Award-winning harpist Ashley Jackson has signed to Decca Data US. Alongside the information comes the announcement of her label debut album, Take Me to the Water. The file is out March 21 and is accessible for pre-order now.
On Take Me to the Water, the acclaimed harpist interprets work by Margaret Bonds, Alice Coltrane, Claude Debussy, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor whereas exploring the transformative energy of water. “Water is celebrated in lots of different cultures, but, despite that, you find recurring themes in those celebrations,” Jackson stated in an announcement. “So I wanted to hone in on those ideas—ideals—such as love and rebirth and hope.”
Take Me to the Water connects cultural histories, non secular reflection, and concepts of renewal and freedom. One spotlight is an interpretation of Debussy’s “Danse Sacrée.” The album’s lead singles, “Deep River Pt. 1” and “Deep River Pt. 2,” are out now. Each are renditions of spirituals tailored by the composer Coleridge-Taylor in 1905.
“In playing ‘Deep River,’ I’m transported to a place where I can access that kind of cultural memory,” Jackson says. “Just imagining my ancestors singing that, and what the words would have meant. So as to tell their oppressors that they’re singing about one thing, but really, they’re communicating something else. Tapping into that ingenuity is so humbling.”
A soloist, author, performer, and professor, Jackson has established herself as a visionary voice in and past classical music. Her harp enjoying accommodates deep emotional resonance and suggests limitless prospects for the instrument and participant alike. In 2023, Jackson carried out Take Me To the Water at Lincoln Middle.
Additionally in 2023, Jackson launched her debut solo album, Ennanga. The file options harp transcriptions of works by Samual Coleridge-Taylor and Alice Coltrane, in addition to authentic compositions by William Grant Nonetheless and Brandee Youthful.
Order Ashley Jackson’s Take Me to the Water now.
