- Greetings, global Citizens, brothers and sisters, kings, queens, and in-betweens.

Welcome to the "Concert of Colors" on Detroit PBS, the Motor City's epic celebration of multicultural sounds.

Before the music starts, a quick shout out to WDET, Detroit PBS, and all our other supporters.

Now turn it up and let the rhythms unite us.

This is "The Concert of Colors."

- [Narrator] Support for this program is provided in part by The Kresge Foundation, the Gilbert Family Foundation, the DTE Foundation, Zingerman's Delicatessen, the Ralph C Wilson Foundation, Mark Bernstein and Rachel Bendit, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(lively music) - I have the honor, the privilege of introducing someone who was just given two weeks ago, the Women's Songwriting Award of the Year.

If you love jazz, do you like jazz?

(audience cheers) If you love Indian music- - Yeah.

- If you love free expression, you're gonna love Asha Puthli.

Give her a big hand.

(audience applauds) Asha Puthli.

(calm music) (calm music) (lively music) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) - Hey.

- [All] Hey.

Hey.

Hey, hey!

Hey!

♪ Your love is making me sing, hey, hey ♪ ♪ You've shown me such a good thing, hey, hey ♪ ♪ I felt for you from the start, hey, hey ♪ ♪ You touched the link of my heart ♪ ♪ We've discovered two lovers can go anywhere ♪ ♪ You showed me how ♪ I can leave the ground and start to fly, fly ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ Hey, hey ♪ Hey, hey ♪ Hey ♪ Hey, imagine me and you here ♪ Hey, imagine you and me there ♪ ♪ Hey, won't be a cloud in the sky ♪ ♪ Hey, the sun will keep us so high ♪ ♪ We've discovered two lovers can go anywhere ♪ ♪ You showed me how ♪ I can leave the ground and start to fly, fly ♪ ♪ Hey (lively music) (lively music continues) ♪ Hey, imagine me and you here ♪ Hey, imagine you and me there ♪ ♪ Hey, won't be a cloud in the sky ♪ ♪ Hey, the sun will keep us so high ♪ ♪ We've discovered two lovers can go anywhere ♪ ♪ You showed me how ♪ I can leave the ground and start to fly, fly ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ Hey, hey ♪ Hey ♪ Hey ♪ Hey ♪ Hey ♪ Hey (lively music) (audience applauds) (logo whooshes) - So I am gonna tell you a little bit about my life.

I came here as an immigrant 60 years ago, 1969, with a dream to synthesize Indian classical music with jazz.

And it was really tough.

It was very tough.

And they didn't know, they said, "You are not Black, you are not white.

We don't know where to market you.

Indians don't buy mainstream music."

So it's been a long journey and I'm so thrilled to be here in the City of Motown, and with you, Detroit people.

I love you, thank you for...

Thank you.

(audience cheers) (lively music) Hello, everyone.

Hello, everyone.

It's been too long a wait.

(lively music) Hello, everyone, it's been too long a wait.

Hello, everyone.

How it started for me.

I'm just glad to be here.

As I read long ago, many birds can sing, but not too many last through spring.

♪ I hear that words, words have wings ♪ ♪ And walls, walls have ears ♪ And time to think ♪ Hello, everyone ♪ Hello, everyone ♪ Hello, everyone ♪ I'm just calling to say hello ♪ ♪ Hello, everyone, hello, everyone ♪ ♪ Hello, everyone, hello, everyone ♪ ♪ I'm just calling to say hello ♪ ♪ Hello, everyone, hello, everyone ♪ Where's your hello?

Say hi.

(laughs) I love you guys.

(laughs) Thank you.

(laughs) (lively music) ♪ Hello, everyone, hello, everyone ♪ ♪ Hello, everyone, hello, everyone ♪ ♪ Hello, everyone, hello, everyone ♪ (audience applauds) - So you see, I was waiting.

That's why I said many birds can sing, but not too many last through spring, and here I am.

I'm 80 years old, and I've finally made it.

(laughs) So when you have a dream, just follow it.

It takes a long time sometimes, but you get there eventually.

(laughs) Okay, I'm sure you all like dancing.

And this is my one song which made it in the charts here in the US, in the Disco Charts.

And it's called, "I'm Gonna Dance."

(upbeat music) ♪ Too-to-too too too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Come along with me, baby ♪ Take my hand and hold me tight ♪ ♪ Do your thing, and I'll do mine ♪ ♪ Hold on to the heat of night ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too, all right ♪ ♪ Feeling good just like we do ♪ We're living the way we should ♪ ♪ You know, honey, we can't loose ♪ ♪ As long as I have you ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ Get up and dance, get up and dance, y'all ♪ ♪ I'm gonna dance (laughs) ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ Get up and dance, get up and dance ♪ (upbeat music) - Yeah, Asha.

♪ Dance with me, baby (upbeat music) - Exercise, I'm doing my exercise.

(laughs) ♪ Freak out.

