Ashley Henry
Who We Are

New London Jazz keyboardist Ashley Henry follows up his superb ‘Beautiful Vinyl Hunter’ set from 2019, with a really excellent new album ‘Who We Are’, which will appeal to a much wider audience. It features some great musicians including Myele Manzanza and Peter Hill on drums, Alec Lewes on bass, James Messiah on flute alongside Ashley’s piano and keys, plus guest musicians and singers. Judi Jackson sings and scats on the modal jazz ‘Love Is Like A Movie’, a lovely melodic track. Ashley vocalises on ‘Take It Higher’ which features strings and horns and builds wonderfully, and the melancholy ‘Who We Are’ both of which remind me a little of Jarrod Lawson tracks. His version of the Nina Simone civil rights song ‘Mississippi Goddam’ is more stripped back but has powerful lyrics and illustrates Henry’s piano playing and vocals. Poetess Aja Monet’s spoken word vocals on ‘Fly Away’ adds another dimension to the album. The interlude ‘Today’ has a Roy Ayers/Ramp feel to it. ‘Tin Girl’ is an instrumental with complex rhythm and nice vibes from David Mrakpor who plays bass on the upper tempo ‘Oh La’ which also features Binker Golding on sax. Both also feature on the excellent mid tempo ‘Autumn’ joined by Theo Croker on trumpet, which closes this very mature and enjoyable set.