YAMADASHI
      TANNE
      PRAYER
MISTY
GAIA
WOOD FAIRY
SATOBIKI
KIOTOSHI

all music written and arranged by KITARO

additional musicians:
Angus Clark: electric guitar, 12 string guitar
Derek Zimmerman: percussion
Kristin Stordahl Kanda: transversal flute
Masa Ito: classical guitar
Ty Burhoe: tabla, tamboura
Luis Perez: atmospheric percussion
Tadayasu Nishi: kiyari chant
Jonathan Goldman: chanting voice
Keiko Takahashi: hand drums, "human birds"
Ryusuke Seto: biwa
Gary Barlough: "human birds"
Miazawa and Rieko: "human birds"

The album with a magnificent scale, whose theme is a sacred, spiritual, and one of the most curious Japanese traditional festival: Onbashira Matsuri, which take place every 7 years around Suwa Grand Shrine in Nagano, Japan. Just like the real Onbashira Matsuri, this album unfolds the dramatic story with ups and downs.

Musically this album is closer to MANDALA which is KITARO-san's last studio recording album created 100% for KITARO-san himself. This album has many good improvisations here there and everywhere, and symphonic rock with rich colourfulness and wide range of dynamism. But this album's rock has more cosmopolitan or more world music-like approach than MANDALA's rock (i.e. having one of KITARO Music's typical character). It might be better to say "multi national" instead of "cosmopolitan". Just like KOJIKI album, even though the theme of the album has a deep connection to the particular place on this planet, the music is so global (i.e. having another one of KITARO Music's typical character). And this album has more spiritual power than psychedelic feeling (even psychedelic feeling is the main colour of MANDALA album). Again from MANDALA and CIRQUE INGENIEUX albums, electric guitar is featured much, and roaring powerful and metallic sound from the opening tune "YAMADASHI". "YAMADASHI" also features "kiyari chant" which is necessary for Onbashira Matsuri. On "GAIA" which is placed in the centre of the album's ups and downs, KITARO-san rarely arranged classical guitar in the centre spot. And with spiritually repeated heavy groove, thrilling improvisation solo of classical guitar unfolds. KITARO-san is so good at this kind of arrangement. "SATOBIKI" has another improvisation which sounds psychedelically along with the grooving rhythm made of many sort of modern and ethnic percussions (so cool!!). The climax, "KIOTOSHI" is a powerful symphonic rock with kiyari chant (again) and typical KITARO-san-like moving melody. This album's "KITARO-san's typical flow represented through an album" is very clear and understandable.

This album is one of KITARO-san's masterpiece and you can hear "the music without words which tells a mystic and dramatic story BETTER THAN WORDS" (even "kiyari chant" sings words). This album is good for the very first KITARO album for those who is new to KITARO Music.

On the next album THINKING OF YOU, new musical current began to be appeared (check out THINKING OF YOU page). But by listening to GAIA - ONBASHIRA carefully, you will find that that current is already on this album when hearing nature sound being mixed with the music (on "WOOD FAIRY" etc.).

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