Album of the Day

It's rare to see “jazz” and “harp” mentioned together, but Dorothy Ashby made a career out of combining the two; the Detroit-born musician cut nearly a dozen albums of her own, including one for Atlantic, THE FANTASTIC JAZZ HARP OF DOROTHY ASHBY. Issued three years after Down Beat critics and readers polls placed her among the best jazz performers, the 1965 collection features four original compositions and a varied selection of covers ranging from Duke Ellington and Bricusse-Newley songs to such traditional fare as “House of the Rising Sun.” Supported by a strong rhythm section (including percussionist Willie Bobo) and occasional horns, Ashby's nimble fingers weave improvisational technique and classical tonality together on this fine set, which was co-produced by Arif Mardin. Give THE FANTASTIC JAZZ HARP OF DOROTHY ASHBY a listen – it truly is fantastic.