On this page are Far Side Radio shows dating back to 2004. All shows from 2015 are also archived on our Mixcloud page
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Our first studio guest for over four years, and first in our new Resonance FM studio. It was a pleasure and an honour to welcome pianist Belle Chen who performed live for us and played tracks from her latest album, Ravel in the Forest. It was an emotional experience to see her play live and to hear stories of her background, her inspirations and what lies behind the songs we listened to. Being the morning after the US. election, we started off with a tune played exactly eight years previously, Sayonara America, Sayonara Nippon, but not the original version by Happy End this time, but a cover by World Standard (Sohichiro Suzuki) and Kama Aina. Full track listing https://www.farsidemusic.com/radio/061124_tracks.html
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A look and listen back to The Very Best of the Far East, a compilation album, compiled by Paul Fisher, and released 20 years ago in 2004, by Nascente in the UK. Divided into 2 CDs, Sunrise and Sunset, Asian roots sounds are combined with electronica, ambient, and other styles, together with other tracks in a more traditional style. Music from Japan, Okinawa, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Mongolia and more.
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In 2024, Off Note, a record company in Tokyo celebrates its 30th anniversary. Releases from Off Note have been a regular on Far Side Radio shows (and before that, Far East Radio in Japan) for nearly all of those 30 years. Like many great record labels, Off Note has a distinctive sound, although that is not easy to define, as the music itself is difficult to categorise. Often rooted in a tradition, mostly from Okinawa and Japan. Often rooted in the past, sometimes a 100 years or so, yet somehow contemporary. Unique and pioneering, recording some of the most creative musicians in Japan. Unusual yet effective combinations of instruments. Vintage recordings, ancient folk traditions, contemporary folk songs and singers. Avant-garde, experimental, pushing boundaries. Always interesting, always compelling.
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Another show that is a kind of antidote to the endless and horrific news cycle. From the 1960s, Japanese musicians embraced all kinds of folk and rock music coming out America, such as by Bob Dylan or Buffalo Springfield, adding their own twist and style. From 1969, the label URC (Underground Record Club) was at the forefront of a new movement, with artists singing what might be later labelled Pysch Folk, Alt-folk, Avant-folk, Protest folk, Jazz folk and more. Some of these artists would go onto great acclaim (Haruomi Hosono) or in some cases, obscurity, only for their music to be 'rediscovered' thirty or so years later. Many of these musicians are featured on this week's show, with songs selected for their calming, ethereal, plaintive, hypnotic, mesmerizing sound and performance. Recordings range from 1969 to 2024, but all resonating in the present. The show ends with a track by The Boom, Jyu Gatsu (October).
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An hour of the funkiest tunes from 1970s Thailand. Disco and funk mixed with local elements including some extraordinary covers ranging from Boney M to Pink Floyd.
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This week, hopefully, a show that is an antidote to the endless news cycle of war, death and destruction. An hour of acoustic ambient, or soothing sounds for troubled times. Traditional instruments often performed in contemporary settings in hypnotic style, by musicians from Syria, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, India, South Korea and Japan
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All tracks on today's show were among about 100 CDs I picked up a couple of weeks ago, featuring Japanese musicians in various collaborations and experimental sessions, featuring traditional instruments including koto, shakuhachi, biwa, shamisen and sho. Mostly from the 2000s and 2010s, some extraordinary sounds from a fertile period of Japanese traditional music.
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Shoro Kawazoe, one of the co-founders of Alfa Records, passed away on 8th September. This week a tribute to Shoro Kawazoe and a selection of tunes released by this highly influential Japanese record label. Featuring solo tracks by the three members of Yellow Magic Orchestra; Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto, YMO, female singers including Tamao Koike and Yumi Arai, funky and soulful tracks from Linda Carriere and Chu Kosaka and rock from Sheena & The Rokkets and Sandii & The Sunsetz.