♪ Freak out, too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Freak out, too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Freak out (Asha laughs) ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ I wanna dance ♪ I'm gonna dance ♪ I wanna dance (upbeat music) ♪ Detroit ♪ Freak out ♪ I wanna dance (Asha laughs) (audience applauds) (logo whooshes) (mellow music) This is the one golden album that I have.

It's called "The Devil is Loose."

And it's all about temptations that we have all around us.

(mellow music) ♪ Ah, the devil is loose, oh, the devil is loose ♪ ♪ Go and get him ♪ He'll be in town while paying his dues ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil ♪ Make him an offer that he can't refuse ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil (mellow music) ♪ Yeah, ah, the devil is loose ♪ Oh, the devil is loose, go and get him ♪ ♪ Lonely, unhappy, and much abused ♪ ♪ He's the devil ♪ He'll try to avoid you with some old excuse ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil (mellow music) ♪ Ah, devil (indistinct) (mellow music) ♪ Ah, baby (mellow music) ♪ Don't you know ♪ Oh, oh, the devil is loose ♪ He'll take you for granted as someone to use ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil ♪ Once you have met him you'll be willing to lose ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil (mellow music) ♪ Oh, the devil is loose ♪ The devil is loose, go and get him ♪ (mellow music) ♪ Ah ♪ Yeah, the devil ♪ Yeah, the devil ♪ Ooh ♪ Oh, the devil is loose ♪ He'll take you for granted as someone to use ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil ♪ Once you have met him you'll be willing to lose ♪ ♪ Yeah, the devil ♪ Ah (audience applauds) - Thank you.

- Thank you.

(laughs) (energetic music) - Now I know we all fall in love.

And sometimes you find partners who lie to you.

That's what this song is about.

It's called "Lies, Lies, Lies."

It's not written by me, it's written by JJK.

(energetic music) ♪ You told me this, you told me that ♪ ♪ You tried to tell me where it's at ♪ ♪ You said you loved me, I can see through that ♪ ♪ The lies, lies, lies ♪ You left me hanging, hanging from the limb ♪ ♪ You said you loved me, then you let me in ♪ ♪ Lord, you did it to me, I can see it in your eyes ♪ ♪ Lies, lies, lies (energetic music) ♪ Yeah (energetic music) ♪ Tell me, baby, why you take my time ♪ ♪ You get a thrill off playing with my mind ♪ ♪ Lord, you did it to me, huh, I can see it in your eyes ♪ ♪ Lies, lies, lies (energetic music) (energetic music continues) ♪ Lies, lies, lies (energetic music) ♪ Tell me, baby, why you take my time ♪ ♪ You get a thrill off playing with my mind ♪ ♪ Lord, you did it to me, I can see it in your eyes ♪ ♪ Lies, lies, lies (energetic music) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) Selan.

(audience cheers) (energetic drum music) ♪ Tell me, baby, why you take my time ♪ ♪ You get a thrill off playing with my mind ♪ ♪ Lord, you did it to me, I can see it in your eyes ♪ ♪ Lies, lies, lies (energetic music) ♪ You told me this ♪ You told me that ♪ Lies ♪ Lies ♪ Lies ♪ Lies (audience applauds) I'm gonna sing a song, just acapella.

And it's a song dedicated to Ornette Coleman, who was one of the founders of Fathers of Avant-Garde Free Jazz, which was my first recording when I used to sing jazz in those days, heavy, serious jazz.

And so, I'm singing this to Ornette.

(gentle piano music) It's on his album called "Science Fiction."

It's the Sony Legacy Series.

♪ What reason ♪ Could I give ♪ To live ♪ Only that I love you ♪ How many times must I die for love ♪ ♪ Only because I'm without you ♪ Where will the world be ♪ If not, if not in the sky ♪ When I die ♪ What reason could I give to live ♪ ♪ Only that I love you (audience applauds) Thank you.

Thank you.

And it was on the strength of two songs that I sang on "Science Fiction" that they voted for me as vocalist, female vocalist in the "Downbeat" magazine, which is like the Bible for the jazz world.

And so, I owe a lot to Ornette.

Thank you, Ornette.

And it was a tie with Ella Fitzgerald.

(laughs) My icon which is wonderful.

(eerie music) (mellow music) (mellow music continues) ♪ Wanna get closer ♪ Wanna get closer (mellow music continues) (mellow music continues) ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny - Yo.

(mellow music) (mellow music continues) ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny ♪ Oh, Sunny ♪ I wanna get closer near you ♪ Sunny - Well, this is, of course, Marvin Gaye.

This is what I know Detroit for, Motown.

And my very first record in Singapore was "Sunny," which I did Marvin Gaye's version.

So, we're gonna do... (mellow music) This is, of course, in Marvin Gaye's key.

It's a male key, yeah.

