Nine Songs: Asha Puthli

Asha Puthli, the pioneering Indian singer known for blending jazz, Indian classical, and cosmic disco, is preparing for a rare UK headline concert at The Barbican as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. This performance marks a significant return to live touring for Puthli, who resumed performing in 2024 after a hiatus of four decades.

Currently based in a retirement community in Miami, Puthli remains actively engaged in music despite her 81 years. She recently participated in the 2026 Gorillaz album The Mountain, contributing guest vocals and touring with the band. The Barbican show will feature notable collaborators including sitarist Anoushka Shankar, trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, and drummer Sarathy Korwar, with additional guests still unconfirmed.

Puthli’s longstanding connection with Anoushka Shankar traces back to the 1970s when Puthli and Shankar’s father, the legendary Ravi Shankar, planned a collaborative off-Broadway production centered on the Hindu mystic Mirabai. Although the project did not materialize, Puthli regards her relationship with the Shankar family as an important legacy, reinforced by their shared musical heritage and a joint display of costumes at the Grammy Museum.

The singer’s formative years in Mumbai were shaped by competing influences: Hindustani classical music taught in school and opera lessons from a British tutor who introduced her to European composers such as Bach, Gluck, and Bizet. Despite early promise in opera, Puthli eventually focused exclusively on Indian classical music due to family pressures, particularly from her elder sister, who was a critical mentor and inspiration.

Puthli’s sister, an accomplished ghazal singer admired even by Lata Mangeshkar—India’s iconic vocalist—played a crucial role in nurturing her musical sensibilities. Puthli recalls being captivated by her sister’s mellifluous voice and fluid control, which inspired her initial studies in Indian classical styles. The semi-classical Urdu ghazal tradition symbolized a significant influence on Puthli’s own artistic development.

Lata Mangeshkar herself also indirectly facilitated Puthli’s international breakthrough. Mangeshkar arranged for her brother to record a demo tape showcasing Puthli’s classical and jazz fusion approach, which later impressed American producer John Hammond Senior. Hammond’s interest helped Puthli secure studio sessions and eventually led to collaborations with avant-garde jazz figures such as Ornette Coleman.

Despite critical acclaim, Puthli’s early recordings struggled commercially in a rock-dominated market. Her experimental sound found little support from major labels, with industry executives such as Clive Davis dismissing the work. This lack of mainstream acceptance contributed to Puthli's extended absence from touring.

The revival of Puthli’s career in the 2020s has coincided with a renewed interest in genre-blending artists and a reassessment of overlooked pioneers. Collaborations with contemporary acts like Gorillaz have exposed her to new audiences and allowed her creative freedom on stage, as noted in her recent tours where she was encouraged to improvise vocally.

Jazz remains a central reference point for Puthli. Growing up in Bombay, she discovered jazz through the Voice of America broadcasts, drawn by the music’s improvisational spirit resonant with Indian classical traditions. Influences from jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, and Nina Simone have shaped her vocal style and artistic philosophy.

Puthli’s admiration extends to jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan, whose playful syncopation and phrasing Puthli regards as exceptional yet underrecognized. This perspective adds depth to Puthli’s understanding of vocal jazz and highlights her appreciation for both historical and contemporary voices within the genre.

Her musical journey underscores the complexities faced by artists navigating multiple cultural traditions and industry expectations. The intersection of Indian classical music, jazz, and popular forms has often challenged conventional market categories, affecting career trajectories and legacy recognition.

The upcoming Barbican concert represents not just a milestone in Puthli’s touring cycle but also reflects broader shifts in the music industry towards celebrating diverse, cross-cultural artistry. Her collaboration with prominent names signals an embracing of eclectic influences that challenge genre boundaries and audience assumptions.

Although details about all guest performers remain undisclosed, the event is anticipated to be a showcase of Puthli’s multifaceted talent and her enduring influence on jazz and world music scenes. The concert may also serve as a platform to introduce her earlier, less commercial work to new listeners, potentially stimulating interest in her back catalog.

Whether this resurgence will lead to additional recordings or extended touring engagements has not been confirmed. However, Puthli's recent activity suggests a reinvigorated commitment to performance and collaboration, marking a noteworthy chapter in the career of a singular artist who has long defied easy classification.