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The last live Far Side Radio show on Resonance 104.4fm in London, was back on 11th March 2020. The week after, Britain went into lockdown, eventually leading to the closure of our beloved studio. Exactly 4 1/2 years later, Resonance 104.4fm is back broadcasting live from our even better new studio, quite close to the old studio near London Bridge. It was a privilege to present Resonance's first live show for all those years, after a lot of work from people behind the scenes, some of whom were in the studio at the beginning of the show. After the summer break is a show of new releases from South Korea, Japan and Okinawa, with roots, traditional, jazzy folk and ambient sounds.
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Tracks from the fantastic newly released in Japan, double CD, Nigerian Guitar Roots - Juju, Guitar Band Highlife 1936-1967, plus two rare tracks by Malian kora player Toumani Diabate who passed away recently; from his Japan only album Shake the Whole World and a track from his superb album recorded with Spanish guitar group Ketama and bassist Danny Thompson, Songhai.
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Electro-pop from Thailand. Some tracks date back to the 1980s, with elements of synth-pop or ‘city pop’ and others from the 1990s with an exuberant bouncy feel, sounding a bit like a Thai version of Japanese Shibuya-kei. Rare musical gems adding to the rich tapestry that make up the various sounds of Siam.
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Traditional Japanese summer festival music can be heard at hundreds of summer festivals throughout Japan. These ‘ondo’ dance and other folk tunes have always been updated and this week’s show highlights some of these latest sounds with today’s artists breathing new life into ancient traditions with rap, dance, electronic, dub, disco and other influences.
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In recent years, some Japanese pop from the 1980s has been reclassified as ‘City Pop’ as artists and albums by artists such as Tatsuro Yamashita, Mariya Takeuchi, Miki Matsubara and others have gained popularity around the world mainly through You Tube algorithms and vinyl reissues finding a new audience. Back in the 1980s though, CIty Pop was a little used term, instead different pop music of the day was categorised as J-Pop, Idol pop, Kayokyoku, New Music, Techno Pop and other styles. In chronological order, this is a show of some of the biggest hits of the 1980s, including some City Pop such as Anri and Akina Nakamori, but other styles that show the development of pop music through the decade with some of Japan’s most loved singers and musicians. Thanks to Miki in Saga, Japan, for the selection!
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Japafrique! Part two of the Japanese / African show, inspired by the new release by Ajate, combining Afrobeat with Japanese festival music. Sublime, uplifting (and some rare tracks) from African musicians such Ali Hassan Kuban, Toumani Diabate, Youssou N’Dour and Njava, and Japanese musicians including Ajate, Tadamaru Sakuragawa, Shokichi Kina, Ryuichi Sakamoto and others.
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New sounds from South Korea, emanating from one of the most vibrant music scenes in the world. Artists who might be classified as new jazz, indie rock, neo-trad, experimental or avant-garde, but often occupy the spaces in between.
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Currently going through a bit of renaissance, through artists such as Minyo Crusaders, minyo, or Japanese local, regional folk songs, have always been modernised and updated going back to at least the 1920s when they were first broadcast nationwide. These tracks were recorded in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s by some of the leading singers of the day including Hibari Misora and Harumi Miyako, known for singing other styles such as enka. Minyo tunes from throughout Japan mixed with various influences and styles.
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Cool Tokyo at the turn of the century. Indie pop, club pop, Shibuya kei, from one of the most culturally fertile periods of Japanese music in one of the world's most dynamic cities, as artists discovered their own identities and took their music around the world, with some of the coolest sounds on the planet.
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Singapore music from the 1960s, a tumultuous time in history as Singapore became part of Malaysia in 1963, before becoming an independent country in 1965. Local bands influenced by American and British music, and other artists combining south east Asian flavours with western sounds.
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Japanese ambient music, new and old, reimagined and reissued. From new tracks by Kengo Tokusashi and Tatsuro Yokoyama, to older tracks by artists who have been making waves overseas such as Hiroshi Yoshimura and Midori Takeda to reissued and reimagined tracks by World Standard, Toshimi Mikami and Inoyamaland.