♪ Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain ♪ ♪ Sunny, you smiled at me and real my pain ♪ ♪ Oh, the dark days are done, and the bright days are here ♪ ♪ My sunny one shines so sincere ♪ ♪ Sunny one so true, I love you ♪ ♪ Sunny, thank you for the sunshine bouquet ♪ ♪ Oh, Sunny, thank you for the love you've brought my way ♪ ♪ You gave to me your all and all ♪ ♪ Now I feel ten feet tall ♪ Oh, Sunny, one so true, I love you ♪ ♪ Sunny, yeah, thank you for the truth you gave to me ♪ ♪ Yeah, Sunny, thank you for the grace you gave to me ♪ ♪ Oh, now I see, thank you for Sunny one so true ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ Sunny ♪ Sunny (audience applauds) Thanks.

(laughs) (energetic organ music) - And to 1967.

(energetic music) - Yeah.

(audience applauds) - Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

(laughs) This one we just did just for Detroit, "Sunny."

(audience cheers) (eerie music) (gentle music) (mellow music) (band chanting) Do you love me?

Really, really love me.

(band chanting) Say yes.

♪ Do you love me, really love me, say yes ♪ ♪ Say yes ♪ Daylight comes and opens like a lotus, your eyes ♪ ♪ Your eyes (band chanting) (Asha chanting) (band chanting) ♪ Ooh, ah, needles in my body when you let me caress ♪ ♪ Say yes (band chanting) ♪ Do you love me, really love me, say yes ♪ ♪ Say yes (band chanting) ♪ Want you so badly, want you ♪ So badly I could die ♪ Hold me and tell me you love me again, and again ♪ ♪ Want you so badly, want you ♪ So badly I could die ♪ Hold me and tell me you love me again ♪ ♪ Oh, baby ♪ Just a kiss ♪ Love ♪ You, ah (Asha chanting) (band chanting) ♪ Want you so badly, want you ♪ So badly I could die ♪ Hold me, yeah, again ♪ Want you (chanting) ♪ Want you (Asha chanting) ♪ And again ♪ I want you (Asha chanting) (audience applauds) Thank you.

It's a very easy word to say.

(laughs) Say yes, (laughs) yeah.

The next song is "Flying Fish."

And it's about the duality of women, especially working, people who are working.

So it's about being a flying fish, swimming and flying.

(upbeat music) ♪ Silver-tongued ♪ And silky-bodied ♪ Slinky hips ♪ And solitary ♪ Living in the light ♪ Shining in the night ♪ What do you have to say ♪ To keep that way, flying fish ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Rainbow-tipped ♪ Heart of gold ♪ Touched by God ♪ So hard to hold, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ What have I got to do ♪ What do I do ♪ What do I have to say ♪ To be like you, flying fish ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) To Roni Tabara, guitar.

(energetic guitar music) And on my left, Nate Jones, on the bass.

(energetic bass music) (audience applauds) (energetic bass music) Woo!

♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ Selan Lerner, keyboards and musical director.

(laughs) (energetic organ music) ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ (energetic music) ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ Lefty Thompson, drums.

(laughs) (energetic drum music) (energetic drum music continues) Woo!

(laughs) (energetic music) (music drowns out speaker) (energetic music) (Asha laughs) ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ ♪ Too-to-too too, too-to-too too ♪ (laughs) So good to see all the lovely women dancing.

The song is for you, it's "Flying Fish."

That's what you, (laughs) flying fish, right?

(laughs) (logo whooshes) (upbeat music) ♪ Space ♪ Taking a space walk ♪ Still looking for love ♪ Venus, please help me ♪ SOS planet, I need someone to love ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Strange, you give me strange thoughts ♪ ♪ Space, give me some space ♪ Now that I feel you ♪ Let's make it happen some more, we'll get so high ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Slow, time moves so slowly ♪ Slick, sharp as a blade ♪ Cutting through my life ♪ When I'm alone time moves on, stretching my age ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space (energetic music) ♪ Space, yeah, space (energetic music) Nate.

(energetic music) (energetic music continues) ♪ Slow, time moves so slowly ♪ Ah, slick ♪ Take a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Take a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Take a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ ♪ Taking a space walk, space ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ (energetic music) ♪ Space walk, space talk ♪ Taking a space walk, space talk ♪ I'm waiting for them to solo some more because they're all wonderful musicians.

And I said, "Oh, they have to play."

But anyway, I just want to thank you all.

It's been a wonderful night, and you've been a great audience.

Thank you so much.

Love you all.

Thank you.

♪ Space walk, space talk ♪ Taking a space walk (energetic music) Oh.

(laughs) - Asha Puthli.

(audience cheers) Let's hear for Asha Puthli.

(energetic music) And the band.

What a band.

(energetic music) (audience cheers) (lively music) (lively music continues) Asha Puthli.

Give ‘em a big hand.

- [Narrator] Support for this program is provided in part by The Kresge Foundation, the Gilbert Family Foundation, the DTE Foundation, Zingerman's Delicatessen, the Ralph C Wilson Foundation, Mark Bernstein and Rachel Bendit, and by contributions to your PBS Station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(bright music)