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Thread: Kitaro--how much prog is there?

  1. #26
    随缘 SRS's Avatar
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    CD 3 seems to be the one with the good stuff on it. Rest of them really skew to the late 90's - 2000 material. Some of that will be OK and the price is good but most of this is not the classic material.

    Astral Voyager, Full Moon Story, Oasis, Silk Road, Silk Road II, Silk Road III (Tunhuang), Ki, Millennia, Silver Cloud, Silk Road IV (India), Toward the West, Tenku and Light of the Spirit are the ones to hear.

    Incredible run of fantastic albums.

  2. #27
    Aside from the Far East Family Band stuff...there was also a later album called Mandala that attempted to capture some of that same vibe (albeit filtered through his then musical "feel" heavily).

    I like bits throughout his catalog; the most interesting/enjoyable bits are on his first few IMHO.

    For those that care about these sorts of things: Ryo Okomoto of Spock's Beard is one of the players on his 'In Person' album.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    No, those earlier albums which were recommended are good, but they're not Prog-Rock. For Prog-Rock Kitaro, you have to get some Far East Family Band, who are quite good.
    I have to check them out. I'm am a big fan of Kitaro's but he has been repeating himself for a while now so I haven't gotten anything new from him in years. If FEFB work is more proggy (for lack of a better term), I'm in. Thanks!

  4. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Tangram View Post
    I have to check them out. I'm am a big fan of Kitaro's but he has been repeating himself for a while now so I haven't gotten anything new from him in years. If FEFB work is more proggy (for lack of a better term), I'm in. Thanks!
    If you’re into spacy/cosmic prog (along the lines of Clearlight, Steve Hillage’s solo work, the spacier end of Floyd or the rock-ier end of TD) then you’ll really love FEFB. Even Tenkujin, done with an abridged four-piece version of the band (minus Kitaro, who’d already begun his solo career at the time), is worthwhile.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  5. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    If you’re into spacy/cosmic prog (along the lines of Clearlight, Steve Hillage’s solo work, the spacier end of Floyd or the rock-ier end of TD) then you’ll really love FEFB. Even Tenkujin, done with an abridged four-piece version of the band (minus Kitaro, who’d already begun his solo career at the time), is worthwhile.
    After reading this thread last night I went to Amazon and downloaded Parallel World.. Got through first couple of cuts and can see where folks compare them to Floyd.. Saucers period for sure.. Next cut I believe is 23+ minutes so I'm saving that one for yardwork tomorrow..

  6. #31
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    I remember those drums. I saw Kitaro at the Academy of Music in Philly on that tour. I enjoyed the heck out of that.
    Thanks for the memories - nice post Dan!

    IMO Astral Journey is a good place to start. I tend to agree the earlier the betters its Kiraro for the most part.

  7. #32
    Oasis and Silk Roads I&II. I saw him back in the 80's and it was very good.
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

  8. #33
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    Just wanted to say that I bought "Astral Voyage" and I've given it probably 10 spins and it is really good. Reminds me a lot of Olias of Sunhillow w/o the vocals. I bet that's no coincidence as I'm sure Kitaro was a Yes fan, given he was in a prog band before his new age era. I'll keep investigating the early stuff.

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddhabreath View Post
    I saw him maybe in the mid to late 80s and my experience was quite the opposite. Not only were there no cheesy Casio sounds but there were huge Japanese drums (and I mean Yuuuuge) that he attacked with great passion. As I recall the mix of acoustic and analogue synth sounds were sumptuous. Kitaro at his best. Clearly you saw a different tour- sorry to hear about that.
    I saw him at the Tower Theatre in Philly during the Spirit of Light tour and he was phemonimal. Spiritual actually. Impressions of the west lake is quite good. One of his more recent soundtrack albums.

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by arturs View Post
    Just wanted to say that I bought "Astral Voyage" and I've given it probably 10 spins and it is really good. Reminds me a lot of Olias of Sunhillow w/o the vocals. I bet that's no coincidence as I'm sure Kitaro was a Yes fan, given he was in a prog band before his new age era. I'll keep investigating the early stuff.
    Get Oasis next. You'll dig it.

  11. #36
    I bought this recently and brought it on holidays with me. I rose earlier than the rest of the clan in the morning and enjoyed playing these cds and reading. Very relaxing. In all honesty, I can hardly tell one cd from another but it's very nice background music. And for that price, it's a steal. Just don't expect Van Der Graaf Generator!

  12. #37
    I recall reading an interview with him in Keyboard magazine, circa 85 or 86. As I recall, there was this big color photo of him surrounded by keyboards, and in the introduction, the author of the piece commented on the fact that not only did Kitaro need an interpreter, but they seemed to converse at length after each question, before he got the "answer".

    I saw a concert of his on PBS in the early 90's. As I recall, there was one piece where he took a soaring extended guitar solo, very much shades of David Gilmour. I don't remember much about the rest of the concert, but I remember thinking, "Man, I didn't know he could play guitar like that". Was always curious to know where more of that could be heard in his catalog.

  13. #38
    Jam packed with nice filler.
    Still alive and well...

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