Ashley Maher plays L’Entracte Cabaret Jazz on 30 October in a show billed as a Dakar Reunion + Jam. She will be joined by four musicians she recorded and performed with in Dakar, all of whom now live in Montreal: guitarist Amady Sidibé, bassist Giphy Kangu, drummer Raphael Ojo and keyboardist David Mobio.
Maher is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter who began her recording career with Virgin Records in the UK. She spent 15 years moving between Los Angeles and Dakar, and her songs combine lyrical songwriting with jazz, acoustic music and the rhythms of Senegalese mbalax.
Her eighth album, Tree to Tree, was recorded in Dakar with Senegalese musicians. The single Music is on streaming services now. The Montreal date puts part of that Dakar circle back on one stage, this time with players who have since settled here.
Maher has performed at the Saint Louis Jazz Festival in Senegal, the FIMEC festival in Spain, Ronnie Scott’s in the UK and the Blue Whale in Los Angeles. She has shared stages with Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Youssou N’Dour, Zap Mama, Dobet Gnahoré, Orchestra Baobab and Carlou D.
Tickets and details are available through L’Entracte.
