The Essential Asha Puthli / Asha Puthli (MRBLP226)

Vinyl 2LP

Mr Bongo Record Club のトラックをキュレーションして注文するのは、いつも特別なことです。家でカセット プレーヤーを一時停止して、最近愛している相手や、音楽的なつながりを共有し、お互いの最新の発見を刺激する友人を感動させるために完璧なミックス テープを作ろうとしていたときの気持ちを思い出します。古いトラックを初めて聞いたり、最も前面に出たセレクションに飛び込んだりすることで、火が燃え続け、情熱が燃え上がります。

第 6 巻では、ブラジル、スウェーデン、米国、南アフリカ、ポルトガル、日本、トリニダード トバゴ、カナダから最近発見された曲や貴重なクラシック曲を紹介します。ブラジルの新星 Dora Morelenbaum のセレクションに加え、伝統的なブラジルのミュージシャンやボーカリスト Haréton Salvanini、Copa 7、Mirna のセレクションも含まれています。また、ヘイゼル・スコット・アンド・ザ・ブラザ・ブラジルによる「Ye Me Le」のブラジル風ではない素晴らしいカバーや、ニューヨーク・コミュニティ・クワイアによる崇高なゴスペルも収録されています。ジェネラル・リーやアッシュ・ソウル・インクによるディスコやソウルのレア曲、そして初めてレコード化された有名なマシュー・タヴァレスによる素晴らしいサイケポップソングも選曲しました。私たちのお気に入りの現代スウェーデン人ミュージシャン、スヴェン・ヴンダーやディナ・オーゴンの曲も収録されています。このコンピレーションには、異なる時代や場所から集められた珠玉の曲が満載ですが、なぜかすべてが美しく溶け合っています。皆さんも気に入ってくれると嬉しいです。

We can't think of many other performers like the singer/songwriter/dancer/actress Asha Puthli who have excelled in such a broad range of genres. From 60s psych, Classical Indian music, Free Jazz, Pop, Soul, Disco, to Rock, the list goes on. A 'best-of' or an 'essential collection' is always going to be a subjective thing, but for what is unbelievably the first official compilation covering the full breadth of Asha's illustrious career, we aimed to provide a snapshot into her ever-evolving musical journey and a tribute to the vast richness of her catalogue. 

Some singers want to be famous, others are pop star icons, and some are artists; Asha is the latter. Asha is a true force of nature, regardless of the genre she explores, she fully commits, moves on, and reinvents herself, always progressing. Looking back on Asha's career, it is evident what a trail-blazer she was, opening doors for her contemporaries and those who came later to step through. Whether it was conscious or not, you can recognise Asha’s influence in aspects of Kate Bush's ethereal image and performance, in Donna Summer’s high-smooth vocal sound and disco stylings, and in the gumption and power of Grace Jones.

Kick-starting the compilation is ‘Pain’, the Indian psychedelic garage rock sounds of The Savages featuring Asha. We have to admit, we had to strongarm Asha into letting us include this track at first; also due to its rare nature (and lack of any master tapes) the recording we present here is raw and low-fi. However, we felt its inclusion was important to fully represent the journey of Asha's career, the same consideration was also applied to two of the Asha & The Surfers’ songs that we have included in this collection. Asha saw a link between jazz and classical Indian music "the improvisation, the minor chords, the free form, the liberalness of the art" we showcase her love of jazz here with seminal works with the legendary Ornette Coleman, taken from the revered 'Science Fiction’ album. Asha's 'CBS years' are represented here, how could we not include 'Space Talk' on this collection, and how these years progressed into her amazing disco offerings such as 'I'm Gonna Dance' & 'Music Machine'. The bizarre 'We're Gonna Bury The Rock With The Roll Tonight' from 1980 has also won us over. A pseudo-50s throw-back song that sounds not un-similar to the post-modern, leftfield, pop of an MIA production to come years later. Rounding off the compilation we have Asha's interpretation of a Michael Jackson classic that sat lost on a cassette-only released in India. 

1. The Savages & Asha Puthli – Pain 
2. Asha Puthli accompanied by The Surfers – Sound of Silence 
3. Asha Puthli accompanied by The Surfers – Sunny 
4. Asha Puthli accompanied by The Surfers – Fever 
5. Ornette Coleman – What Reason Could I Give 
6. Ornette Coleman – All My Life 
7. Charlie Mariano – Mirror 
8. Asha Puthli – Right Down Here 
9. Asha Puthli – Lies 
10. Asha Puthli – Devil is Loose 
11. Asha Puthli – Space Talk 
12. Asha Puthli – One Night Affair 
13. Asha Puthli – I’m Gonna Dance 
14. Asha Puthli – Music Machine (Dedication to Studio 54)
15. Asha Puthli – Peek A Boo Boogie 
16. Asha Puthli – Mister Moonlight 
17. 17. Asha Puthli – Prism of the Sun (Song For Dieter) 
18. 18. Asha Puthli – 1001 Nights of Love (Reprise) 
19. 19. Asha Puthli – We’re Gonna Bury the Rock with the Roll Tonight 
20. 20. Asha Puthli – Chipko Chipko