Kitaro (JP)

About

Also known as: Kitaro, Kitaro (喜多郎), Kitaro Takahashi, Masanori Takahashi, kitarou, きたろう, たかはし まさのり, 喜多郞, 高橋 正則, 高橋正則

Few artists have done more to put new age music on the map than Kitaro, the Japanese composer and synthesizer player born Masanori Takahashi in Toyohashi, Japan. His big break came through the NHK documentary series Silk Road, whose atmospheric score he crafted largely on a Minimoog and miniKORG, selling millions of copies and earning him international recognition almost overnight. From there he collaborated with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead on The Light of the Spirit, which moved two million copies, and teamed up with Jon Anderson of Yes for the album Dream. His soundtrack for the film Heaven and Earth earned him a Golden Globe, and Thinking of You eventually brought home the Grammy for Best New Age Album, one of a record 16 nominations he has received in that category. Lately he has been revisiting older material with fresh ears, putting out a 2025 remaster of The Field, and a new collaboration with Jon Anderson called Island of Life appeared in 2025.