Browse by Artist: FAR EAST FAMILY BAND

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Nipponjin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3009CD

Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band featured the keyboardist and future new age composer, Kitaro. A keyboard-dominated space rock band, the Far East Family Band played extended compositions that brought comparisons to Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. Nipponjin (1975), the band's second album under their new name (the trio changed their name from Far Out to Far East Family Band following the release of Nihonjin which appeared on the Denon label in 1973), featured re-recorded material from the previous The Cave Down To Earth (1974) as well as Nihonjin and was produced by Tangerine Dream's Klaus Schulze. The band's synthesizer-drenched sound had much to do with Kitaro and Schultz meeting during a trip to Europe. One of Japan's earliest prog bands, Far East Family Band became hugely popular in Japan and also achieved considerable attention in Europe. The group went on to release two further albums, Parallel World (1976) and Tenkujin (1977), but it is Kitaro who enjoyed lasting fame for his legendary Silk Road albums. Digitally remastered, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only in a unique card wallet.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Nipponjin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3009LP

CD version previously-released on Phoenix Records, now available in a vinyl version. Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band featured the keyboardist and future new age composer, Kitaro. A keyboard-dominated space rock band, the Far East Family Band played extended compositions that brought comparisons to Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. Nipponjin (1975), the band's second album under their new name (after their Far Out moniker), featured re-recorded material from the previous The Cave Down To Earth (1974) as well as Nihonjin and was produced by Tangerine Dream's Klaus Schulze. One of Japan's earliest prog bands, Far East Family Band became hugely popular in Japan and also achieved considerable attention in Europe. Digitally remastered, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Parallel World
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3013CD

Originally released in 1976 by Nippon Columbia, this is the final album by legendary Japanese space/psych-rockers Far East Family Band. Unlike other albums where the band focused on Pink Floyd-esque psych ballads, on Parallel World, the influence of German producer/electronic music composer Klaus Schulze is more pronounced, merging prog rock with electronic music to create something rather weird and wonderful. Although Schulze oversaw the production of the album rather than playing on it (which he definitely didn't!), the synth star here is Masanori Takahashi who was later to find new age fame and fortune under the name of Kitaro. This is space rock at its finest and the band's extended compositions attracted favorable comparisons with both Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd, and even at times the vocal style of the Moody Blues. Unfortunately, this was the band's last album, but they went out on a high, achieving the rare feat of appealing to devotees of both Krautrock and electronic psychedelia alike. Digitally remastered, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only in a unique LP-replica card wallet.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Parallel World
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3013LP

LP version. Originally released in 1976 by Nippon Columbia, now digitally remastered, this is the final album by legendary Japanese space/psych-rockers Far East Family Band. Unlike other albums where the band focused on Pink Floyd-esque psych ballads, on Parallel World, the influence of German producer/electronic music composer Klaus Schulze is more pronounced, merging prog rock with electronic music to create something rather weird and wonderful. Although Schulze oversaw the production of the album rather than playing on it (which he definitely didn't!), the synth star here is Masanori Takahashi who was later to find new age fame and fortune under the name of Kitaro. This is space rock at its finest and the band's extended compositions attracted favorable comparisons with both Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd, and even at times the vocal style of the Moody Blues. Unfortunately, this was the band's last album, but they went out on a high, achieving the rare feat of appealing to devotees of both Krautrock and electronic psychedelia alike.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	''The Cave'' Down To The Earth
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3023CD

Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band, whose first album release was under the name Far Out, released "The Cave" Down To The Earth in 1975. Influential in the creation of the band's distinctive psychedelic sound was keyboard player Kitaro, who went on to establish himself as a major new age artist in the '80s. Although the band was often categorized as new age too, their sound was distinctly progressive and often brought comparisons with Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. The ethereal, space-rock quality of the band's music is here in abundance but the centerpiece is without doubt the title track, which starts off in a mellow mood but then becomes a killer guitar jam. For music fans that have yet to discover the delights of '70s Japanese psychedelic rock, "The Cave" Down To The Earth is a fabulous introduction. Housed in a die-cut sleeve with a printed inner bag. Includes the original LP insert.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	''The Cave'' Down To The Earth
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3023LP

180 gram LP version. Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band, whose first album release was under the name Far Out, released "The Cave" Down To The Earth in 1975. Influential in the creation of the band's distinctive psychedelic sound was keyboard player Kitaro, who went on to establish himself as a major new age artist in the '80s. Although the band was often categorized as new age too, their sound was distinctly progressive and often brought comparisons with Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. The ethereal, space-rock quality of the band's music is here in abundance but the centerpiece is without doubt the title track, which starts off in a mellow mood but then becomes a killer guitar jam. For music fans that have yet to discover the delights of '70s Japanese psychedelic rock, "The Cave" Down To The Earth is a fabulous introduction. Housed in a die-cut sleeve with a printed inner sleeve. Includes the original LP insert.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Tenkujin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3046CD

The fifth and final release by Far East Family Band (if you include 1973's Nihonjin, released under the Far Out banner), 1977's Tenkujin was the first of the band's albums to be released in the U.S. on the small and short-lived California-based All Ears label. Without Kitaro, who by this time had departed to pursue a solo career, the band reverted to its earlier ballad-based sound, this time supported on drums by former Samurai alumnus, Yujin Harada. The expected Pink Floyd influences appear in abundance, although this time the songs are sung partly in English and in Japanese. Another solid album from what many consider to be Japan's finest new age/psychedelic group. Digitally remastered. Numbered, limited collector's edition.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Tenkujin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3046LP

LP version. The fifth and final release by Far East Family Band (if you include 1973's Nihonjin, released under the Far Out banner), 1977's Tenkujin was the first of the band's albums to be released in the U.S. on the small and short-lived California-based All Ears label. Without Kitaro, who by this time had departed to pursue a solo career, the band reverted to its earlier ballad-based sound, this time supported on drums by former Samurai alumnus, Yujin Harada. The expected Pink Floyd influences appear in abundance, although this time the songs are sung partly in English and in Japanese. Another solid album from what many consider to be Japan's finest new age/psychedelic group. On 180 gram vinyl.

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