Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
KITARO , A Miracle from Japan
Biography
Name: きたろう
Name (romaji): Kitaro
Real name: 古関安広 / Koseki Yasuhiro
Profession: Actor
Birthdate: 1948-Aug-25
Birthplace: Chiba, Japan
Height: 164cm
Star sign: Virgo
Blood type: O
Early life
Inspired by the R&B music of Otis Redding, Kitaro taught himself how to play guitar. While attending Toyohashi Commercial High School, he started the "Albatross" band with his friends, performing at parties and in clubs. "I started out playing the guitar but then changed to the keyboards. Before one of our gigs, the drummer was injured. I had no experience at all on the drums, but I had to learn it because I was the leader of the band, and we had to do the gig…Later, the bassist had injuries, so I had to learn how to play the bass. [These accidents are] the main reasons why I can play all these instruments; I had a crash course in how to play them. It was a hard time for me, but a very good experience.”
After graduating, Kitaro moved to Tokyo to experience and become a part of the music scene, and it was there that he discovered the synthesizer. His first synthesizer was analog, and recalls he “just loved the analog sound that it made compared to today's digital sound”.
His parents were first opposed to the idea of their son having a musical career. Indeed, in an effort to manoeuvre him towards their vision, they made arrangements for him to take a job at a local company. In return, he left home without telling them. He supported himself by taking on several part time jobs such as cooking or civil service work, meanwhile composing songs at night.
In the early 1970s, he changed completely to keyboards. He joined the band "Far East Family Band" and toured with them around the world. In Europe, he met the German synthesizer musician and former Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze. Schulze produced two albums for the band and gave Kitaro some tips for the use of synthesizers. In 1976 he left the band and travelled through Asia (China, Laos, Thailand, India).
Solo career
Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai and From the Full Moon Story became cult favorites of fans of the nascent New Age movement. He performed his first symphonic concert at the 'Small Hall' of the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Shinjuku, Tokyo. During this concert Kitaro used a synthesizer to recreate the sounds of 40 different instruments, a world's first. But it was his famous soundtrack for the NHK series "Silk Road" that brought him international attention.
He struck a worldwide distribution arrangement with Geffen Records in 1986. This included a re-releasing of five prior albums -- Astral Voyage, Full Moon Story, Millennia, India, and Asia, each handsomely packaged with Japanesque obi strips -- and a new album, the aptly titled, Toward the West. In 1987 he collaborated with different musicians, e.g. with Micky Hart (Grateful Dead) and Jon Anderson (Yes). In 1988 his record sales soared to 10 million worldwide. He was nominated twice for a Grammy award and his soundtrack for the movie "Heaven & Earth" won the award for best original score.
When asked about his music, he said, "I never had education in music, I just learned to trust my ears and my feelings." He credits ‘powers beyond himself’ for his music, saying, "This music is not from my mind. It is from heaven, going through my body and out my fingers through composing. Sometimes I wonder. I never practice. I don't read or write music, but my fingers move. I wonder, 'Whose song is this?' I write my songs, but they are not my songs."[citation needed]
1995 to present
Since his 1995 début for Domo Records—the Grammy-nominated Mandala, featuring bold use of electric guitar—Kitaro has released no less than thirteen albums. Among them, the live An Enchanted Evening (1995), the deeply spiritual Gaia Onbashira (1998) and Ancient (2001), were all Grammy nominated. The 2000 Thinking Of You, which allmusic.com calls a “journey to ecstasy” and “one of the most beautiful CDs of all time,”[citation needed] won the Grammy for Best New Age Album.
Kitaro’s music has long been recognised for its messages of peace and spirituality. In the wake of September 11, the artist began recording Sacred Journey Of Ku-kai, an intended series of peace-themed albums (Vol. 1 released in 2003; Vol. 2 in 2005, vol.3 in 2007), inspired by the classic Buddhist pilgrimage to the 88 sacred temples on Japan’s Shikoku Island, a journey taken by the famous Buddhist monk Kūkai over a millennium ago.
In 2007, Kitaro has composed the music for West Lake Impression, a large-scale opera, directed by renowned Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. The opera reflects the city’s history and culture through music and dance. Using modern technology, the stage is 75 centimeters below the lake’s surface during the day so as not to affect the landscape and boating activities. In the evening, the stage is 75 centimeters below the lake’s surface.[citation needed] The two-hour event had its opening night in March 2007.
In 2007-2009 he launched the ‘Love and Peace World Tour,’ an international tour with which Kitaro hoped to inspire his message of world peace with his music. Kitaro toured Southeast Asia in 2007, and Greece in 2008. During his visit to Greece, Kitaro met Greek musician and composer Vangelis, and exchanged musical expirience and creative ideas. Kitaro has also reunited with drummer Mickey Hart.
Personal life
From 1983 until 1990 Kitaro was married to Yuki Taoka. Yuki is a daughter of Kazuo Taoka, godfather of Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest Yakuza syndicate. Kitaro and Yuki had a son, Ryunosuke, who lives in Japan. They reportedly separated because Kitaro worked mostly in the United States while Yuki lived and worked in Japan. In the mid-nineties, Kitaro married Keiko Matsubara, a musician who played on several of his albums. Along with Keiko's son, the couple lived in Ward, Colorado on a 180 acre (730,000 m²) spread and composed in his 2500 square foot (230 m²) home studio "Mochi House" (it is large enough to hold a 70 piece orchestra). Kitaro and Keiko recently relocated to Occidental, California.
