Dorothy Ashby & Frank Wess - In A Minor Groove (Colour Swirl Vinyl)

• Available September 4th, 2026.
• Ship orders including this title will be held back.

Dorothy Ashby was probably the greatest—and certainly the most swinging—jazz harpist of all time, re-purposing an instrument best known for ethereal glissandos into a fully versatile voice capable of providing both instrumental embroidery and rhythmic drive. Although she's since become a well sampled staple in hip-hop (Drake, Dilla, Pharcyde, GZA, Pete Rock & Cl Smooth), she was always fighting an uphill battle in terms of garnering critical and commercial success; both her gender and the exoticism of her instrument often prevented her from being taken seriously in the late ‘50s and ‘60s jazz scenes.

In a Minor Groove is one of two albums she made in 1958 with flautist/saxophonist Frank Wess; backed by fellow Detroit native Herman Wright on bass and Roy Haynes on drums, Ashby and Wess weave mesmerizing melodic threads through standards like “Alone Together” and “Yesterdays”. Stand-out cut “Bohemia After Dark”, displays Ashby’s uncanny ability to turn her harp into a rhythm guitar.

Pressed from the original mono sources with sleeve notes from Ira Gilter.

Limited Edition RED / GREEN / PURPLE SWIRL vinyl produced by Real Gone Music in 2026.

TRACKLISTING:

1. Rascallity
2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
3. It's A Minor Thing
4. Yesterdays
5. Bohemia After Dark
6. Taboo
7. Autumn in Rome
8. Alone Together