Agharta is a live double album by American jazz musician Miles Davis
(pictured) and his septet. Titled after the legendary subterranean city,
it was recorded at a concert in Japan's Osaka Festival Hall in February
1975. Saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist Michael Henderson, and
guitarist Pete Cosey improvised against a dense backdrop of riffs,
electronic effects, cross-beats, and funk grooves from the rhythm
section. Davis had already alienated many in the jazz community while
attracting younger rock audiences with his radical electric fusion
music. This dark, angry, and somber performance was seen as a reflection
of his emotional and spiritual state—he was in physical pain from
health issues and a substance abuse problem, and had been touring
constantly with his band since 1973. The album was released in Japan in
August 1975 by CBS/Sony, and in North America in 1976 by Columbia
Records. A highly divisive record, it further challenged Davis' jazz
audience and critics. It was reevaluated positively after a generation
of younger musicians was influenced by the group's abrasive music and
Cosey's effects-laden free improvisations, and is seen as the
culmination of Davis' electric period.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agharta_(album)>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1847:
Scottish physician James Young Simpson discovered the
anaesthetic qualities of chloroform.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroform>
1889:
Menelik II, who would later introduce several technological and
administrative advances under his reign, was crowned Emperor of
Ethiopia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menelik_II>
1966:
The Arno River flooded Florence, Italy, to a maximum depth of
6.7 m (22 ft), leaving thousands homeless and destroying millions of
masterpieces of art and rare books.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_flood_of_the_Arno>
1991:
Former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos was granted a
presidential pardon by Corazon Aquino and allowed to return from exile.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imelda_Marcos>
2008:
Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected
President of the United States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
chad:
1. (uncountable) Small pieces of paper punched out from the edges of
continuous stationery, or from ballot papers, paper tape, punched cards,
etc.
2. (countable) One of these pieces of paper.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chad>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Many things there are that mankind must not know — not until the
human race stands ready to accept that which is, but can never be seen!
in lines for
--Doctor Strange
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Doctor_Strange>