In 1989, he wrote the "Japanese" Theme for the film "Return From The River Kwai".
He has worked with guitarist Marty Friedman, formerly of Megadeth, on the "Scenes" album. He has also worked with Hong Kong Cantopop singer Anita Mui on the song "Years Flowing Like Water" "似水流年".
Kitaro composed the soundtrack of the Oliver Stone film Heaven and Earth.
Monday, June 29, 2009
PALEMBANG CITY
Palembang is the capital city of South Sumatra Province of Indonesia. It was formerly known as the capital city of the ancient Kingdom of Srivijaya . Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra Island, it has an area of 400,61 square kilometres and a population of 1.441.500. Palembang is the second-largest city in Sumatra Island after Medan and the fifth-largest city in Indonesia.
Major landmark of Palembang are the AMPERA bridge and Musi River that divided this city into two parts, the north (Seberang Ilir) and the south part (Seberang Ulu). The Seberang Ilir became the economy and cultural center and the Seberang Ulu became the political center of this city.
Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport serves Palembang and other cities around South Sumatra Province. The Boom Baru Harbor is the main harbor of Palembang, it is located on the north coast of Musi River and also connected Palembang with Bangka Belitung Islands Province.
History
The city was once the capital of the ancient, Buddhist Kingdom of Srivijaya that controlled a large part of what is now Malaysia and Indonesia. Following a 1025 raid by the Chola Empire (In the period of Emperor Rajendra Chola I) of southern India it began to gradually decline in importance. Srivijaya's capital eventually moved northward to Jambi. Palembang is also the origin of Parameswara, founder of the Malacca Sultanate.
The architectural legacy of Dutch colonization is still visible in the city. Deep-water port facilities are built along the Musi River, which flows through the city.
The naval Battle of Palembang was fought near the city during the Second World War between February 13-February 15, 1942.
Citizen
The Palembangnese is one of Malay family, they speak Malay as their language but with their own dialect and they called it Bahasa Palembang. Other people that are not native to Palembang but still came from South Sumatra usually blended their language with Bahasa Palembang, such as Bahasa Komering, Lahat, Rawas, etc. There are also the people that came from outer South Sumatera. Most of them are Javanese, Chinese, Arabian, Indian, and Sundanese.
The major religion in Palembang is Muslim. But they are also Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Konghucu.
Bidar boat (The Sriwijaya Festival)
Tanggai Dance
Interesting Places
1. Musi River
2. AMPERA Bridge
3. Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Grand Mosque
4. Kuto Besak Fortress
5. Major Office Building
6. Kambang Iwak Family Park
7. Punti Kayu Forest
8. Museum of the ancient Kingdom of Srivijaya
9. Siguntang Hill
10. MONPERA (People Struggle Monument)
11. Balaputradewa Museum
12. Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum
13. Kawah Tengkurep Cemetery
14. Cheng-Ho Sriwijaya Mosque
15. Kapitan Town
16. Arabian Town
17. Fantasy Island
18. Bagus Kuning
19. Songket crafts center
20. Kemaro Island
21. Pertamina refinery
22. PUSRI fertilizer factory
23. Sungai Gerong
Arts and Cultures
These are some of the famous arts in Palembang:
>Dul Muluk (the Palembang's traditional performing arts (drama))
>Many of traditional dances such as Gending Sriwijaya Dance to welcome guests and Tanggai Dance that usually performed in wedding reception
>Many of traditional songs such as Dek Sangke, Cuk Mak Ilang, Dirut, and Ribang Kemambang
The traditional house of Palembang is Limas House and Rakit House. You may visit the Limas House for 10,000 Rupiah. (About $1 US).
There are many festivals that are always held every year in Palembang such as: the Srivijaya Ferstival on June to celebrate Palembang's anniversary, the Boat festival on August to celebrate Republic of Indonesia's anniversary, and other festivals to celebrate the Ramadhan, New Year, Chinese New Year, etc.
Pempek
Traditional Foods
Palembang also known as the Pempek City. It is because there is a traditional snack that was made from a fish and sago called pempek or empek - empek. This delicacy has many variation in shape and taste, but all of them are absolutely delicious. Other traditional food from Palembang are tekwan, model, laksan, celimpungan, mie Celor, burgo, pindang patin, pindang tulang, malbi, tempoyak, otak - otak, kemplang, kerupuk, maksubah cake, delapan jam cake, srikayo cake, etc.
"LIMAS" The Traditional House
In Palembang, another interesting attraction is the traditional Limas houses, which you can find scattered all over the city. Most of them were built along the riverbank, facing away from the waterfront, so the residents can have more privacy in their daily household activities.
These ornate prototype of traditional houses in Palembang are easily identified by some of their unique characteristics; - their trapezoid shaped roof; multi-floors structures; and intricately hand-carved columns, door and window frames and ventilation panel which shows the charisma and identity of the house. These houses are built on poles of Unglen (hardest) wood in rather sizeable measurement, with most measuring 400 – 1000 sq meters, Some of these Limas houses are open to the public; there are two well-preserved Limas House which are still used as of today: Rumah Hasyin Ning and Rumah Bayumi. You can make arrangements through the tourist office to visit one of these attractive architectures.
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