Dorothy Ashby - The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (Verve by Request Series LP Vinyl)

Whilst still infused with the soul of her earlier albums, The Rubáiyát of Dorothy Ashby is the album where the harpist stretched her musical and intellectual horizons. The string ensemble wears all of conductor/arranger Richard Evans's soulful fingerprints. Drums and percussion remain funky and tight, but Dorothy, determined to push boundaries, is also playing the Japanese Koto - a sort of hybrid between the harp and zither. The title is inspired by the writings of the Persian poet/astronomer Omar Khayyam, and with Dorothy writing every track, singing, speaking, and playing, her Rubaiyat signals an artist full of confidence in their creative direction.

Side A
1. Myself When Young 
2. For Some We Loved 
3. Wax And Wane 
4. Drink 
5. Wine

Side B
1. Dust
2. Joyful Grass And Grape 
3. Shadow Shapes 
4. Heaven And Hell 
5. The Moving Finger