Kitaro Ancient CD

For over a quarter century, Japan's Kitaro has been an internationally recognized icon and globally acclaimed composer and musician. Influenced early on by American rock and R&B, Kitaro began experimenting with synthesizers and a rainbow of unconventional sounds in the mid-'70s. His pioneering fusion of electronic artistry, traditional Japanese forms, and pop-inflected Western idioms created a lush, harmonic, and poetic sound that won the now legendary artist a huge international following. 1980's Volume 1 in the revered Silk Road series is considered an all-time masterpiece, with subsequent volumes only adding to its luster. '87's GRAMMY-nominated The Light Of The Spirit, a collaboration with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, exceeded sales of two million in the U.S. alone, elevating Kitaro's presence Stateside to an unprecedented degree. 1992's transcendent Dream, made with Yes' Jon Anderson, was also a smash, and other highlights are too numerous to single out.2000's Thinking Of You, which online music bible allmusic.com called "one of the most beautiful CDs of all time," won a GRAMMY for Best New Age Album, and Kitaro is universally acknowledged as a founding architect of the genre. That being said, Kitaro's atmospheric, powerfully emotive, and multi-textured music truly defies the constraints of any genre, epitomizing what Domo Records founder Eiichi Naito identifies as the label's guiding principleā€”"To provide a home for both the creators and aficionados of quality music beyond the borders of categorization." Most fundamentally, at its heart, Kitaro's music is always about sending a profound message of peace and spiritual development, both personally and globally. With Sacred Journey Of Ku-kai Volume 2, the artist's lifelong vision coalesces into an elegant and wondrously integrated master work. The first in an important series, it offers a beautifully expressed and richly resonant experience through which to contemplate our changing world.

Personnel includes: Slava (vocals); London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Engineers: Gary Barlough, Chris Dibble, Shin-ichi Akagawa.
ANCIENT was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.
"Ancient" is only a couple letters away from "ambient." It is no small coincidence, then, that Ancient is Kitaro's most ambient album. It is the soundtrack to a documentary about -- well -- the ancient lands of Egypt, Indus (India), Mesopotamia and China. With sweeping dramatic instrumentals and dynamic bravado, Kitaro takes his listeners on tours of these great civilizations and cultures. The compositional and performance talents of this great artist are paramount. His interpretive expertise shines as he creates warm atmospheres with appropriate respect and intrigue. The soundscapes are strong and bold as only Kitaro and a handful of others can do. The new age performers at this level are Constance Demby, Suzanne Ciani, Lisa Lynne, Vangelis and Deuter. ~ Jim Brenholts
On this 2001 release, Kitaro continues his exploration of symphonic sound, creating a highly cinematic travelogue of Ancient Egypt. One might expect an album about Egypt to feature exotic instrumentation or a world fusion sound, but ANCIENT's sensibilities derive mostly from Western classical traditions. Aside from some vaguely tribal-sounding percussion in "Tumba Dance," this is a Westerner's take on the Middle East of old, replete with a guest appearance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
The opening theme, "Nile," gushes forth with all the force of the nominal river and flows sweetly, with subtle, wordless vocals. The mincing "Ritual Dance" recalls, strangely but entertainingly, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Other nice moments include the brooding "Wave from Ancient" and the playful, pretty "Unicorn." "Beyond" is a strong album-closer that leaves you wondering how Kitaro will top himself next time.