Multiinstrumentalist/composer Ashley Paul has released a new album composed and recorded during lock down in summer. It’s a collection of songs – with or without lyrics – for the trio of Paul – voice, alto saxophone, clarinet, guitar, percussion, Yoni Silver – bass clarinet, and Otto Willberg – double bass.

The ten tracks on Ray are delicate miniatures of even more chamber music like quality than usual with Paul. There is no doubt that Ray is a true trio recording. The playing of both Silver and Willberg is excellent and they both contribute essentially to the music. They had the opportunity to do so, as the process of the making of this album was an open one, as Paul explains:

The trio idea had been formulating in my head for months, and then lockdown happened. At first I was very disappointed and thought I’d be waiting forever to finally make it a reality, but time passed. I started working on a new album and could only hear it with these guys. We recorded remotely. I sent material in a variety of ways; written, aurally and verbal ideas/queues, sometimes with just a shell of a track and other times nearly completed. I wanted all our voices to be present, and to allow freedom in the parts for interpretation and improvisation.

Ashley Paul: Liner notes to Ray

Nevertheless the result of the collaborate creative process is unmistakably an Ashley Paul album. She sticks with the song structure on her newest album too, but this song structure is the one Paul has invented herself making song a poetic statement which doesn’t lack closure but is open at the same time. Each song on the album is like a jewel sparkling in subtle colors and all songs are interconnected through their contribution to the uncanny atmosphere of the album.

The album will be released on November 25, you can pre-order it on Bandcamp.

You can preview five tracks of the album in the Wire website:

Preview tracks from the forthcoming album by Ashley Paul