Ashley Henry

Ashley Henry is a British jazz pianist, keyboardist, singer, composer, and bandleader from South London. Rooted in jazz, his music incorporates soul, hip-hop, R&B, and Caribbean rhythms, balancing open improvisation with strong grooves and singable melodies. Henry has spoken about the influence of his Afro-Caribbean musical heritage and artists such as Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Marvin Gaye on his rhythmic sensibility and expression.

Henry studied jazz at Leeds Conservatoire, earning a bachelor’s degree in jazz in 2014, and later attended a postgraduate program at the Royal Academy of Music. He has said that pianist Jason Rebello’s music first drew him toward jazz. During his studies and early career, he continued to perform, rehearse, and record, learning from mentors including Les Chisnall. He later worked with Jean Toussaint, Terence Blanchard, Gary Crosby, and Jay Phelps, and opened for Marcus Miller at the Royal Festival Hall.

Henry began his career as a leader with the quintet release Ashley Henry’s 5ive (2016), followed by the Easter EP (2018) with RE:ensemble. That collaboration brought voices and rap into his work beyond the keyboard-trio format. His debut studio album, Beautiful Vinyl Hunter (2019), further developed his ideas across jazz, soul, and hip-hop, with guests including Judi Jackson, Keyon Harrold, Milton Suggs, Theo Croker, Makaya McCraven, and Binker & Moses. The album attracted press attention and was shortlisted in BBC 6 Music’s album-of-the-year coverage.

In 2023, Henry founded the Royal Raw Music label. His 2024 album Who We Are uses fourteen tracks to explore community, identity, and shared possibilities, placing the jazz-band tradition alongside modern beats, soul, and poetic expression. He has also composed a commissioned work for the Royal Observatory and helped curate music events and collaborations with a new generation of artists. In the studio and on stage, Henry centers piano and keyboards while also singing, arranging, and producing, extending the conversation between contemporary British jazz and popular music.