The crowning glory of Miles Davis' electric phase, “Agharta” is a true funk-rock fireball – a flaming comet full of energy and creativity, a fearless organism fueled by adventure and freedom, a seven-headed Godzilla blasting its way through the cosmos. Recorded on February 1, 1975, at Osaka Festival Hall, the double album offers an endless wealth of surprises and twists and turns – as well as a tour-proven ensemble whose chemistry and skills are on par with any of Davis' other celebrated bands.
The septet, consisting of saxophonist Sonny Fortune, guitarists Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas, drummer Al Foster, bassist Michael Henderson and percussionist James Mtume, were given enough space by Davis to improvise against a dense backdrop of riffs, electronic effects, cross-beats and grooves. Davis controlled the rhythm and musical direction with hand and head movements and phrases played on his wah-wah trumpet. The constantly changing character of the performance led to the widespread misconception that this afternoon performance – just like the evening performance, which was released the following year under the working title “Pangaea” – had no compositional basis, while its angry and dark musical qualities were seen as a reflection of the bandleader's emotional and spiritual state at the time.
Lovingly mastered from the original tapes at MoFi's California studio and pressed on 180-gram vinyl (33 RPM) at Fidelity Record Pressing, this strictly numbered double LP presents this jazz classic in stunning audiophile quality for the first time. If the true greatness of jazz lies in its ability to adapt to the moment and challenge perceptions, then “Agharta” is art in its purest form! The concert was enthusiastically received by the audience in Osaka: “I had no idea what they were up to”, recalls Henderson. “They gave us standing ovations that lasted almost as long as the concert itself”.
Title
Side A
1. Prelude (Part I)
Side B
2. Prelude (Part II)
3. Maiysha
Side C
4. Interlude
Side D
5. Theme From Jack Johnson