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All tracks are from albums whose front cover artwork were hand drawn or painted by Yasuo Yagi who died on 9th April. Some of the musicians whose albums he graced with his distinctive illustrations are by Japanese and Okinawan artists including Haroumi Hosono, Makoto Kubota, Zelda and Toru Yonaha, while others are from the rest of the world, from the USA, France, Italy and Sierra Leone.
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Japanese Afrobeat Dance Party! Japanese musicians play Afrobeat or music inspired by Afrobeat, including a track from the latest album by Ajate, other Japanese musicians inspired by Afrobeat, plus a remix of Femi Kuti by DJ Chari Chari.
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1950s/60s popular music from the Far East. Local tunes and traditions mixed with Latin, jazz, rock ’n’ roll and other styles by some of the biggest stars of the day.
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Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto who passed away one year ago on 28th March 2023. A selection of covers, remixes and original tracks.
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Remixes by the only surviving member of YMO, Haruomi Hosono mostly of his own material and of YMO. Plus some rare tracks and remixes of Hosono’s music.
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Experimental sounds from China, with traditional and electronic influences and more.
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With the continuing killing of innocent civilians in Gaza, demonstrations around the world call for peace and a ceasefire. In recent months there have been many new songs demanding an end to the killing, while older songs in support of a free Palestine have been given a new lease of life. Music and songs from Sweden, Japan, Ireland, England, Italy, Indonesia, as well as Israel, Palestine and the wider Middle East.
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Minyo from around the world. Local Japanese folk music goes global. Musicians from Germany and France in collaborations and renditions of folk tunes, or influenced by folk as well as some of Japan’s leading current exponents, incorporating jazz, Latin, Bulgarian folk and other styles, creating new and exciting sounds.
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Tracks from two albums; Improvised Music from Japan 2002-2003, a bilingual book and CD that came out in Japan, and Rough Guide to Avant-Garde Japan, which came out in the UK in 2021. Artists include Toshimaru Nakamura, Haco, Michiyo Yagi, Ken Sugai and a previously unreleased track from the seminal ‘Japanorama’ tour in 2021.
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J-Jazz, from classic ‘70s tracks by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio and others on the acclaimed Three Blind Mice label to current stars including Hiromi and Chihiro Yamanaka to ‘70s funky jazz by Jiro Inagaki and fusion legends Casiopea.
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Christmas songs from Japan, and by musicians we lost in 2023, and sometimes both. Tracks, performances and songs by musicians who passed away this year include Ryuichi Sakamoto, Benjamin Zephaniah, Futoshi Ikabe, Yukihiro Takahashi, Burt Bacharach, Junko Ohashi, Shinji Tanimura and Makoto Ayukawa. Additional Christmas tunes by Tatsuro Yamashita, BoA, and Taiiku Okazaki.
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It’s time for the annual (26th!) Far Side Radio Top 10 of the year! All newly recorded and released in 2023, with tracks from Japan, Amami, Okinawa, Thailand and South Korea.
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Tracks from the 2018 Light in the Attic compilation, Kankyo Ongaku, Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980 - 1990. Featuring among others, Yasuaki Shimizu, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Joe Hisaishi, Inoyama Land, Yellow Magic Orchestra and Haruomi Hosono.
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Rare, popular 1980s and ‘90s music from Northeastern Thailand, or Isaan. Khmer Surin are ethnic Khmers of Cambodian descent living in Isaan. Much of their culture and language has been disappearing but has been kept alive partly through their music. This programme combines 1990s Khmer Surin popular music with music from one of Isaan’s greatest singers, Jintara Poonlarp, known for her style of music called morlam. This show features several now rare tracks from her early years in the 1980s and 1990s. Beginning with Jintara Poonlarp, her music and Khmer Surin are played in succession, one after another. While there are some differences, there are also many similarities between morlam and Khmer surin music.
