Ash at 1999 and 2000 World Skydiving Championships:
Highlights from Wayne Jones Forgotten Melody live gig 6 June 2007 - Blue Diamond Club, Melbourne Australia
Ash Crick - Recording Artist/Producer/Skydiver
Ash has had an interesting and varied life that has led him in many directions...all at the same time. Ash started tinkling the ivories at 3 and has since played in many bands including the Tommy Emmanuel Band and Melbourne based bands including the Dale Ryder Band, Funk Fiction, Because We Can, The Sweethearts, Blokes You Can Trust and many others. Ash is known particularly for his groove and use of sounds.
A degree qualified Engineer, after finishing a US and Australian tour with Tommy Emmanuel, in 1999 Ash put his musical career on hold and moved to London, England to pursue a business career and to attempt to become the world's foremost freestyle skydiver. Ash travelled the world, training and jumping out of "perfectly good airplanes" and in between training camps helped create and manage a technology company in London that after 5 years employed 50 people and still continues strongly to this day.
In skydiving, Ash won the Gold medal in freestyle at the 1999 Skydiving World Championships in Corowa, Australia, becoming the World Champion, and then went on to win the Gold medal in freestyle at the 2000 World Cup of Skydiving in Arizona, US. In 2000, Ash also competed in the World Cup of Speed Skydiving in Lapalisse, France, and with an average speed of 491km/h (307mph), beat the world record holder and claimed the title of "The Fastest Person on Earth" in a non-motorised sport. In 2001, Ash had a serious skydiving accident in Spain, fracturing 4 vertebrae in his lower back and splitting his right foot almost in two. After a 10 month recuperation period, Ash started jumping again and in 2003 won the Silver medal in the World Championships in Gap, France, after which he retired from International competitive skydiving. Today, Ash has over 3000 skydives and is invited around the world to coach and organise at International skydiving events and is an official advisor to the International Parachuting Commission.
In 2004, Ash moved back from London to Melbourne, Australia, continuing his directorship of his company back in London, and resuming his musical career in Australia. In early 2006, Ash recorded and produced a smooth jazz album with long-time friend and outstanding bass player, Wayne Jones (you can hear some of the tracks from the album here ). It is titled "Forgotten Melody" and has received fantastic airplay on US and Australian jazz radio and is available for listening and purchase on iTunes , CDBABY , from ABC Shops around Australia, and from The Official Wayne Jones website .
Ash is currently recording a solo album due for release in 2008, with a "never been seen before" twist, that will raise more than a few eyebrows and drop more than a few jaws around the world.
In music, business and skydiving, Ash has never settled for anything less than world's best and will continue to strive to surprise and inspire in his upcoming projects. Watch this space!!
