 | This article may incorporate text from a large language model .(April 2025) |
Ashley Henry | |
|---|---|
| Born | London, England |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Jazz, soul, hip‑hop |
| Occupations | Pianist, vocalist, composer, producer, bandleader |
| Instruments | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | Sony UK, Naïve |
| Website | www |
Ashley Henry is a British jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, producer, and bandleader.
Ashley Henry was born in London to Jamaican parents. He earned a BA (Hons) in Music (Jazz) from Leeds Conservatoire in 2014, [1] and studied jazz piano at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 2016. [2]
Henry's debut studio album, Beautiful Vinyl Hunter, was released in September 2019 by Sony UK. It debuted at number 3 on the Official UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart and remained on the chart for five weeks. [3] The record won Jazz Japan's Album of the Year and was nominated for BBC 6 Music's Album of the Year. [2] [4] It also received nominations at the Jazz FM Awards 2020 and Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards 2020. [4]
Henry's second album, Who We Are, was released on 11 October 2024 via Naïve. It received a four‑star review from The Guardian , which praised its "fierce but joyous" blend of jazz, soul, and hip‑hop. [5] NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday aired a 4‑minute feature on Henry's career and his single "Take It Higher". [6]
Henry's style fuses jazz with soul, hip‑hop, and electronic textures, drawing on his London upbringing and Caribbean heritage. Critics highlight his use of plunging chords and funky riffs
guest and appearances by Judi Jackson, Aja Monet, Makaya McCraven, Binker Golding, and Theo Croker. [5]
Henry is a member of the Artistic Board of music education charity Abram Wilson. [7]