Ashley Maher
Encyclopedia
Ashley Maher is a singer and songwriter
who has meshed
the rhythmic impulses of West Africa
and Latin America
with
Western song structures.
, Canada
, and moved to
Los Angeles
at the age of five. Her parents encouraged her singing
from an early age, and she tried out many styles, including jazz
,
choral and medieval music
. She even studied opera
for a year in Italy
.
The turning point was a chance visit to a class in African music at
UC Berkeley
held by
C.K. Ladzekpo, a master drummer from Ghana
. An instant convert
to West African rhythms, she studied with
him for two years before finishing her degree and moving to
London
.
In London, Ashley performed with an Afro-pop band for two years before
making her first demo tape, featuring her intricate vocals woven with Ghanaian
drumming. The demo soon led to her signing a
contract with Virgin Records
and Virgin released her first two
albums: "Hi" and Pomegranate. Both received excellent reviews worldwide.
When EMI
bought Virgin Records, Ashley left the label and went on to
independently record a third CD, The Blessed Rain, in Paris and London
with top West African musicians.
Returning to Los Angeles shortly after completing The Blessed Rain,"
Ashley has been building her career there ever since. She has performed extensively and opened for major
world music icons like Salif Keita
, Baaba Maal
, Vusi Mahlasela
, Orchestra Baobab, Zap Mama
,
and Dobet Gnahore. Ashley released a fourth CD,
Flying Over Bridges in 2006. Produced by Cameroon
's Andre Manga, it
features some of the Los Angeles' finest world/jazz musicians. Cameroonian saxophone legend,
Manu Dibango
co-wrote the song Club Dibango and the Rising Son and Youssou N'Dour
's guitarist Jimi Mbaye
guests.
Ashley co-wrote a song called Boul Bayekou for Youssou N'Dour
's 2006 Senegalese release Alsaama Day
and his international CD Rokku Mi Rokka. (Boul Bayekou is available only on ITunes in the USA.)
In April 2008, Youssou flew Ashley to Dakar, Senegal, to rehearse with his group as a dancer for two weeks. She then performed with Youssou and Les Super Etoiles de Dakar for two huge shows: first at the Sorano Theater in Dakar and then in front of 15,000 at Paris' Bercy Arena. Since this time, online videos of Ashley dancing sabar (a complex dance of Senegal's Wolof people) have been viewed by over half a million people.
Ashley spent the month of September 2008 in Dakar, Senegal, recording her 5th CD, Amina, with key members of Youssou N'Dour's band, Les Super Etoiles. She spent 2009 completing the CD (with Andre Manga again producing) and touring England, Scotland, and Spain.
In November 2009, Ashley returned to Dakar Senegal to promote Amina. She opened for Orchestra Baobab, did many interviews for radio, TV, and press, and filmed her second video. She is currently planning her promotion for 2010.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
who has meshed
the rhythmic impulses of West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
with
Western song structures.
Biography
Ashley Maher was born to British parents in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and moved to
Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the age of five. Her parents encouraged her singing
from an early age, and she tried out many styles, including jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
,
choral and medieval music
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
. She even studied opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
for a year in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The turning point was a chance visit to a class in African music at
UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
held by
C.K. Ladzekpo, a master drummer from Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. An instant convert
to West African rhythms, she studied with
him for two years before finishing her degree and moving to
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In London, Ashley performed with an Afro-pop band for two years before
making her first demo tape, featuring her intricate vocals woven with Ghanaian
drumming. The demo soon led to her signing a
contract with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and Virgin released her first two
albums: "Hi" and Pomegranate. Both received excellent reviews worldwide.
When EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
bought Virgin Records, Ashley left the label and went on to
independently record a third CD, The Blessed Rain, in Paris and London
with top West African musicians.
Returning to Los Angeles shortly after completing The Blessed Rain,"
Ashley has been building her career there ever since. She has performed extensively and opened for major
world music icons like Salif Keita
Salif Keita
Salif Keïta is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the Golden Voice of Africa, but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita...
, Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
, Vusi Mahlasela
Vusi Mahlasela
Vusi Sidney Mahlasela Ka Zwane is a Sotho South African singer-songwriter.His music is generally described as "African folk". His work was an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. His themes include the struggle for freedom, and forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies...
, Orchestra Baobab, Zap Mama
Zap Mama
Zap Mama is a Belgian musical group founded and led by Marie Daulne. Daulne says her mission is to be a bridge between the European and the African and bring the two cultures together with her music...
,
and Dobet Gnahore. Ashley released a fourth CD,
Flying Over Bridges in 2006. Produced by Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
's Andre Manga, it
features some of the Los Angeles' finest world/jazz musicians. Cameroonian saxophone legend,
Manu Dibango
Manu Dibango
-External links:*...
co-wrote the song Club Dibango and the Rising Son and Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
's guitarist Jimi Mbaye
Jimi Mbaye
Jimi Mbaye is a Senegalese guitarist best known for his work with Youssou N'dour. Mamadou 'Jimi' Mbaye has developed a unique Senegalese guitar style in which he makes his Fender Stratocaster sound like local instruments such as the kora or xalam....
guests.
Ashley co-wrote a song called Boul Bayekou for Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
's 2006 Senegalese release Alsaama Day
and his international CD Rokku Mi Rokka. (Boul Bayekou is available only on ITunes in the USA.)
In April 2008, Youssou flew Ashley to Dakar, Senegal, to rehearse with his group as a dancer for two weeks. She then performed with Youssou and Les Super Etoiles de Dakar for two huge shows: first at the Sorano Theater in Dakar and then in front of 15,000 at Paris' Bercy Arena. Since this time, online videos of Ashley dancing sabar (a complex dance of Senegal's Wolof people) have been viewed by over half a million people.
Ashley spent the month of September 2008 in Dakar, Senegal, recording her 5th CD, Amina, with key members of Youssou N'Dour's band, Les Super Etoiles. She spent 2009 completing the CD (with Andre Manga again producing) and touring England, Scotland, and Spain.
In November 2009, Ashley returned to Dakar Senegal to promote Amina. She opened for Orchestra Baobab, did many interviews for radio, TV, and press, and filmed her second video. She is currently planning her promotion for 2010.
Albums
- Amina, Spin Wild Records (swcd 004), 2010
- Flying Over Bridges, Spin Wild Records (swcd 03), 2006
- The Blessed Rain, Spin Wild Records (swcd 001), 1997
- Pomegranate, Virgin Records (CDV 2687), 1992
- Hi, Virgin Records (CDV 2611), 1990
Singles
- Dreaming re-dreaming / Step by Step, Virgin Records (VS 1253), 1990
- Step by Step, Virgin Records (VSCDT 1253), 1990
- So Many Times, Virgin Records (VSCDT 1287), 1990
- Laughter in the Rain, Virgin Records (VSCDT 1385), 1991
- Stumbling Block, Virgin Records (VSCDT 1409), 1992