Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of "virtually sitting down" (also known as jumping on a Zoom call) with harpist Ashley Jackson to discuss her newest release with Decca Records, Take Me to the Water. It's said to be a "soulful, transportive exploration of Spirituals," and I couldn't agree more with that description.
Jackson often referenced focusing on the positive aspects of how water unites us as our life force. The harp feels like an extension of her soul as she plays a meditative call to the ancestors, calling on the voices of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Margaret Bonds, and Alice Coltrane.
She and I also discussed her commitment to environmental justice. In the album, she calls attention to the lack of access to clean water across many underserved communities, communicating through Brandee Younger's poignant 2022 track "Unrest."
Ashley Jackson's Take Me to the Water is a refreshing, much needed perspective and it's available now on all streaming platforms.
