Featured in Billboard Magazine (“Ghent’s Gifts”, 10/12/02), Valerie Ghent has worked with Ashford & Simpson since 1989, both onstage (keyboards/background singer) and in the studio as their ProTools engineer, recording several albums with the renowned duo. One album was the acclaimed collaboration with Dr. Maya Angelou "Been Found"; another features Valerie Simpson, Nina Simone (who Ghent recorded in the South of France) and Roberta Flack; a third recording was for the "Down In The Delta" soundtrack. Ghent also recorded and mixed live-to-air “In The Spotlight”, Ashford & Simpson’s live weekly radio show on WRKS-FM (New York) where she recorded over 60 well-known singers including: Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Freddie Jackson, Wilson Pickett, Chaka Khan, Stephanie Mills, Patti LaBelle, George Benson. Ghent has performed on Rosie O'Donnell, Oprah, The Early Show, News at 10, Pat Sajak & The Byron Allen Show.

Composer (recent works): In 2002 Ghent composed the music for the critically acclaimed and sold-out "The Hamlet Project", which opened to rave reviews at LaMama E.T.C.. She also composed music for a 2002 world premiere, "Luft", by French choreographer Genevieve Pernin. Val arranged and recorded seven tracks for the independant film, "Nitelife". Other releases on West Street include Ghent's own "Unstoppable" (Best CD of 1998) awarded by Planete Indie in Belgium - voted by listeners!) her father's acclaimed "Songs For Children and All Their Friends", guitarist Bill Washer's guitar classic, "Solitary"and her upcoming solo piano/voice album, "Velour".

"Unstoppable", was voted 'Best CD of 1998' by Belgian radio Planete Indie and received airplay in the US and Europe - even Latvia! Recently reviewed at kozmicblues.net:

"Ghent's a soulful singer, technically near-perfect, and an accomplished keyboardist in many styles, from synth-pop to blues. And though she does modulate her smoky vocals carefully, it's her bluesy foundation that gives her tunes much of their power....Ghent's understated but thoroughly confident singing ties these eleven songs together....".

Community Involvement: Over three years ago Valerie Ghent began the monthly ‘Songwriter’s Beat’ at The Cornelia Street Café in Greenwich Village. In January 2003 she added her ‘NewSongs  Workshop’ to support songwriters in their creative process, a lifelong interest for Ghent. Val is also busy creating new monthly and weekly special events at the Cafe, including a Latin-Jazz night with pianist Arturo O'Farrill, a widely acclaimed acoustic African music series, Indiegrrl concerts and other events.

Ghent is an active member of the national Children’s Music Network, a ProTools consultant, an instructor in both Chinese internal martial arts & qi gong, and works with the International Association of Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (IARPP).

9/11 Volunteer: Ghent was an active volunteer and fundraiser for WTC Ground Zero Relief from Sept. 2001 until the closing of the WTC site, obtaining and distributing specific supplies for the recovery effort.  On March 11th/25^th 2002, Ghent organized over 45 performers in the Songwriter's Beat 9.11 Tribute benefit Concerts, specifically looking for poets and songwriters among the FDNY, PAPD, NYPD, EMS and other volunteers. She edited "word", a collection of poems and songs presented at the concerts and self-published the collection for charity. During the summer of 2002 she produced and performed at music events for both Firefighter and Police Appreciation Weekends at the Intrepid Museum. The "We'll Carry On" project was featured on Channel 2's 'The Early Show', Channel 9 News, and New York 1; in The New York Times, NY Daily News, Billboard, La Vie Magazine (Paris), NY Press, American Songwriter and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.

Currently Val works with the 9/11WVFA (a member group of the Coalition of 9/11 Families) and is creating the World Foundation for Music and Healing, a not-for-profit to provide music education and workshops for children who have suffered trauma and loss, an idea formed while Val volunteered at the WTC site. Val has also embarked on making a documentary of the "We'll Carry On" footage and co-founded UFCL, a group of independent film-makers/screenwriters coached by film-maker Demian Lichtenstein.

Background: Born in New York City to composer/psychiatrist Emmanuel Ghent and violist /composer/teacher Nathalie Ghent, Valerie started her musical studies on the cello at age 5, quickly switched to piano and was composing and singing her own songs by the age of 8. Playing in bands throughout highschool and college, Val graduated from NYU with a BA in Psychology, studied at the University of London, and simultaneously worked in recording studios with record producer Mike Thorne (Soft Cell, ‘til Tuesday, Bronski Beat, Laurie Anderson, Wire) as production assistant/Synclavier operator. Val has traveled extensively including China, Russia, South Africa, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, England, Australia, New Zealand and across the US/Canada.