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Following in the footsteps of pioneers like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon, and sounding like Joni Mitchell meets Youssou NDour, Ashley has recorded four world class albums. Stellar songwriting, her extraordinary voice, and heavenly world grooves put Ashley in a class all her own: sublime world / folk / jazz.
NEWS :
***YOUSSOU NDOUR just flew Ashley to Dakar, Senegal, to rehearse for two weeks with his seven Senegalese dancers. She then danced for him at a huge show in Dakar before flying to Paris to perform in front of 20,000 at Bercy. (see blog!)
***Ashley is currently working on her 5th CD, with Cameroon's Andre Manga producing.
***Ashley performed alongside Ry Cooder, Ben Harper, Taj Mahal and more folk luminaries at The Ash Grove's 50th Anniversary concert at Royce Hall, UCLA.
*** This past October and November, Ashley performed to packed venues in Boston, New York, and London, then on to the WOMEX conference in Seville Spain, and finally, Senegal, where she recorded a new song with Djibril Ndiaye Rose , made a video, and danced every single day!
*** YOUSSOU N'DOUR just released a song Ashley co-wrote (Boul Bayekou) as the first track and single from his new Senegalese release, Alsaama Day. It is now available on ITunes as part of Youssou's international CD, Rokku Mi Rokka.
*** Ashley has opened for BAABA MAAL, SALIF KEITA, ZAP MAMA, VUSI MAHLASELA, AND DOBET GNAHORE.
BIOGRAPHY: Born to British parents in Canada, and raised in California, Ashley grew up singing jazz, classical, choral, and medieval music and even studied opera in Italy for a year, before falling in love with African music at UC Berkeley. Stumbling upon a class by Ghanaian master drummer, C.K. Ladzekpo, Ashley knew she had found her calling. She studied with him for two years, graduated, and moved to London.
London was alive with world music. Ashley performed with an Afro-jazz band for two years before recording her first demos: a fusion of intricate vocals with traditional Ghanaian drumming. The demos soon came to the attention of the record companies and she signed a contract with Virgin U.K.
Virgin released two records for Ashley. The first, named "hi," was met with critical acclaim and hailed as a promising debut. The second, "Pomegranate," featured a superb selection of Paris-based African musicians and was again met with radiant press.
Since then, Ashley has continued to develop as a solo artist. She has recorded and performed in London, Paris, and L.A., sang backing vocals on records by Youssou N'Dour and The Afro-Celt Soundsystem, and performed as a dancer for many African dance troupes.
Ashley recorded her third CD, "The Blessed Rain" in Paris and London with the same musicians as "Pomegranate." Acoustic and earthy, "The Blessed Rain" was rapturously received around the world by her fans.
Shortly after, Ashley relocated her family to Los Angeles when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Since her mother's passing, she has been building her career in the USA. She recently released her 4th CD, Flying Over Bridges, produced by Cameroon's Andre Manga and featuring Los Angeles' world/jazz finest. And on the live circuit, Ashley has been thrilled to find American audiences responding enthusiastically to her international band's shimmering performances.
Ashley is currently working on her 5th CD, with Andre Manga producing.
*Maher rhymes with "star"
Blissed out, dancing sabar, opening for SALIF KEITA!!!
