Since Vangelis checked out of this world and Jean-Michel Jarre concentrated on electronica again, Kitaro might be the last standing proponent of keyboard-driven progressive new age, but while the Japanese master’s studio works sound stunning, it’s in concert that his compositions shine the brightest. Given the veteran’s previous onstage album, “Symphony: Live In Istanbul” from 2014, was released a whole decade ago, a next one seemed long-overdue – and July 19th will see the release of an impressive CD/DVD package.
Comprised of the audience’s favorites and deep cuts from Kitaro’s catalogue, “Zen: Live In Katsuyama” is a document of a show he played in November 2023 at the Daishizan Seidai-ji Temple in Fukui to celebrate the 35th anniversary of its founding. Famous for hosting a 17-meter statue of Buddah, the tallest seated Buddha statue in the Land of the Rising Sun, the temple, also known as Echizen Daibutsu, is a prominent feature on the visual version of the album, adding a spiritual aspect to music.
Zen:
Live In Katsuyama
1. Prayer For Mother Earth
2. Monks Prayer *
3. Mercury
4. Silk Road
5. Aqua
6. Requiem
7. Hajimari
8. Sozo
9. Koi *
10. Orochi
11. Sitara
12. Gaia
13. Matsuri
14. Reimei
* DVD only