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Funky and Psychedelic 1970s South Korean sounds, interspersed with covers of Korea’s most famous tune, Arirang, by ‘70s pop stars from Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
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Three themes on today’s show; first, the tragic situation in Gaza, with Japanese band Soul Flower Union and their song ‘Palastina’, and a collaboration between Japanese singer Mayumi Kojima and Israeli band Boom Pam. Secondly, Japanese boogie-woogie in the 1940s and 50s with tracks from a compilation album released to coincide with a NHK drama currently showing on Japanese TV about the life of the ‘Queen of Boogie’ Shizuko Kasagi, and finally Halloween, with ambient music inspired by traditional Japanese ghost stories and a Korean gayageum cover of the Classics IV tune, Spooky.
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New releases from Japan, Okinawa, Amami, South Korea and Indonesia, with a sub- theme of strings, guitars and percussion, mostly mixing traditional with jazz and avant-garde sounds.
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All tracks are entirely by one of North Korea’s most famous groups, Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble. North Korea’s first electronic group, they play folk and revolutionary songs, with a range of musical influences, and different lead vocalists and composers. They have recorded 186 albums, dating back to the mid 1980s. Most of the recordings on this show are from the 1990s with some into the 2000s.
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Tracks from a new album, called Kenang Kenangan, that compiles old Indonesian 78s from the 1950s, mixing Indonesian sounds with pop, jazz and Latin music.
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The earliest Korean popular music, made between 1925 and 1945, during the Japanese colonial period. Many songs were based on American and British music, and some Japanese songs were translated into Korean. Korean traditional and folk elements were also mixed into the music, while some lyrics expressed feelings against the Japanese occupation. Contains some of the most popular songs and singers of a time that remains a highly controversial period in Korean history.
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Two tracks from the excellent new album by Omsenkyo, titled Ryukyu India, and other Okinawan/Japanese Indian collaborations and mixtures from chill out traditional to upbeat dance tunes. Featuring among others, Hiromitsu Agatsuma, Daikichi Yoshida, U-Zhaan, Aki Ueda, Haruomo Hosono, Asa-Chang and Junray, Talvin Singh, Haco, Amana, Mina, SP 1200 Productions and Takashi Hirayasu and Bob Brozman.
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Back in the early 1990s, when 'world music' predominantly African and Latin music, was getting popular in the west, some Japanese producers, musicians and record companies turned to Indonesia for a southeast Asian example of a living and vibrant local roots music. These included dangdut, pop sunda and Jaipong. Record companies such as Overheat, Sambinha, Alter Pop, Audi-Book, Wave, producers and journalists, including Makoto Kubota, Katsunori Tanaka, Kensuke Shiina, OTO and Toyo Nakamura, recorded and promoted singers such as Elvy Sukaesih, Waldjinah and Detty Kurnia, while Japanese artists including Sandii, Uminosachi and Hideo Inoura played their own version of Indonesian music. Wave records released British musician Colin Bass aka Sabah Habas Mustapha's Indonesian hit song, Denpasar Moon, but soon Piranha, Riverboat, GlobeStyle and other companies began to release some of these wonderful recordings worldwide.
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Japanese music, and one Korean track, recently released by record labels in America and Europe, mostly on vinyl. Ambient sounds from Toshimi Mikami, Yoshio Ojima, Ayako Shinozaki, space funk from Yuji Ohno, a classic soundtrack tune from '70s actress / singer Meiko Kaji, new alt-folk from Gratin Carnival and Korea’s Minhwi Lee and an unreleased track by Toshimi Mikami.
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Traditional meets modern, with new releases from Vietnamese pianist/dan tranh player Tri Nguyen, plus recent and re-released traditional/ambient sounds from Japan.
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Tracks from the Summer Breeze, City Pop, Ultimate Japanese Groove compilation and other City Pop classics, including Anri, Miki Matsubara, EPO, Minako Yoshida, Eiichi Otaki, Takako Mamiya, Taeko Onuki, Tomoko Aran, Hiroshi Sato, Tatsuro Yamashita and Pizzicato Five.
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Japanese groups who are playing, or have played, live this summer in Europe and the UK, featuring, Minyo Crusaders, OKI, Ajate, Kuunatic and Kyoto Jazz Massive, plus Aragaki Mutsumi from Okinawa who is performing in Colombia in September. All live tracks, all unreleased.
