Dorothy Ashby

Harpist Dorothy Ashby was one of the very first to bring the harp into a prominent role in jazz. In the late '50s, Ashby started releasing albums where her harp was the lead instrument, whereas beforehand, harp in jazz contexts was mostly relegated to backing texture or flourishes. Though Ashby worked as a side player for many big names throughout her career, her records as a leader were her most important contribution to jazz on the whole, growing from roots in bebop on sets like 1958's Hip Harp to incorporate elements of Brazilian music, electrified soul, world influences, a...