Dorothy Ashby & Frank Wess: In a Minor Groove Vinyl LP

Before Dorothy Ashby was the soul-jazz queen of the harp we know her as now, she cut three deep bop albums with flutist Frank Wess. Finally properly reissued is In A Minor Groove, the second of the three albums, and originally released in 1958. It features Herman Wright on bass and Roy Haynes on drums, along with Ashby and Wess, playing minor-key tunes. Remastered from the original mono tapes (not the rechanneled stereo version that showed up on Prestige's later repackaging of the album called Dorothy Ashby Plays for Beautiful People), the album sounds sublime. As Ira Gitler, the original liner note author, rightly points out: "Here is one instance where the majority goes along with the minority." Tracks to check out are the mesmerizing and blissed out standards "Alone Together" and "Yesterdays", the cover of the rhumba "Taboo" (imo, favorite track), and the amazing "Bohemia After Dark," which showcases Ashby's ability to turn her harp into a rhythm guitar. Presented with the original artwork, liner notes and label design, this album is not to be slept on! Recommended.

• black vinyl pressing
• remastered from original mono tapes
• replica cover art and liner notes
• limited edition
• featuring Dorothy Ashby (harp), Frank Wess (flute), Herman Wright (b), Roy Haynes (d)
• original release year: 1958
• music label: Real Gone Music 2023

reviewed by Richard Cashmere 4/2019