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Singers from Asia, in a style called ‘koboshi’ in Japanese, or ‘melismata’, a warbling style, undulating, ornamental, common throughout Asia, but also heard in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Beautiful, rare tracks from the 1940s to the 1990s, from India, Taiwan, Mongolia, Korea, Indonesia, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.
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Music from a 5 CD box set ; Okinawa Music - Memories and Records. Comprising over 100 years of recordings from the greatest artists from the island chain in the deepest south of Japan. Features traditional tunes, mostly from 1930s - 70s, including by Choki Fukuhara, Shoei Kina, Yukichi Yamazato, Sadao China, Genji Kuniyoshi, Four Sisters, Rinsho Kadekaru and Seijin Noborikawa.
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Go Sato (Go san) who died on 20th June 2023, aged 71, was a mover and shaker of the Japanese music scene for the last forty years. As a music producer he was responsible for several groundbreaking hits. He had an ear and eye for talent, and was known for nurturing that talent, working with artists to achieve their maximum potential. But it was never about business or money for Go san, it was always about the music; a true music lover and visionary. This show features many of the artists he worked with during his time with the management and production company he founded called Five-D, from 1982 to the mid 2000s. Those artists include The Boom, Kazufumi Miyazawa, Shoukichi Kina, Heatwave, Kazuyoshi Nakamura, Super Butter Dog, Sayoko, Lisa Ono, Sayoko, Amika, Anam & Maki, HaLo, Hanaregumi, Zoombombs, The Privates, Goth Trad and Ai Jing.
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Synthesizer pioneers meet ancient traditions. Features Hideki Matsutake (the ‘fourth’ YMO member), Tomita, Haruomi Hosono, Geinoh Yamashirogumi and even Brian Eno, combining synthesizer and electronic sounds with traditional Japanese instruments and sounds, from the 1970s, '80s and '90s.
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Following the recent passing of Brazilian bossa nova singer Astrud Gilberto, a version she sung of Girl from Ipanema in Japanese and other amazing Japanese bossa nova tracks from the 1960s onwards. Features musical luminaries including Tadao Sawai, Hozan Yamamoto, Lisa Ono, Norio Maeda with Tin Pan Alley, Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Naomi & Goro, The Boom, and many more.
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In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the 'People's Music' CDs and book, compiled and written by acclaimed journalist, Toyo Nakamura, helped define what the burgeoning genre of 'world music' was in Japan. Mostly vintage recordings from Asia, the Americas, Africa, The Middle East and Europe, featuring both well known and virtually unknown musicians from around the world. Many tracks are from Toyo's personal collection, some rare and unavailable elsewhere, including on this show from Brasil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cuba, Ghana, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Madagascar and Columbia. All three volumes that came out more than thirty years ago, are now released together with extra liner notes by Katsunori Tanaka, a disciple of Toyo Nakamura who has done much to protect and project the many jewels in Toyo's vast musical archive.
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New releases, including three tracks from the new album by the incredible duo Fu-Ching-Gido, a couple from the album by Okinawan singer Shuken Maekawa, Korean artist Koh Sunahn, and re-releases from harp player Ayako Shinazaki and legendary rock band, The Fools.
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A show in our occasional series of revisiting compilation albums of east Asian albums compiled by Paul Fisher. This time, the Rough Guide to the Music of Malaysia which came out in 2006, with local Arabic influenced pop and pulsating roots and traditional music. Includes interview with Paul Fisher included as an extra on the original CD release.
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Japanese or mixed Japanese musicians living overseas, many in Europe and others who have relocated permanently or temporarily. Plus some European and American musicians playing Japanese or Japanese influenced music. From some of Japan’s most famous artists to others big in the US, but relatively unknown in Japan and lesser known musicians, all with their unique take on Japanese music.
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Ryuichi Sakamoto (RIP) in various duo recordings in a mix of styles including with Taeko Onuki, Kotoringo, Unaigumi, Morelenbaum, Christopher Willits, Christian Fennesz, Alva Noto, Taylor Duepree, Robin Scott and David Sylvian.
