Ashby Anderson

Composer/ Pianist Ashby Anderson is known for his eclectic approach towards music. His compositions are original, unique and frequently inspired by various musical influences. Those musical influences start with the muted brass sounds of Duke Ellington, delve into the horn section sounds of Earth, Wind and Fire, revisit the modal compositions of Wayne Shorter, investigates the atonal theories of Arnold Schoenberg and revel in the mathematical concepts of Joseph E. Schillinger.Anderson was awarded an Artist Fellowship in Music Composition for 2008 from the Virginia Commission For Arts. He will further his research into the relationships of Music and Mathematics with a phenomenal approach to music composition that will rewrite music theory. Anderson will create and present two works based on his approach with mathematical relationships. Workshops detailing his method of music compostion will accompany the performance.Striving for musical excellence and independence Anderson's greatest work to date is that of creating the Muse Creative Workspace- a 7,000 sq ft studio for live urban performances featuring acoustic music and improvisation in Richmond Virginia's Shockoe Bottom.His last major work was the Historic Richmond Jazz Suite ( 2006). The work paints aural portraits of Richmond Native, Bill “ Bojangles “ Robinson entitled “ Steppin”, the Churchill Tunnel Collapse of 1925 aptly titled “ Locomotive 231”, a tribute to Jackson Ward named “Soul of 2nd Street” and a tone poem for the “Devils Half Acre”- a former slave jail in Shockhoe Bottom during the 1800’s.The four-part suite was commissioned as part of a national series of works from Meet the Composer/Commissioning Music USA which is made possible by generous support from the National Endowment of the Arts, the Helen F. Whitaker Fund, and the Target Foundation. In 2004 his composition entitled Culture of A City was awarded Honorable Mention in the International Song Competition's Jazz Category. That work imitates the sounds of a busy city landscape with textured, angular and ambiguous harmonies that paint an aggressive aural portrait of today’s fast paced global society.Other works created and released on CD by Anderson are “ A Work of Art” ( 2002); a series of 7 compositions that explore mixed meters in the jazz genre while featuring unique approaches for the arrangement of Trumpet, Tenor Sax and Trombone. The work is a precursor to his current work and includes several works that musically interpret historical elements from his native city of Richmond, Virginia. Searching for a hybid musical form that bridged the gap between “ A Work of Art” and his 1999 release of “ The Calling”( contemporary Jazz) Anderson also released “Celebration of Life” (2002);a more artful version of today’s contemporary Jazz.Ashby Anderson was recognized as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar in 1995 for scholarly research on Ornette Coleman and awarded a John Lennon Scholarship from the UNCF.Ashby Anderson is a graduate of Virginia Union University with a BA in Music. He currently serves as Founder/Executive Director and Composer-in-Residence of the Jazz Composers Alliance, Inc. 501 ( C ) (3) non-profit organization that presents the original works of Jazz composers striving to extend their musical boundaries.

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