Video of the Day: Asha Parkinson previews album ahead of Toulouse Lautrec launch

Saxophonist and composer, Asha Parkinson, is set to release her highly anticipated debut album, Possession, with her innovative ensemble, Kalpadruma (meaning “tree of life”). The genre-defying recording explores the concept of possession through a rich tapestry of global musical influences.

“Possession is a filmic global exploration that blurs the boundaries between contemporary classical, jazz, flamenco, Mediterranean and Arab music,” explains Parkinson. “The music combines the intensity of a symphony with the concision of a pop single, drawing on lyrical motifs from traditional fairy tales to literary giants like Tolstoy, Huxley, and Rumi.”

Key tracks include ‘Urban Fantasy’, a dynamic piece reflecting the manic energy of city life, originally composed during Parkinson’s time at Guildhall School of Music and Drama; ‘Distant Devotion’, a poignant portrayal of adoring a beloved from a distance, inspired by Rumi’s poetry; ‘Mirror Image’, a piece inspired by Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, capturing the protagonist’s inner conflict and societal pressures; ‘Possession’, the title track, evoking dark, obsessive states of mind through a Czechoslovakian folk tale; ‘Avvon D’Bishmaiya’ (the Lord’s Prayer), a spiritual composition set to the original Aramaic text, reflecting Parkinson’s evolved faith.

Get a flavour of the album on the video below and for more info visit toulouselautrec.co.uk