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Far Eastern local traditions and music are mixed with rap, hip-hop and other dance sounds, by artists from Okinawa, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Korea and Taiwan.
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Spring is an important time in Japan. A time of renewal and hope, signified by cherry blossoms, sakura. Almost a national obsession, forecasts for when the sakura will be at their peak are issued for everywhere in Japan, with people viewing the cherry blossoms or having a ‘hanami’ party underneath a cherry tree. There are many famous songs about spring and sakura, both popular and traditional. This week features many of these tunes, nearly all instrumentals, played on a variety of instruments including ukulele, piano, harp, Afghan rubab, Chinese erhu, as well as Japanese traditional instruments, performed by both Japanese and foreign musicians. Plus other tunes about Spring by including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano and Kenji Omura.
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One of Japan’s greatest musicians, Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28th aged 71. His enormous body of work encompassed electronic music, as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra and on his own solo albums, plus other styles including avant-garde, experimental, traditional, roots, classical, famously composing numerous soundtracks, collaborations with musicians from around the world, and a producer/arranger for many artists. Far too many for one show, this week’s show focuses mainly on his solo albums from the last century, beginning in 1978 until 1998, and a couple of his songs performed by YMO. Most of the tracks are of his pioneering electropop style, with a few solo piano tunes including perhaps his biggest hit, Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. Future programmes will showcase other diverse works in other other styles and genres from throughout his illustrious career.
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Akiko Yano is one of Japan’s most celebrated musicians. Still going strong, this show focuses on her career in the 20th century, beginning with a track from her first album, Japanese Girl, half of which was recorded in Los Angeles with Little Feat, and released in 1976 to her 1999 album Go Girl. Her music encompasses jazz and electronic with a pop sensibility, featuring brilliant piano playing and her unique vocals.
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This week we delve into the amazing music of pre-war Vietnam of the 1960s and early 1970s. From funky, psychedelic sounds of urban Saigon, to rootsy blues of the deep south Mekong Delta.
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When foreign artists, especially those who have some following or relationship with Japan, release an album in Japan, sometimes a ‘Japan only bonus track’ is included. This week we play you these Japan only bonus tracks by David Sylvian, Brian Eno, Roger Eno, Virginia Astley, The Orb and M, with collaborations and productions including by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
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Early 20th century European classical, brass band, avant-garde jazz and other influences are combined spectacularly through the ears and skills of Japanese musicians with local Japanese traditions and sensibilities. Artists include new and recent albums by Isolation Orchestra, Chikuchindon Gakudan, Remon Nakanishi and Meguru Sekai plus classics dating back to 1980s, 90s and 2010s from Kazumi Watanabe, Aki Takase, Nobuyoshi Ino and Petit Daon.
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50 years of soundtracks, TV themes and anime themes from Japanese legendary musician and electronic pioneer, Isao Tomita.
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Fundraising week on Resonance FM, with the kind of show you wouldn’t hear anywhere else but on Resonance FM! Indonesian psychedelic sounds from the 1960s and 70s with bands including Freedom of Rhapsodia, Golden Wing, Superkid and The Rhythm King’s.
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Tribute to Burt Bacharach, with intriguing Japanese covers of his tunes, from including Akira Fuse, Haruomi Hosono, Pizzicato Five, Kahimi Karie and many more.
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New releases and reissues from Japan, including Amami island and Okinawa islands. Traditional and roots music combined with reggae, dub, jazz, from newly recorded albums to 1970s classics. New tracks from Ryuchi Sakamoto and Cornelius. Plus Japanese musicians playing music from around the world including from Galicia, Okinawan songs played on kalimba (African thumb piano) and more.
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Second show playing tribute to Yukihiro Takahashi, who passed away on January 11th. This time, music he made, and mostly composed, playing in various bands between 1975 and 2022, including rare tracks with Sadistic Mika Band, The Beatniks, Yellow Magic Orchestra, HASYMO, Sketch Show, Pupa and Metafive.
