For those unaware, recorded at Papis Konaté’s bustling studio in Dakar, Senegal, Tree to Tree is Ashley Maher’s eighth album — and her most intimate and layered to date.

It weaves together fiery Senegalese mbalax, jazz, and West Coast storytelling into a richly rhythmic, globally-rooted sound. Featuring top-tier musicians from Senegal, Benin, Gabon, Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire, the album pulses with lyrical clarity, percussive brilliance, and emotional depth.

Maher’s own musical journey began with her first two albums on Virgin UK during London’s glorious African music heyday of the ’90s. Since returning to Los Angeles, she has continued building bridges with West African (specifically Senegalese) music.

On one hand, her music lives in a parallel space to Alune Wade, Hervé Samb, Cheikh Lô, and Youssou N’Dour. On the other hand, it would sit on the shelf next to Paul Simon, Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Ry Cooder as Western,-but-crossing over.

After recording albums 5–8 in Dakar, she is especially excited about this one. It ranges from acoustic to ferocious mbalax (featuring Youssou Ndour’s bassist and drummer), to songs recorded with an extraordinary current crew of Dakar-based jazz musicians from Benin, Gabon, Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire.

1. Music [4:53]
2. Salt and Pepper [4:02]
3. American in Dakar [4:26]
4. Till the Day [5:00]
5. Galon de Leche [4:11]
6. Dangerous [3:51]
7. Reading the Rings [3:57]
8. Ever Given [3:56]
9. Nenam [3:21]

On what is a vibrant dialogue between cultures — an album forged from decades of collaboration, trust, groove, and joy - it opens on the harmoniously free flowing Music and the rhythmically joyful Salt and Pepper and then we get a delightfully reworked/reworded Sting classic American in Dakar and the translucently emboldened Till the Day.

Along next are the all-embracing melodies found driving Galon de Leche and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the mellifluous Dangerous, the cheerfully honeyed Reading the Rings, the set rounding out on the vibrantly happy Ever Given, coming to a close on the atmospheric, globally rooted cultural sounds of Nenam.

MUSICIANS:
JEAN MERMOSE (Jj Mozart) - keys
PAPIS KONATE - keys
AMADY SIDIBÉ - guitar
THIERNO SARR - bass
ABDOULAYE LO - drums
BABACAR SECK - sabar
SAMBA NDOKH MBAYE - tama
WILLY BOUSSET - bass
ALIOUNE SECK - sabar
MILDAH (PELJACEREL MIAMBANZILA) - trumpet
SILVAIN BOCO - trombone
ASHLEY MAHER - vocals

www.ashleymaher.com

Ashley Maher @ Facebook