dilla), Madlib, Flying Lotus and many others.
The LP is housed in a gatefold sleeve with black poly-lined inner sleeves and an illustrated eight-page insert featuring detailed notes by Seán Casey of Shindig! Magazine, whose investigative work has unearthed new information about the making of Afro-Harping.
Tracklist
Side 1
SOUL VIBRATIONS
GAMES
ACTION LINE
LONELY GIRL
LIFE HAS ITS TRIALS
Side 2
AFRO-HARPING
LITTLE SUNFLOWER
THEME FROM VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
COME LIVE WITH ME
THE LOOK OF LOVE
Side 3
ACTION LINE MASTER A, TAKE 2
AFRO-HARPING ALT. TAKE
THEME FROM VALLEY OF THE DOLLS MASTER B, TAKE 2
LONELY GIRL MASTER G, TAKE 1
Side 4
SOUL VIBRATIONS ALT. TAKE
LIFE HAS ITS TRIALS MASTER C, TAKE 2
LITTLE SUNFLOWER MASTER F, TAKE 3
THEME FROM VALLEY OF THE DOLLS MASTER B, TAKE 6