At the end of the day …. Happy birthday, Kitaro!!

~~February 4, 2015~~ 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Kitarō (born February 4, 1953) is a Japanese recording artist, composer, record producer and arranger who is regarded as a pioneer of New Age music. He is the winner of a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

~Early life: 1954–1976~

Kitaro 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).

~1994 – present~

~Domo Records~

Since his 1994 debut for Domo Records, the Grammy-nominated Mandala, Kitaro has released twelve 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 nominations.

~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 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.

~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.[10] In 2009, Domo Records released the original soundtrack album Impressions of the West Lake which was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Awards.

~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 musician and 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 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.

“As it appears in …. “

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitar%C5%8D

~~GALLERY~~ 

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#AtTheEndOfTheDay #HappyBirthdayKitaro #February4 #JapaneseRecordinArtist #Composer #RecordProducer #Arranger #NewAgeMusicPioneer #GrammyAward #GoldenGlobeAward #FarEastFamilyBand #LoveAndPeaceWorldTour #SacredJourneyOfKuKaiSeries #ImpressionsOfTheWestLake #LiveWithHonor #DieWithDignity #TheLightOfTheSpirit #SongForPeace

#WeAllAreOne #ItIsWhatItIs #DrRex #hrexachwordpress

One of my favorite songs by Kitaro appear in this album

~The Light Of The Spirit~

~Uploaded on Apr 4, 2010~

Carlos LHDE

This its my tribute to Kitaro with a compilation of photography taken in Japan by Tomo Yun

~”Song for Peace by Kitaro”~

~Uploaded on Sep 20, 2009~

Dedicated to the United Nations’ International Day of Peace celebrated each year on September 21.
Join and spread the Spirit of Peace, because Peace can only prosper as a collective condition of human heart and mind, for the sake of all Children!
…. and the Dream of World Peace will become Reality!

We ALL are ONE!! 

To start the day …. we all need an oasis!!

~~July 18, 2014~~ 

In geography, an oasis (plural: oases) or cienega (Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source. Oases also provide habitat for animals and even humans if the area is big enough. The location of oases has been of critical importance for trade and transportation routes in desert areas; caravans must travel via oases so that supplies of water and food can be replenished.

An oasis in the Negev Desert

Oases are formed from underground rivers or aquifers such as an artesian aquifer, where water can reach the surface naturally by pressure or by man-made wells. Occasional brief thunderstorms provide subterranean water to sustain natural oases, such as the Tuat. Substrata of impermeable rock and stone can trap water and retain it in pockets, or on long faulting subsurface ridges or volcanic dikes water can collect and percolate to the surface. Any incidence of water is then used by migrating birds, which also pass seeds with their droppings which will grow at the water’s edge forming an oasis.

~~SOURCE~~

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oasis

In figurative terms, we also use the word “oasis” as a place of rest, recharging and regrouping. It’s a peaceful, serene place where we can let our guards down and relax. 

The trials and tribulations of life do not let up!

Our world has turned into this dangerous, complicated, duplicitous, stressed place. There’s no peace … meaning outside of us (war and conflicts) or inside of us (stress of daily living). Either we are exposed to outside dangers: environmental, governmental, political – or we are exposed to internal strife (familiar, financial, job-related). You name it, fill in your blanks. 

 You can refer to a pleasant place or situation as an oasis when it is surrounded by unpleasant ones.  

Let’s go away.

Let’s find our own personal oasis. We are hurting, we are tired, we are spent. We feel we can’t go on anymore. The forces are too strong to keep going. We need to recharge, we need to rest. There’s too much static. There’s the sound of war drums everywhere. 

Wherever that may be, let’s go there today!! 

~~Oasis~~

~Uploaded on Sep 23, 2008~

~Kitaro~

Enjoy the peace, see the beauty, feel the heart beat and the breathing slow down. Take it all in. Soothes the soul, calms the spirit, rejuvenates you, recharges you. Let the running water purify your soul. We need to be replenished. 

Gather the supplies, fill the reservoirs because the journey continues until you find the next oasis. 

We ALL are ONE!!