Oct 25, 2015

Sundaze 1543

Hello, well Hurricane Patricia came on fiercely but has caused limited victims but has dumped an enormous amound of rain, causing floods and mudslides, thusfar no mention of victims, thanks to early warning, thousand would have died if not for the weather sattelites.. Over in Austin Texas they had plenty of rain too and hardly any driving by the F1 pack, in fact they still have to qualify in the morning before the race, hopefully the weather will play ball tomorrow.


Today more music from the rising sun. When asked about his music, he said, "I never had education in music, I just learned to trust my ears and my feelings." He credits ‘powers beyond himself’ for his music, saying, "This music is not from my mind. It is from heaven, going through my body and out my fingers through composing. Sometimes I wonder. I never practice. I don't read or write music, but my fingers move. I wonder, 'Whose song is this?' I write my songs, but they are not my songs."...... N'joy

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Kitaro (real name, Masanori Takahashi) was born in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, and is a graduate of Sahid University. After graduating, Kitaro moved to Tokyo to experience and become a part of the music scene, and it was there that he discovered the synthesizer. His first synthesizer was analog, and he recalls having “just loved the analog sound that it made compared to today's digital sound”.

His parents were first opposed to the idea of their son having a musical career. In an effort to maneuver him towards their vision, they made arrangements for him to take a job at a local company. In return, he left home without telling them. He supported himself by taking on several part-time jobs such as cooking and civil service work, while composing songs at night. In the early 1970s, he changed completely to keyboards. He joined the Japanese music group Far East Family Band which was formed in 1965, and toured with them around the world. While in Europe, he met the German electronica and former Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze. Schulze produced two albums for the band and gave Kitaro some tips for controlling synthesizers. In 1976, Kitaro left Far East Family Band and travelled through Asia (China, Laos, Thailand, India)

Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai and Full Moon Story became cult favorites of fans of the nascent new-age movement. He performed his first symphonic concert at the 'Small Hall' of the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The Silk Road: The Rise And Fall Of Civilizations is an NHK Tokushu documentary series that first aired on 7 April 1980, with sequels being broadcast over a 10-year period. It took a total of 17 years from conception to complete what many consider a landmark in Japan's broadcasting television history. The intention of the program was to reveal how ancient Japan was influenced by the Silk Road trade route. The documentary was narrated by Ishizaka Koji with music composed by Kitaro, who insisted that the show be broadcast in stereo. The music was composed mainly using a Minimoog, Minikorg 700 and Maxikorg DV800. The series of soundtracks sold millions and the success created from the program brought Kitaro international attention.

In 1984, Kitaro embarked on a "Live in Asia" tour. Notably, he was forced to cancel a leg in Singapore because he had long hair and at that time the country had a policy banning it. He entered into a worldwide distribution arrangement with Geffen Records in 1986. This included a re-releasing of six prior albums titled Astral Voyage, Full Moon Story, Millennia, India, Silver Cloud and Asia (each packaged with Japanesque obi strips) as well as a new album, aptly titled Towards the West. In 1987, he collaborated with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead for the album The Light of the Spirit and in 1992 with Jon Anderson (Yes) for the album Dream. In 1988, his record sales soared to 10 million worldwide following a successful US tour. He was nominated three times for Grammy Award during his tenure at Geffen Records. His soundtrack for the movie Heaven & Earth won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. In 1989, he wrote the Japanese theme for the film Return from the River Kwai.

Since his 1994 debut for Domo Records, the Grammy-nominated Mandala, Kitaro has released 24 studio albums. Among them, the live An Enchanted Evening (1995), Gaia-Onbashira (1998), and Ancient (2001) were all Grammy nominated. In 1999, Thinking of You won the Grammy for Best New Age Album. In total, Kitaro's albums with Domo Records have received 15 Grammy Award nominations.

Kitaro’s music has long been recognized for its messages of peace and spirituality. In the wake of 9/11, the artist began recording Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, a series of peace-themed albums inspired by the Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage, the travel of Kūkai more than 1100 years ago. The four volumes in the album series were released in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2011, respectively. The event of September 11 occurred while he was en route from Japan to Los Angeles. Kitaro's flight was diverted to Honolulu for five days, during which time the conceptual endeavor, which he envisioned as an artistic means to help unify people globally, first took shape. Every track on the 4 volumes of Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai contains samples from ancient Japanese temple bells (Peace Bells) from 88 sacred temples on the island of Shikoku, Japan.

In 2007, Kitaro composed the music for Impression West Lake, a large-scale opera, directed by the renowned Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. The opera reflects Hangzhou city’s history and culture through music and dance. Using modern technology, the stage is 75 centimeters below the lake’s surface during the day so as not to affect the landscape and boating activities. In the evening, the stage is a few centimeters below the lake’s surface so actors can walk and perform freely over a surprising water mirror that compose with the lights and colors. The one-hour event had its opening night in March 2007. In 2009, Domo Records released the original soundtrack album Impressions of the West Lake which was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Awards.

Kitaro's latest studio album is Final Call, which is a homage to Kitaro's lifetime reverence for Nature and was released in September 2013. A year later, in September 2014, his latest live album Symphony Live In Istanbul was released. It was recorded live at the Halic Congress Center in Istanbul, Turkey during Kitaro's Symphonic World Tour, balancing the artists trademark signature sound and expanding it to new heights with the addition of a 38-piece chamber symphony orchestra. Both Final Call and Symphony Live In Istanbul were nominated for Best New Age Album; Final Call for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards and Symphony Live In Istanbul for the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, becoming Kitaro’s 15th and 16th career Grammy Award nominations.

