Kitarō

Early life: 1954–76

Masanori Takahashi was born in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, and is a graduate of Sahid University. 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 return, he did not show for the job without telling them, and managed to convince them to work on something he loves.

In the high school Kitarō was electric guitarist 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 keyboards. He joined the Japanese music group Far East Family Band, they released two progressive rock albums, and toured with them around the world. 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–present

Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai and Daichi became 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 and the success created from the program brought Kitaro international attention.

1984–1992

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 titled Ten Kai (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 Towards 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". However, his not comfortable with the term, but for him it doesn't mean much, "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 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 (which sold two million copies) 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 for Best New Age Album during his tenure at Geffen Records. In 1990 was released studio album Kojiki, which was inspired by the Japense 8th century chronicle Kojiki, and it reached #159 on Billboard 200, and #1 on Billboard New Age albums chart. His soundtrack for the movie Heaven & Earth (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’s and soundtrack album The Soong Sisters (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, during which time the conceptual endeavor, which he envisioned as an artistic means to help unify people globally, the artist began recording Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai (2003), 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 which was nominated for the Grammy in Best New Age Album category.

Recent projects

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 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 in 2015 and Tenku 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, Kitaro was on 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, he was married to Yuki Taoka. They have a son. In the early 1990s he moved from Japan to 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 2007 they relocated to Sebastopol, California.