Gaia Onbashira (CD)

Born Masanori Takahashi, Japanese keyboard wizard Kitaro first came to prominence in the early 1970s as a member of the band Far Out, which would quickly change its name to Far East Family Band, one of Japan's first and most legendary psychedelic groups. On his own, Kitaro produces pioneering New Age synthesizer music that is atmospheric and meditative, with simple melodies unfolding at unhurried tempos. His world-famous TV soundtrack SILK ROAD led to soundtracks for other films and even a Broadway show, in addition to numerous successful Kitaro albums proper.

• Category:  Music  »  Dance & DJ  »  Classic Electronic
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: May 19, 1998
• Label: Domo Records
• UPC: 724384578923
• WAPI (Tower ID): 105788010
• Average Customer Review: There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #40490 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #627 in Dance & DJ (See Top 100 Dance & DJ Bestsellers)
• #37 in Classic Electronic (See Top 100 Classic Electronic Bestsellers)

Browse more products related to "Gaia Onbashira"

Browse more products related to "Kitaro"

Personnel: Kitaro (various instruments); Tadayasu Nishi, Jonathan Goldman (spoken vocals); Maso Ito (classical guitar); Angus Clark (electric guitar, 12 string guitar); Ryusuke Seto (biwa); Kristin Stordahl Kanda (transversal flute); Keiko Takahashi (hand drums, sound effects); Ty Burhoe (tabla, tamboura); Derek Zimmerman, Luis Perez (percussion); Gary Barlough, Miazawa, Rieko (sound effects).

Recorded at Mochi Studio, Ward, Colorado. Includes liner notes by Kitaro.

GAIA ONBASHIRA was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best New Age Album.

GAIA ONBASHIRA pays tribute to Mother Earth and to Onbashira Matsuri, a festival celebrating the rebuilding of one of Japan's oldest structures, the Suwa Grand Shrine in Nagano. Kitaro, in other words, once again takes on two of his favorite themes: the importance of nature in our lives, and the need to maintain a spiritual connection to past traditions in this world of ever-increasing complexity and chaos. The album opens with bird imitations by Kitaro and guests (calling themselves "human birds"); the listener is then taken on a winding journey through a variety of sonic landscapes.

Stops along the way include the meditative "Tanne," evoking the image of mist-covered mountains from old Japanese paintings; the lushly orchestrated "Misty," reminiscent of Kitaro's award-winning score for Oliver Stone's HEAVEN & EARTH; and the droning, mildly Indian-influenced "Gaia," recalling his 1994 album, MANDALA. His textures range from the gentle and ethereal, bringing to mind his early treks along THE SILK ROAD, to the strident and pulsating, reminding us of his roots in progressive rock. He employs a rich array of instruments, including the Japanese biwa, the Indian tabla and tamboura, and the David Gilmour-inspired guitar work of Angus Clark.

There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!

• Great Deals on CDs under $9.99

  New Releases, Bestsellers and Classic Albums all for under $10! Great Music for Everyone's Tastes!

• Great Deals on DVDs under $12.99

  New Releases, Bestsellers and Classic DVDs all for under $13! Great Movies, TV and DVD Specials for Everyone's Tastes!

• Great Deals on Books under $14.99

  New Releases, Bestsellers and Classic Books all for under $15! Great Reads for Everyone's Tastes!