Asha Puthli

Asha Puthli is a singular figure in 20th-century music, representing a bridge between Mumbai, New York, and London. Her career arc is defined by radical versatility; she moved from Indian classical training to the vanguard of free jazz, famously collaborating with Ornette Coleman on the seminal 1971 album 'Science Fiction'.

This performance earned her a Downbeat Critics' Poll award and established her as a formidable improviser. However, her solo career took a turn toward 'cosmic disco' and psychedelic soul, where she developed a signature breathy vocal style that became a staple of David Mancuso's The Loft. G. and Dilated Peoples. Critically, she is recognized as a pioneer of fusion who resisted being pigeonholed by her ethnicity, instead opting for a high-concept, internationalist aesthetic that blended glam rock, disco, and jazz. Her legacy is currently undergoing a massive revival through reissues and remixes, cementing her status as a foremother of modern electronic and neo-soul textures.