 Dorothy Ashby At last, a CD that liberates the harp from its angelic prison! Actually, I vastly overstate my excitement. My feeling about this CD would probably more accurately be described as slight interest, turning immediately to numbed contentment about ten seconds into the first tune. Of course, I picked this CD up wondering "Jazz harp?! Well, what would that be like?!?" And now that I know, I can't say I have any further curiosity to trace the development of the instrument as an improvisory springboard. Don't get me wrong, this is good jazz, well played, and quite listenable. But on the other hand, harp or no harp, it is also a Savoy Jazz album from 1956, meaning it's 29 minutes long, full of standards, and about as far removed from the spiritual quest of Coltrane or the pure expression of Woody Shaw as you can get. Jazz fans from back in the day will probably love it, otherwise I recommend it mainly to harp enthusiasts. Ashby plays the harp with piano-like precision, comping and running like any cool jazz pianist – for the bulk of it you just think you're hearing a guitar, but there are enough heavenly harp runs to bring you back to the clouds. (?) The album is half standards ("Thou Swell," "Stella By Starlight," "Dancing on the Ceiling," none of them definitive) and half original Ashby compositions. The originals are far more entertaining, being better suited to Ashby's unique style and instrumentation. Supporting players are Frank Weiss on flute, alternately Wendell Marshall and Eddie Jones on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. It's a pretty sissy sort of album, sounding like 50s film music (imagine some of the sappier moments from North By Northwest) and when it's over, leaving no calling card. If this is what jazz is like in heaven, then book me the first flight to hell. Someone get me a hooker to kill or something!
Review by Prince Polio |