From: chamber@mailhost.aa.cad.slb.com (Craig Chamberlain)
Subject: Re: Looking for complete list of releases from ...
Organization: Schlumberger CAD/CAM; Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA)
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 13:38:54 GMT

In article <1992Jul24.215046.8077@rtsg.mot.com> mehrpuya@rtsg.mot.com (Djamschid Mehrpuyan) writes:
>
>Can anyone please provide me with a complete list of all CD releases by
>the following newage artists:
>
>     1.  CUSCO
>
>     2.  Karunesh
>
>     3.  Kitaro
>
>     4.  Anugama
>
>     5.  Himekami
>
>
>I have CDs from each of these groups but I dont know if I have all of them.
>
>Karunesh and Anugama are somewhat similar to Kitaro.  They also play a
>lot of meditation music (synthesizers with Guitar/flute/percussion).  
>Anugama has a few CDs containing environmental music.  I highly recommend
>their CDs.  CUSCO is a newage band from southern Germany and are in the
>top charts in Japan along with Kitaro.  Himekami, a newage band from Japan
>is also somewhat similar to Kitaro.  All of these are highly recommended.
>
>If you know of any other groups similar to the ones mentioned on top please
>let me know.
>
>Thanks 
>
>       -Dj


Well, Dj, you're only talking about some of my most favorite artists.
There has been a Cusco discography available.  The U.S. label Higher
Octave has released three CD's of Cusco music but much more is
available in Germany (or at least was, I heard that the German label
Prudence was discontinuing Cusco).  I was fortunate to get all of
them and just love that happy music.  Higher Octave told me they'll
be releasing an all-new Cusco work, some sort of soundtrack, this year.

Karunesh and Anugama are on the German label Nightingale.  I would
also recommend Kamal (especially) and Sangit Om on that same label.
The Higher Octave label is the exclusive U.S. distributor for this
music and has released most of what is available in Germany.  There
was one CD by Anugama called "Open Sky" which Higher Octave doesn't
carry but it's not as good as the others.  Some of these artists
have recently come out with new releases which Higher Octave has
not yet made available in the States.  I don't think I've seen a
discography of music by the Nightingale artists; I could type one
up, I suppose.  For those interested in sampling this music, try
the Higher Octave CD "Connection" by Nightingale, or "Light Dance".

Kitaro - well, like a lot of other people say, it all sounds the
same to me.  Except "Kojiki" which is very dramatic and quite
different from his earlier works (I haven't heard "Light of the
Spirit").  Even those who tried and tired of earlier Kitaro works
should at least try to listen to this one.  Good drums, flute,
violin, and sweet melodies.  I haven't heard his new one which
just came out a couple weeks ago, with vocals by Jon Anderson.

Himekami is on the Japanese label Pony Canyon.  So far Higher
Octave has released two compilation CD's of their music, but
much more is available in Japan.  Their earlier music is more
of the high-energy happy music style, and their later works are
more in the slower, beautiful paintings kind of style.  Their
last release that I know of is copyright 1990.  I am afraid that
they may have stopped producing; I wish somebody who knows would
tell me.  I haven't seen a discography but I could at least type
in a list of what I have, which is everything that is currently
available (about a dozen releases).

As for similar artists, one that comes to mind is Davol.  He
just released his third one, "Nature of the Beast", but my
favorite is still "Mystic Waters".  His music could be
described as sparkling synthesizer music.  You might also like
"Deep Breakfast" and "No Blue Thing" by Ray Lynch, and possibly
some music by Tri Atma.
-- 
Craig Chamberlain                Internet: chamber@mailhost.aa.cad.slb.com
Schlumberger CAD/CAM                       chamberlain@aaaca1.sinet.slb.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan                  UUCP: uunet!sharkey!applga!chamber