In 2010, Kitaro performed in Singapore in March, in Mexico for the Zacatecas Cultural Festival in April,[12] in Xi'an, China for the opening event of Daming Palace National Heritage Park in September, in Aichi, Japan for the Thousand Drums Event at COP10 for the Convention on Biological Diversity in October. From March to April, 2011, Kitaro toured Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. He donated part of the CD sales and concert profits to Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Relief.

While Kitaro has been touring, Domo Records released Kitaro's compilation Album, soundtracks to Toyo's Camera and 442 - Live With Honor, Die With Dignity, as well as the Grammy nominated Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai, Volume 4. In February 2014, Kitaro launched the Symphonic World Tour and has so far performed in Warsaw, Moscow, Bucharest, Istanbul, Singapore, Nagoya, Omachi and Tehran among other historic locations. Early 2015 he released the soundtrack to 442 Extreme Patriots Of WW II - Live With Honor, Die With Dignity.

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This album takes the listener beyond the clouds and into a finely crafted space journey. Kitaro's creative use of synthesizer is well-known, and the introduction of 12 string guitar, tambura, harp and sitar in his arrangements give the crisp harmonic sound a softer glow. A peaceful and relaxing journey.



Kitaro - Silver Cloud  (flac 238mb)

01 Silk Road 4:12
02 Bell Tower 2:27
03 Heavenly Father 4:07
04 The Great River (Yellow River) 2:40
05 The Great Wall Of China 1:54
06 Flying Celestial Nymphs 4:38
07 Silk Road Fantasy 4:40
08 Shimmering Light 3:20
09 Westbound 2:57
10 Time 3:30
11 Bodhisattva 2:12
12 Everlasting Road 5:33
13 Theme From Silk Road (6:14)

Kitaro - Silver Cloud   (ogg 106mb)

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This is Kitaro's second, and best live album. This was the album that got Kitaro some attention from the radio stations as well as record stores-THIS was the album that introduced Kitaro to the US public. Asia (aka Live in Asia, Asia Live) is Kitaro's mellow music from the late 70's to mid 80's done in his rocky style of playing. It works surprisingly well too. The songs are flowing and melodic, yet have anough jams to make them kick butt. The way in which Kitaro interprets such soft and sensual, and at the same time, strong, powerful and penetrating musical tunes with the synthesizer, combining it masterfully with the electric guitar (as he does it in the songs "Cosmic Love" and "Cloud"), is just simply uplifting, inclusively for the coldest of mortals. As a side note, the recording of these concerts is good enough to easily hear and distinguish the ambience of the different concert halls.



Kitaro - Live in Asia (flac 209mb)

01 Earth Born 2:52
02 Caravansary 4:36
03 Theme Of Silk Road 4:33
04 Cosmic Love 4:59
05 Cloud 6:08
06 Japanese Drums 3:23
07 Return To Russia 8:01
08 Straight A Way To Orion 7:49
09 Dawn In Malaysia (Getaran Jiwa) 7:05

Kitaro - Live in Asia   (ogg 125mb)

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As indicated on the cover art and inlay drawing depicting a young child, this 1986 album had a very personal inspiration with regard to the composer's life history. Tenku is a brilliantly lyrical yet entirely instrumental CD. Kitaro speaks volumes with his synthesizers. These romantic interludes are full of gentle melodies and lush synth washes. The atmospheres are vibrant and bold. They are connected by wispy drones. There are no dark overtones or edges; this is upbeat, pastoral ambience.



Kitaro - Tenku (flac 250mb)

01 Tenku 4:15
02 Romance 4:13
03 Wings 5:35
04 Aura 7:26
05 Message From The Cosmos 5:53
06 Time Traveller 5:30
07 Legend Of The Road 4:30
08 Milky Way 6:12

Kitaro - Tenku  (ogg   110mb)

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The Light Of The Spirit is a 'project' disc, composed and performed as a unit by Kitaro and a large group of fellow musicians. As the title suggests it is more or less metaphysical in content and theme. Produced in collaboration with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, 'The Light of the Spirit' is also an experiment with newer, expansive sounds. In any case it is primarily electronic with enough acoustic fusion elements to keep it from being all out space music. Kitaro has a knack for creating long drawn out melodies that are easily accessible but which never quite cross the fine line into bubblegum. In this album a lot of thought has gone into the composition and arrangement - kind of a cross between meditation and mentation. He augments that synth with several guest musicians on a variety of ambient instruments. This is truly ambient music. The vocal accompaniment by Lynn Ray and Jeannie Tracy counts as instrumental as well. The sound design treats the wordless vocals as an extra sound to incorporate. David Jenkins contributes a smoking electric guitar that gives this rock & roll textures as well.



Kitaro - The Light Of The Spirit  (flac  279mb)

01 The Mist 6:08
02 Caravansary 4:57
03 Mountain Stream 4:46
04 Pray 6:36
05 Ganga 3:30
06 Sunset 5:02
07 Linden 3:28
08 Moon Star 8:52

Kitaro - The Light Of The Spirit  (ogg   105mb)

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