b r a n d o n

Interested in hearing where jazz-rock fusion came from? Start with Miles Davis: In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew are the two most oft-cited essentials, but I say — add Agharta to that list. Although perhaps not as groundbreaking or influential as the former two albums, Agharta is the album where it all comes together: the funk-rock rhythm section, the awe-inspiring experimenting of guitarist Pete Cosey, and - of course - Miles' powerful yet understated soloing. While In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew might both sound more like jazz than rock to the uninitiated (and the latter might simply seem impenetrable), Agharta brings forward the funk and rock elements to a delicious degree. This late in his career, Miles wasn't at the peak of his game, at least in terms of pure technical ability, but he'd already spent years proving he didn't need his bebop chops anymore to make incredible music. His use of space and his direction of this massive group improv are all the evidence we need of his genius. When it's not Miles up front, it's most often Pete Cosey, perhaps the most under-recognized fusion guitarist of his time. His playing is nothing short of brilliant: wildly and fearlessly experimental, yet still groovy. Paul Tingen, in his book Miles Beyond, quotes Cosey as claiming that he used at least thirty-six different tuning systems, and would sometimes go onstage with five or six guitars, each tuned differently. Somehow, Cosey's outer-space experimentation works, and his soloing is phenomenal. And then there's bassist Michael Henderson, who was never a jazz bassist, and it shows. He has a knack for finding funky grooves and sticking with them, anchoring the rest of the band, but he's not afraid to play inventive variations or even playfully pull a few bars from Miles' older repertoire (as when he plays the riff from "So What" for a few seconds in "Interlude"). There are multiple points in "Prelude, Part One" where Henderson's playing is the driving force behind some amazingly funky and energetic climaxes. The two parts of "Prelude" are my favorite on this disc, featuring multiple climaxes that generally end in impressively synchronized full-stops before the band slowly reloads and twists itself back into another energetic improv. "Maiysha", which follows, is the sole track that offers moments of relaxation, with some excellent flute soloing and the percussion of Mtume coming to the fore, balanced by Cosey's always-intense guitar work. Agharta was one of Miles' last live performances of the 1970s (the companion album Pangaea was recorded during a second set the same day, and has a noticeably lower energy level). As such it shows one of Miles' most underrated bands in top form, confident and aggressive, referring constantly to repertoire material while extending and manipulating it through free improv. Agharta is a must-own for any fusion fan. In the words of Robert Fripp, it's a wallpaper-shredder. review by Brandon Wu — 1-4-04 —