Artist page · 04/07/2026
About
Ten vinyl records including rare 1968 Afro-Harping and coveted 1970 Rubáiyát pressings.
Dorothy Ashby forged a unique place in jazz as a harpist and composer, with a career spanning from the 1950s until her death in 1986. Her work blends soul-jazz, jazz-funk, spiritual jazz, and world fusion, shaping the role of the harp in contemporary jazz. Originating from Detroit, her catalog includes influential studio albums like Afro-Harping (1968), The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (1970), and Dorothy Ashby (1962).
Her releases appear on influential labels such as Cadet, Argo, Jazzland, and Atlantic. Pressings range from mono to stereo vinyl, with many original US pressings highly valued by collectors.
Discography
Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.
Philips · 1984
Philips · 1983
Cadet · 1970
Cadet · 1969
Cadet · 1968
Atlantic · 1965
Argo · 1962
Jazzland · 1961
Prestige · 1958
New Jazz · 1958
Regent · 1957Playlist
The tracks that sum up Dorothy Ashby's career.
The essentials
Our pick, validated by the editorial team.
A pioneering soul-jazz and jazz-funk album expanding the harp's potential in jazz, featuring 10 tracks including "Soul Vibrations" and the title track.
An album blending soul-jazz and spiritual jazz with 10 tracks including "Myself When Young" and "Heaven And Hell", original US pressings are prized collectibles.
A soul-jazz and cool jazz record featuring 10 tracks such as "Lonely Melody" and "Django", available in original promo and stereo pressings on Argo.
Go further
Artists who share part of Dorothy Ashby's musical DNA.
Collectors
The hidden side of the catalogue: rare pressings, sought-after matrices, Discogs values.
For each reference edition, these cards summarise the state of the global Discogs market. Market position places the average price of a copy between the observed min and max prices. Average price is the price seen for a mint-condition copy. Copies available counts listings currently for sale. Collectors who want it is the number of Discogs users who added it to their wantlist without owning it — a good signal of upcoming demand.
The “Why this rarity” column comes from our upstream sourcing work: for each album, we explain what makes this pressing sought after by collectors (limited run, specific matrix, withdrawn edition…).
Face B
Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.
The harp became my voice to tell a story in jazz beyond traditional instruments.— Dorothy Ashby
This pressing on Cadet (catno LPS-841) commands prices up to 700€ with a want/have collector ratio of about 6:1, only one copy is currently for sale worldwide.
The promo pressing bearing catno DJLPS-809 on Cadet label is rare with no copies currently for sale but strong demand evident from 4714 wants and 857 owners recorded.
Released on Regent label in mono LP format, this 7-track album introduced Ashby's jazz harp style, with notable tracks like "Thou Swell" and "Aeolian Groove".
Born in Detroit on August 6, 1932, Ashby brought Midwestern influences into her work, integrating jazz, funk, and soul into her harp composition and performance.
FAQ
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
Dorothy Ashby was an American jazz harpist active from the 1950s to 1980s, known for jazz, soul-jazz, jazz-funk, and world fusion.
Essential records include Afro-Harping (1968), The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (1970), and Dorothy Ashby (1962), all available in multiple vinyl editions.
Original pressings such as the 1970 US Cadet pressing of The Rubáiyát can reach prices up to 700€, with notable collector interest and limited availability.
Her albums circulate on worldwide markets including France, commonly in LP format with both mono and stereo pressings documented.
Afro-Harping and some compilation releases integrate world fusion elements alongside jazz and soul-jazz influences.
The Rubáiyát blends spiritual and soul-jazz styles across 10 tracks, representing a critical moment in Ashby’s 1970s output and is a collector's highlight.
Detroit’s musical culture shaped her fusion of jazz with funk and soul, reflected in her innovative harp arrangements and compositional approach.
Popular tracks include "Come Live With Me", "Little Sunflower", and "Soul Vibrations", regularly streamed and emblematic of her style.
Transparency
This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.
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