released 1984

this album cover art work is a little bit different from the very original cover.

EARTH BORN
CARAVANSARY
FIRE (*1)
THEME OF SILK ROAD
COSMIC LOVE
CLOUD
JAPANESE DRUMS
RETURN TO RUSSIA
STRAIGHT' A WAY TO ORION
SONG OF CHINA (*1) (*2)
DAWN IN MALAYSIA (GETARAN JIWA) (*2)

(*1) only on the "complete version"

all songs written and arranged by KITARO except (*2)

musicians:
Shoji Fujii: drums, percussion
Satoru Nakata: drums, percussion
Hiroshi Araki: guitars
Tomoyuki Hayashi: keyboards
Masaji Watanabe: keyboards

Live album recorded in Shang-hai, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabal, on Asia tour 1984. You can hear KITARO-san's typical live performance, and this album exactly captures KITARO-san's emotional symphonic rock which is represented usually in his live show. (This album has "fade out"s on some songs. Of course, this aspect does not happen in REAL live show. Actually the total duration of LP and cassette tape is limited, so probably they chose to "fade out" and to contain more songs, instead of "no fade out" and less songs.)

Powerfully rocking rhythm section, roaring electric guitar, symphonic and lyrical keyboards...all these elements get together, and they sound so energetic having wide range of dynamism. And sometimes beautiful ballads bring us tears...so cool and so splendid. Even this album is less psychedelic than last live album BUDOKAN, but the charming points of KITARO-san's live performance (contrast between quiet and big sound, the delicateness of the performance. etc. etc.) are there on this album. So if you attend KITARO live and yo like it, this must be one of your favourite album.

This album has 2 different versions. (Young Persons' Guide to KITARO Music called the version which contains eleven songs "complete version", and another one "normal version".) Both "FIRE" & "SONG OF CHINA" are included only in complete version. Another difference is the duration of songs. Except "THEME OF SILK ROAD", "RETURN TO RUSSIA", "DAWN IN MALAYSIA (GETARAN JIWA)", each songs' duration on "complete version" are obviously longer than on "normal version". Particularly the durations of "COSMIC LOVE", "CLOUD", "STRAIGHT' A WAY TO ORION" are double length (these three songs on "normal version" are edited or "fade out" early). If both versions are in front of you, pick up "complete version". But probably it's really hard to find "complete version", because it seems that "complete version" was released only on cassette when this album was originally released. (So if it seems difficult to find, don't look for "complete version" too much instead of picking up "normal version"!! Otherwise you cannot enjoy ASIA at all for long years.) Attention to the cassette version from GEFFEN RECORDS. It is confirmed that, in those GEFFEN cassette, there are "normal version" whose cover indicates the track list of "complete version".

This album's both "CARAVANSARY" and "THEME OF SILK ROAD" have rock feelings most in all the recorded version of same songs. As usual in KITARO-san's live version, "THEME OF SILK ROAD" is closer to the first half of "SILVER MOON" on SILK ROAD VOLUME 2 album, instead of "SILK ROAD" on SILK ROAD VOLUME 1 album (that's might be the reason why the title is "THEME OF SILK ROAD", instead of "SILK ROAD"). "JAPANESE DRUMS" is the improvisation of Japanese Taiko drums. Both "SONG OF CHINA" and "DAWN IN MALAYSIA (GETARAN JIWA)" can be heard only on this album. Like these two songs, on each night in Asia tour 1984 (in which this album was recorded), it is said that KITARO-san performed one song which was deeply related to the place where the live show was performed. It is said that "DAWN IN MALAYSIA (GETARAN JIWA)" is composed by the king of Malaysia. That's why you can hear big applause when KITARO-san began to play the very first melody of this song.

Mostly all the songs are much evolved from its original studio recording version. For KITARO-san, it's very usual (or "as always"). For listeners, it's a pleasure. Giving good impressions.

If you think the title is wrong, go to KITARO Music english title "same song" list

any questions? click here.

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