Alden Ashforth

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 Wyckoff 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. Also see the associated recording location Dauphine Street.