Possession

Asha Parkinson’s vibrant, genre-busting LP Possession is a cinematic exploration of states of possession, blending Jazz, Contemporary Classical, Flamenco, Mediterranean, and Arab music. Tracks combine the intensity of a symphony with the concision of a pop single, addressing themes from obsessive love to mystical inspiration. Influences include fairy tales, Tolstoy, Huxley, Rumi, and the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. The album features her Kalpadruma ensemble, a 14-piece mini orchestra combining jazz quintet, string quartet, woodwind, voice, and the distinctive qanun, showcasing melodic, rhythmically sophisticated, and sometimes groove-based material with Asha’s inspired saxophone playing.