A comparative analysis of the musical transcriptions of Dorothy Ashby with those of her predecessors proves that Ashby was a uniquely powerful and innovative influence on the genre of jazz harp. This dissertation begins with a summative biography of Ashby, following her education in both jazz and classical music through to her career highlights as a performer, arranger and composer. An analysis of Ashby's recordings reveals the development of her groundbreaking musical style throughout her life. This paper also examines Ashby's social activism through musical theatre, especially with regards to combating racism. Next, a brief biography of jazz harp forerunners Casper Reardon and Adele Girard precedes a comparative analysis of Reardon's "Aint' Misbehavin" with Ashby's "Soft Winds" and a comparative analysis of Girard's "Harp Boogie" with Ashby's "Blues for Mr. K." Finally, myriad examples of current musicians covering and sampling her work confirm the paramount and lasting influence of Dorothy Ashby's music.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1703423 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Betzer, Jennifer |
| Contributors | Haefner, Jaymee, 1976-, Coppola, William J., Tixier, Scott, 1986- |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | iii, 53 pages : music, Text |
| Rights | Public, Betzer, Jennifer, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
| Relation | Recital: January 30, 2013, ark:/67531/metadc277237, Recital: November 21, 2014, not yet digitized, Recital: November 19, 2016, ark:/67531/metadc1615048, Lecture recital: February 11, 2020, not yet digitized |
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