Travelling back in time to a time of travel.

It began with 'The Silk Road: The Rise And Fall Of Civilizations'. I recall it being shown late night in the mid 1980s and the music was wonderful while the credits simply said by Kitaro. [That's all I knew - no internet or google in the 80s]. Then when I went to SE Asia suddenly there was cassettes in shop windows with this name on them. Clearly Kitaro, whoever he was, band or person, they were better known in this part of the world, so I bought up the cassettes and have been a huge fan of Masanori Takahashi (Kitaro) ever since.   

The 12-part tv series covers segments of the Silk Road within the People's Republic of China, It was first aired in Japan on 7 April 1980, with sequels being broadcast over a 10-year period. An 18-part second series was broadcast between April 1983 and September 1984, and shown in 38 countries in Asia and Europe. The popularity of the series launched the career of Kitaro who produced the theme and background music - which is almost spiritual ! 

Escorting the viewer on the ancient path travelled by Marco Polo, with evocatively named episodes like "In Search of the Kingdom of Lou-Lan", "Khotan - Oasis of Silk and Jade", "Through the Tian Shan Mountains by Rail" & "Where Horses Fly Like the Wind" the music made it quite a trip. My intro to his music is captured here, so you too can be transported. 

Just sit back, relax and imagine. 

Today's Star Track is a 'live' performance of 'Milky Way' by Kitaro ...begins quietly >