Saul Ashby: The Drifting Music Man

Pamela Price writing for I V Y Paris
Do you remember when music was performed in its natural state? It was way back then, when a couple of people who called themselves a band played their cherished instruments and sang for any crowd who would close their eyes and listen.

It was a time before the music industry became a whirlwind of sequenced circus acts and lip-syncing fiascoes. Not too long ago I walked into a music venue in the Lower East Side and breathed a sigh of relief as I swayed my body to the music of Saul Ashby.

This multitalented English fellow harmonizes with the accompaniment of drummer, Chris St. Hilaire, and bassist, Kiyoshi Matsuyama. The delight in Saul’s songs stem from the intimacy of his lyrics to the resonance of his voice, which soothes like a lullaby.

It was difficult for the artist himself to place his music in a specific category, and perhaps that is because his tunes ring out several different musical flavors. The guitar playing resembles a folk sound but the drums add a hip lift, and, on the other hand, there is a hint of Elton John’s style from Tiny Dancer when Saul plays his piano chords.

For now we should not categorize Saul Ashby. Instead, we should be thankful that such a true musician still exists.

Perhaps Saul is the real thing (whatever that may mean in terms of being an artist) because currently he is in the very city that has inspired musicians for years and years: Paris.

As an artist myself who has roamed the streets of Paris searching for something new, I’ve always been curious to hear what this city has done for other creative minds. Saul seemed to hit it right on the bull’s-eye; “Sometimes you just need a change of scenery to set your mind in motion… I just love it here. There’s just something in the air. I feel that Parisian people really take the time to delight in the most basic things. It is the small stuff that’s treasured.”

Saul referred to himself as a drifter and for the moment he has drifted to Paris to write a couple of new songs and enjoy the view of things in Montmartre. When I asked Saul who his influences and inspirations were in music and life, one of the names that struck me was nineteenth century Parisian painter, Paul Gauguin. It was Gauguin who turned to primitive cultures for his artistic incentive.

Saul is a creative artist who is equally intrigued with the “physical” and the “psychological” in human emotion and life experiences. Gauguin’s most famous painting is entitled, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? Whether it was intentional or not, Saul makes a great connection with this title in a few lines of his lyrics, “I don’t know where I’ve been, I don’t know where I came from, tell me where I’m going, because I don’t recall. I don’t know where the night falls and I don’t care for the sunrise. I’m where the wind is blowing tonight."

Hopefully Paris will aide Saul in his adventures of songwriting. Though his music is still in the process of recording and not yet available, it’s best to try and catch Saul Ashby in concert, where you can capture the very essence of his affecting melodies.

Comments

[simon]

Yes I remember- when a band sounded as good live as on their recordings.

That a recording reminded you of the night you went to watch them.

Sadly Mp3 players and many CDs compress sound and can make music ( classical) sound worse not better too.

[King Negrito]

My dear friend,
If by chance you are in Paris on the 26th of October, I would really be happy to invite you to join me at the Rock Lit' party organized by the magazine Opium Europe for it's launch, at the réservoir in the 11th! We will there be able to share glass of wines while listening to cool bands and writers reading their texts, more details on my blog : http://www.a12g.com

Many kisses
King Negrito