ArtistInfo

Alden Ashforth

key, vc, 1934-2016
Musician of Classical and Electronic

Born in 1934, Alden Ashforth, 82, died January 29, 2016 in New Orleans. A professor of music at UCLA, his specialty was electronic music, though he was skilled on all the keyboard instruments as well as clarinet and cello. He had been an invalid for several years. During his undergraduate days, he and David Wycoff left Harvard for New Orleans, intent on documenting New Orleans jazz. They recorded the first sessions with Kid Thomas and Billie and DeDe Pierce for Bill Russell in 1951 and several later sessions for Folkways. He also recorded three sessions documenting New Orleans’ marching bands.

Instruments

• Keyboards
• Violoncello

Genres

• Classical
• Electronic