Kitaro is an artist who is admired for being one of the most important new-age musicians, as much as he is disparaged for coming up with spiritual nonsense. To his fans he is beacon of hope for humanity, while his detractors dismiss him as an airhead.
The Japanese guitarist and multi-instrumentalist is to play two shows at the Taipei International Convention Center next week, on Tuesday (Sept. 7) and Wednesday. So get your tickets quick, if you're one of his fans, as promoters last night said 80 percent were already sold.
Kitaro, who was born Masanori Takahashi and whose stage name means "man of joy and love," was born into a Buddhist/Shinto farming family in central Japan, taught himself the electric guitar as a high school student and started his first group, the East Family Band, in 1970.
His breakthrough came 10 years later when he created the music for Silk Road, a documentary about the overland trade route from Europe to Japan. Having found his formula for success, Kitaro has been successfully playing variations on a similar theme for the past quarter of a century.
As a composer, he believes that his music is created by some external power and told Rolling Stone, "This music is not from my mind. It is from heaven, going through my body and out my fingers through composing. Sometimes I wonder. I never practice. I don't read or write music, but my fingers move. I wonder `Whose song is this?' I write my songs, but they are not my songs."
Currently on a tour of Asia, the Grammy- and Golden Globe-winning artist was recently made an ambassador of peace by Earthdance, a group that promotes universal love and goodwill.
He was given the "Artist of Peace Award" and will headline "the world's largest synchronized music and lifestyle event" at an arena in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 18, with a prayer for peace that will be broadcast around the globe.
Last year, he came up with the Grammy-nominated Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai and last month Domo Records released Reinterpretations, a compilation of remixes by "high-profile and hot underground producers," who put their "unique spin on timeless music that unites, heals and soothes the human spirit," according to his publicists.
For his Taipei shows, the 51-year-old will appear with a 12-piece backing band of experienced Japanese musicians, many of whom have played at prominent jazz festivals around the world, in their own groups.
Some of the better-known names are his wife Takahashi Keiko on piano; Manabu Takahashi, guitar; Shinji Ebihara on keyboards; Yayoi Sakiyama, violin; Tmoko Nomura, percussion and Ono Kideo on drums.
A sneak preview of the expected playlist for the shows includes (the inevitable) Theme from Silk Road, tunes from the influential 1983 record Caravansary, Peace Bell Symphony (1988), Heaven and Earth (1994), Cocoro Part 1 from last year and a few other selections from one of the longest back catalogues on record.
Whatever your take is on crystal healing, universal love and the power of prayer, Kitaro is a remarkable artist and professional who always puts on a good show. For his followers, he can do no wrong, the skeptical may be converted.
The Taipei International Convention Center (ICC) is at 1, Xinyi Road, Sec 5, Taipei (台北市信義路5段1號). The shows start at 7:45pm. Tickets are from: http://www.ticket.com.tw.
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