[1] Her recordings cover blues, pop, rock, soul, funk, disco, and techno and have been produced by Del Newman and Teo Macero.

She sang lead vocals on the Peter Ivers Blues Band's cover version of "Ain’t That Peculiar", which was reviewed favorably in Cashbox, Rolling Stone, and Billboard.

[9][5] Hammond sent her to audition for avant-garde jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman, who was looking for a singer for his album Science Fiction (1971).

[6] For her work on Science Fiction, she shared the DownBeat Critics' Poll award for Best Female Jazz Vocalist.

Her self-titled debut was produced by Del Newman, and it included cover versions of songs by JJ Cale and Bill Withers.

She hired Pierre LaRoche (makeup designer for David Bowie and Freddie Mercury) and photographer Mick Rock to shoot the cover.

During the 1970s, Puthli starred in lead roles in Merchant Ivory's Savages, which was screened at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival, and Bruno Corbucci's The Gang That Sold America (Italian title: Squadra Antigangsters).

Her song "Space Talk" from the 1970s, a popular tune with David Mancuso's The Loft crowd, has been sampled by P.Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Dilated Peoples, Governor featuring 50 Cent, and Redman; and her cover of George Harrison's "I Dig Love" was sampled in 2005 for the chart-topping track "Reload It" by UK MOBO Award-winner Kano.

[12] In August 2006, she headlined Central Park Summerstage in New York City on an eclectic bill with DJ Spooky, Talvin Singh, Outernational, and Prefuse 73, and special guests Dewey Redman and Dres (rapper) of the hip-hop group Black Sheep.