Kitarō

Biography

Masanori Takahashi (高橋 正則, Takahashi Masanori; born February 4, 1953), professionally known as Kitarō (喜多郎), is a Japanese musician, composer, record producer, and arranger noted for his electronic-instrumental music, and is often associated with and regarded as one of the most prominent musical acts of new-age music. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for Thinking of You×Thinking of You2 November 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Estrella4:212Mercury5:583Cosmic Wave3:414Harmony of the Forest6:235Fiesta7:476Thinking of You6:537Spirit of Water4:448Stream5:339Space II6:5810Del mar2:11 (1999), with a record 16 nominations in the same category. He received a Golden Globe Award for the original score to Heaven & Earth (1993).

Early life: 1954–76

Masanori Takahashi was born in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, and is a graduate of Toyohashi Commercial High School. Kitarō, which is his boyhood name meaning "man of love and joy", a practicing Buddhist himself, was born in a family of Shinto-Buddhist farmers. After graduating 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 response, he silently did not show up for the job, eventually convincing them that he should work on something he loved.
In high school Kitaro played electric guitar in a band that played American rhythm and blues of Otis Redding and covers by The Beatles. After graduating, and learning to play drums and bass, 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".
In the early 1970s, he changed completely to keyboard and joined the Japanese progressive rock band Far East Family Band and recorded four albums with them. While in Japan and Europe in 1975, 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).

Solo career: 1977–1993

Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai×Ten Kai1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1By the Sea SideA2Soul of the SeaA3Micro CosmosA4BeatA5FireB1MuB2Dawn of the AstralB3Endless Dreamy WorldB4KaisoB5Astral Trip and Daichi were released in 1978 and 1979. He performed his first symphonic concert at the "Small Hall" of the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Silk Road

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 score received a Galaxy Award, and the series of soundtracks sold millions of copies. The success created from the program brought Kitaro international attention.

1984–1993

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 1985–1986. This included a re-releasing of six prior albums entitled Ten Kai×Ten Kai1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1By the Sea SideA2Soul of the SeaA3Micro CosmosA4BeatA5FireB1MuB2Dawn of the AstralB3Endless Dreamy WorldB4KaisoB5Astral Trip (aka Astral Voyage), Daichi (aka Full Moon Story), Millennia, India, Silver Cloud and Live in Asia (aka Asia) (each packaged with Japanesque obi strips) as well as a new album, aptly titled Toward the West. Due to his combination of electronic and acoustic sounds, mellow music, and repeating chords which resembled the umbrella New age music category in the United States and Europe, his music was labeled as "new age". While he is not comfortable with the term, it doesn't mean much to him: "Whether people say my music is new age or not, it's OK with me. I'm just going to keep calling it Kitaro's music". On his music he noted that his outlook on life, study of philosophy, and responsibility to create music which has a good influence on society, influence his musical creation.
In 1987, he collaborated with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead for the album The Light of the Spirit×The Light of the Spirit1 July 1987 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Mysterious Encounter6:032Sundance6:213The Field4:524The Light of the Spirit7:325In the Beginning5:536Moondance4:447Howling Thunder6:088Journey to a Fantasy7:09 (which sold two million copies) and in 1992 with Jon Anderson (Yes) for the album Dream×Dream6 July 1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Symphony of the Forest4:442Mysterious Island3:413Lady of Dreams8:184A Drop of Silence2:575A Passage of Life8:006Agreement6:327Dream of Chant3:548Magical Wave3:079Symphony of Dreams5:4410Island of Life9:41. In 1988, his record sales soared to 10 million worldwide following a successful US tour. He was nominated three times for Grammy Award for Best New Age Album during his tenure at Geffen Records. In 1990 the studio album Kojiki×Kojiki16 March 1990 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Hajimari3:342Sozo5:353Koi6:294Orochi7:095Nageki5:466Matsuri8:597Reimei8:36 was released, inspired by the Japanese 8th century chronicle Kojiki; the album reached #159 on Billboard 200, and #1 on Billboard New Age chart. His soundtrack for the movie Heaven & Earth×Heaven & Earth7 December 1993 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Heaven and Earth (Land Theme)7:392Sau Dau Tree3:403Ahn & Le Ly Love Theme4:554Saigon Reunion5:495ARVN3:416Sau Nightmare0:597V.C. Bonfire0:478Trong Com0:439Ahn's House6:2610Destiny1:1411Last Phone Call1:4012A Child Without a Father2:0513Village Attack / The Arrest1:2114Walk to the Village3:0015Steve's Ghosts1:3216Return to Vietnam2:0417End Title10:28 (1993) won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. Kitaro also produced an album Scenes (1992) released by Shrapnel Records with former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman.

