Miles Davis-Agharta (1975)

Another of Miles Davis's great live albums is "Agartha", recorded entirely at the Osaka Festival Hall on February 1, 1974. Like the live album "Pangaea", which features the same concert but with a different setlist, this album differs from the atmospheric sounds of his earlier jazz-rock albums, presenting a series of more aggressive and direct jazz pieces. "Agartha" comprises five extended tracks, performed in the style of jam sessions with abundant solos, long improvisations, generally featuring intros by Miles Davis followed by bursts of energy from the rhythm section. On that tour of Japan, Miles Davis assembled one of the most solid and energetic lineups of his entire long career. It was comprised of the vigorous middle section; Henderson (bass) and Al Foster (drums), backed by the ingenious percussion of Mtume, the avant-garde experimentation of guitarist Pete Cosey, the rich palette of colors of saxophonist Sonny Fortune, and, of course, the brilliant trumpet solos of Miles Davis. From the overwhelming force of "Prelude" to the almost Latin melody of the jazz fusion "Maiysha", and including the spacious and intense "Theme From Jack Johnson", this album constitutes the penultimate masterpiece of one of the leading figures of 20th-century music.