Soul Vibrations

Recorded in 1968 during the sessions for Dorothy Ashby's Afro-Harping album, the track featured Ashby on harp backed by a Los Angeles studio ensemble arranged by Richard Evans. The recording blended soul, jazz and emerging funk influences into an orchestral setting built around Ashby's amplified harp. The track demonstrated Ashby's ability to move the harp beyond traditional jazz contexts and into contemporary groove-based music. It helped establish Afro-Harping as one of the most distinctive crossover jazz albums of the late 1960s. Soul Vibrations became a favorite among rare-groove collectors and hip-hop producers for its melodic harp lines and rhythmic foundation. The recording is now regarded as a landmark of spiritual jazz, jazz-funk and harp innovation.