{"title":"Asha Puthli","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn 4 February 1945 in Mumbai, Asha Puthli trained in Indian classical music and opera from an early age. She fell in love with jazz through Voice of America radio broadcasts, performing at local clubs. She became a British Airways flight attendant to travel internationally, later winning a dance scholarship from Martha Graham's company. She arrived in New York in 1969, where legendary Columbia Records executive John Hammond discovered her through Ved Mehta's book \u003cem\u003eJazz in Bombay\u003c\/em\u003e. Hammond sent her to audition for avant-garde saxophonist Ornette Coleman, who made her the first vocalist on his album \u003cem\u003eScience Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e (1972). She sang \"What Reason Could I Give\" and \"All My Life\", earning the DownBeat Critics' Poll award for Best Female Jazz Vocalist alongside Ella Fitzgerald. Hammond also produced an unreleased single, \"Asha's Thing\", and she recorded \"Ain't That Peculiar\" with the Peter Ivers Blues Band before her breakthrough with Coleman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSigned to CBS Records, Puthli released her self-titled debut in 1973, produced by Del Newman, featuring covers of JJ Cale, Bill Withers, John Lennon's \"Love\", and a sultry version of George Harrison's \"I Dig Love\". The album included a disco version of Neil Sedaka's \"I Am a Song\" and her own composition \"Truth\". \u003cem\u003eShe Loves to Hear the Music\u003c\/em\u003e (1974) gained audiences in European clubs before \u003cem\u003eThe Devil is Loose\u003c\/em\u003e (1976) saw her move into full-fledged disco. The single \"Space Talk\" was later sampled by Notorious B.I.G. in \"The World Is Filled\" (1997) and by Jay-Z, 50 Cent, The Pharcyde, G-Unit, Chris Brown, and Action Bronson. L'Indiana (1978\/79) featured the nearly-eight-minute \"Music Machine\", dedicated to Studio 54. A regular at the legendary nightclub, she became friends with Andy Warhol, Manolo Blahnik, and Salvador Dali. Her breathy, slinky vocals were said to have influenced Donna Summer. In 2024, aged 79, she performed at Glastonbury Festival and We Out Here. In 2025, she was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"asha-puthli-asha-puthli-2020-mr-bongo-rsd-blue-vinyl-reissue-vinyl-lp","title":"Asha Puthli - Asha Puthli (2020 Mr Bongo RSD Blue Vinyl Reissue Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAsha Puthli - \u003cem\u003eAsha Puthli\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 2020 Mr Bongo RSD Reissue, Blue Vinyl (MRBLP221)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAsha Puthli's 1973 CBS debut\u003c\/strong\u003e, produced by Del Newman (Elton John collaborator), signed by John Hammond at Columbia after her vocal appearances on Ornette Coleman's \u003cem\u003eScience Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e (1972) won her the DownBeat Critics' Poll for Best Female Jazz Vocalist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNine tracks crossing jazz, soul, funk and proto-disco\u003c\/strong\u003e, including cover versions of George Harrison's \"I Dig Love,\" Gladys Knight's \"Neither One Of Us,\" and Neil Sedaka's \"I Am A Song\"; cover shot by Mick Rock with makeup by Pierre LaRoche\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\"Let Me In Your Life\"\u003c\/strong\u003e was sampled by Action Bronson for \"Terry\" (2015) and by Chris Brown for \"Loyal\" (2014)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAsha Puthli was born in Bombay in 1945, trained in Indian classical music and opera, arrived in New York on a Martha Graham dance scholarship in 1969, and was signed to CBS Records by John Hammond — the Columbia A\u0026amp;R director who had discovered Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen — after he read about her singing in Ved Mehta's \u003cem\u003ePortrait of India\u003c\/em\u003e. Hammond sent her to record with Ornette Coleman, and her performances on \u003cem\u003eScience Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e (1972) won her the DownBeat Critics' Poll award for Best Female Jazz Vocalist. When the commercial climate for avant-garde jazz contracted, she moved to London and recorded this debut with Del Newman, best known as Elton John's arranger and producer, for CBS in 1973.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album moves across jazz, soul, blues and early disco with a voice that is genuinely unusual: supple, improvisational, capable of intimacy and abandon in the same phrase. Del Newman's production sits it squarely in the early 1970s glam-funk world without losing Puthli's jazz instincts. The track selection ranges from originals to covers: George Harrison's \"I Dig Love\" — which Puthli has described as stripping the Beatles' spiritual reading and bringing out its sexuality — sits alongside Jim Weatherly's \"Neither One Of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)\" (the Gladys Knight and the Pips hit), Bill Withers and Isaac Hayes's \"Let Me In Your Life,\" and Neil Sedaka's \"I Am A Song.\" The cover was shot by Mick Rock with makeup by Pierre LaRoche, who also worked with Bowie and Mercury. This pressing is the Mr Bongo Record Store Day 2020 reissue on blue vinyl, licensed from Puthli directly.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mr Bongo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43264097353787,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/a1627263207_10.jpg?v=1772921710"}],"url":"https:\/\/lushliferecords.com.au\/collections\/asha-puthli.oembed","provider":"Lush Life Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}