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Ashley Maher Wiki Information

Ashley Maher is a singer and songwriter who has meshed the rhythmic impulses of West Africa and Latin America with Western song structures.

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Biography

Ashley Maher was born to British parents in Montreal, Canada, and moved to Los Angeles at the age of five. Her parents encouraged her singing from an early age, and she tried out many styles, including jazz, choral and medieval music. She even explored a possible career in classical music during a year studying opera in Italy.

The turning point was a chance visit to a class in African music at UC Berkeley held by C.K. Ladzekpo, a master drummer from Ghana. An instant convert to West African rhythms, she studied with him for two years before finishing her degree and moving to London.

In London, Ashley performed with an Afro-pop band for two years before making her first demo tape, featuring her intricate vocals woven with Ghanaian drumming. The demo soon led to her signing a contract with Virgin Records and Virgin released her first two albums: "Hi" and Pomegranate . Both received excellent reviews worldwide.

When EMI bought Virgin Records, Ashley left the label and went on to independently record a third CD, The Blessed Rain , in Paris and London with top West African musicians.

Returning to Los Angeles shortly after completing The Blessed Rain , Ashley has been building her career there ever since. She has performed extensively and opened for major world music icons like Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Vusi Mahlasela, Zap Mama, and Dobet Gnahore. Ashley released a fourth CD, Flying Over Bridges in 2006. Produced by Cameroon's Andre Manga, it features some of the city's finest world/jazz musicians. Cameroonian saxophone legend, Manu Dibango co-wrote the song Club Dibango and the Rising Son and Youssou N'Dour's guitarist Jimi Mbaye guests.

Ashley co-wrote a song called Boul Bayekou for Youssou N'Dour's 2007 Senegalese release Alsaama Day and his international CD Rokku Mi Rokka . (Boul Bayekou is available only on ITunes in the USA.) In April 2008, Youssou flew Ashley to Dakar, Senegal, to rehearse with his group as a dancer for two weeks. She then performed with Youssou and Les Super Etoiles de Dakar for two huge shows: first at the Sorano Theater in Dakar and then in front of 15,000 at Paris' Bercy Arena.

In September 2008, Ashley returned to Dakar, Senegal, to record her 5th CD with key members of Youssou N'Dour's band, Les Super Etoiles de Dakar. Ashley is currently in Los Angeles, fine tuning the record, with Andre Manga again producing. The CD is due for completion in the Spring of 2009.