Domo Records

Since his 1994 debut for Domo Records, and 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. Kitaro and Randy Miller's soundtrack album The Soong Sisters×The Soong Sisters18 November 1998 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1The Soong Sisters4:442Nowhere to Land2:513Dr. Sun & Ching-ling2:374Man on Fire3:405Ching-ling Assassination Attempt / Soldiers Revolt4:046Ching-ling Goes to Russia3:537Waltz & War3:498The Bonfire1:499Xi-an Airport1:2110The Scroll Is Read4:0411Ching-ling Escapes2:5512Parachutes2:2213Echoing Wall4:38 (2000) received Best Original Music Award from the Hong Kong Film Award (1998), as well as the Taiwan Golden Horse Film Festival and Award (1997).

Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai series

Kitaro's music has long been recognized for its messages of peace and spirituality. In the wake of 9/11 the artist began to record the conceptual endeavor, which he envisioned as an artistic means to help unify people globally, Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai (2003). This was 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. 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.

Impressions of the West Lake

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×Impressions of the West Lake28 April 2009 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Inmost Feeling Ripples5:542Aria di West Lake12:533Fish Dive in the Lake7:294The Moon on the Lake5:345Impressions of the West Lake5:156Zen5:057Lotus7:268Reflection of the Moon11:589Romance7:0710Spirit of the West Lake6:09 which was nominated for the Grammy in Best New Age Album category.

Recent projects

Kitaro's latest studio album is Final Call×Final Call10 September 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Final Call6:182Jupiter's Beam6:083Yo-en9:464Shadow of the Moon4:455Traveler5:596Valley of the Spirit4:117After Glow4:518Wind from the Desert5:349Moment Circle4:2710Whispering Shore5:0911Solar Eclipse4:51, 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×Symphony Live in Istanbul9 September 2014 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Heaven & Earth13:532Thinking of You5:523Orochi6:514Silk Road5:555Kokoro (Part II)5:226Mercury8:427Reimei8:558Matsuri10:33 was released. It was recorded live at the Halic Congress Center in Istanbul, Turkey during Kitaro's Symphonic World Tour, balancing the artist's 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, becoming Kitaro's 15th and 16th career Grammy Award nominations. More recently he has reissued his critically acclaimed studio albums Kojiki×Kojiki16 March 1990 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Hajimari3:342Sozo5:353Koi6:294Orochi7:095Nageki5:466Matsuri8:597Reimei8:36 in 2015 and Tenku×Tenku25 October 1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Tenku4:152Romance4:403Wings5:194Aura6:465Message From the Cosmos5:416Time Traveller5:317Legend of the Road4:348Milky Way6:12 in 2016.

Touring and other activities

In 2007 to 2009, he launched the "Love and Peace World Tour," an international tour with which Kitaro hoped to inspire his message of world peace with his music. Kitaro toured Southeast Asia in 2007, Greece in 2008 and Hong Kong, Japan, Southeast Asia in 2009. During his visit to Greece, Kitaro met Greek composer Vangelis, and exchanged musical experience and creative ideas.
In 2010, Kitaro performed in Singapore in March, in Mexico for the Zacatecas Cultural Festival in April, 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, he was on a tour titled The Silk Road – East & West, visiting Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. He donated part of the CD sales and concert profits to Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Relief. For the same purpose he participated in the 2011 edition of Musicians United for Safe Energy. In 2012 he released Let Mother Earth Speak, a collaboration album with Native American activist Dennis Banks.

Personal life

From around 1983 to 1990, Kitarō was married to Yuki Taoka, daughter of Kazuo Taoka. They have a son. In the early 1990s, he moved from Japan to the United States. In the mid-1990s, he married Keiko Matsubara, a musician who played on several of his albums. Along with Keiko's son, the couple lived in Ward, Colorado, on a 180-acre (72.85 hectare) spread and composed in his 2500-square-foot (230 m2) home studio "Mochi House" (it is large enough to hold a 70-piece orchestra). Around 2005, they relocated to Sebastopol, California. Kitaro subsequently divorced Keiko (she was visibly absent from the performances during 2020-2021 period). On 24 February 2022, he married Brazil-born, ethnically Japanese artist Franci Shimomaebara in a private ceremony attended by friends and relatives. They had met in 1990, and after becoming friends worked together on The Wind, which was featured on Kitarō's Grammy-nominated 2003 album, Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 1×Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 19 September 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Michi7:472Kageroh5:203Shizuku5:214Flow5:085Nen4:446The Wind4:577Gi5:058Evening Sun4:529Silence6:1310Earth in Bloom7:4511Kuu5:0412Cocoro6:25. In 2012 they collaborated on the album Symphony of my Dreams where Franci recorded vocal renditions of some of Kitarō's famous pieces, including Silk Road.