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Tribute to Yukihiro Takahashi who passed away on January 11th. Known as a member of several groups, most notably YMO, this is a show of his popular solo recordings from the 1980s, with Alfa Records (1981-1985) T.E.N.T (1985-1987) and EMI (1988-1989). Truly one of the legends of Japanese music.
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Reimagining New Year and other celebratory occasions from a previous era of several centuries ago, played on shamisen. A trip back to the Japan of ’the floating world’.
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The 25th edition of the annual Far Side Radio Top 10 of 2022. All new recordings, no reissues or compilations.
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A technopop Christmas, Japanese style. Includes Logic System, Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, Jun Togawa, Denki Groove, Moonriders and more!
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Harp performed by Scottish, French and Canadian musicians playing music inspired or connected to the east, a Japanese harpist playing a tune from Spirited Away by Joe Hisaishi, a British musician playing an old German made zither, together with masters on various Asian zithers, including Japanese koto, Chinese qin, Korean gayageum, Vietnamese dan tranh and dan bao, and Indonesian kacapi. Chill out to a relaxing hour of sublime music. Special thanks to harpist Hilary de Vries for inspiring the show.
Hilary's CD is available from https://hilarydevries.bandcamp.com
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New releases from Japan and South Korea of neo-traditional, roots and avant-garde music. Young musicians exploring and experimenting, combining contemporary with traditional sounds. Plus tracks from a Les Rallizes Denudes reissue and from the final album by Metafive, featuring Yukihiro Takahashi and Keigo Oyamada (Cornelius).
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Beginning and ending with tracks from the new Japan released album by Cathy Claret, explorations into the links between Japan and flamenco. A variety of styles and genres from rock and pop to jazz, roots mixtures, traditional and more. Flamenco was first introduced into Japan into the 1920s and has infiltrated Japanese music for decades, from the biggest pop stars of the 1960s by Teruhiko Saigo, the 1980s by Akina Nakamori, the 1990s by Ryuichi Sakamoto to the present day with Miyavi. Also includes flamenco guitarist Jin Oki, shakuhachi maestro Hozan Yamamoto, singer/songwriter Sachiko Kanenobu, the trio Spanish Connection, and zampona player Takamasa Segi. From the Spanish side, the massively popular Rayito, who is of Japanese/Gitano descent and flamenco singer Miguel de la Tolea.
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Tracks from two fantastic compilation albums, Minna Miteru, volumes 1 and 2 with music from Japan’s indie scene by artists with a DIY attitude. Unclassifiable sounds encompassing electronic, acoustic, brass bands, experimental, and plenty of joyful, playful melodies.
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Songs by some of the legendary vocalists of southeast Asian popular music. 1950s and 60s recordings from Malaysia’s P.Ramlee and Saloma, Hong Kong’s Grace Chang, Thailand’s Waiphot Phetsupan, Indonesia’s Waldjinah, and a few lesser known tracks of Indonesian Kroncong and Hawaiian Indonesian music.
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New releases from Okinawa, Amami island, South Korea, Thailand and Bali. Roots music meets jazz and electronic, with some fantastic female vocalists including Thailand’s Rasmee and Amami’s Anna Sato, and a new take on the local style, ponchak, from Korean super producer ‘250'.
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New releases from Japan in a variety of styles; roots, pop, ambient, jazz and electronic. Includes the new 12 inch from Oki Dub Ainu Band, and a 7 inch of Ainu meets City Pop from Apetunpe & The Papaya Mangoes. Tracks from the latest albums by Soil & Pimp Sessions and Metafive, a classic jazz meets traditional from Hozan Yamamotoand the latest from acclaimed composer Toshifumi Hinata.
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Tribute to Japanese singer Sizzle Ohtaka, sometimes called ’The Voice of Japan’, who passed away on September 5th. Music from throughout her career, spanning at least three decades. From her first haunting version of Okinawan Shoukichi Kina’s Hana, to Japanese ondo, a Middle Eastern collaboration, electronic sounds, ambient, game music and ending with a later and equally beautiful version of Hana.
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Aside to playing their own music, all three members of YMO, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, wrote songs, produced, arranged and performed on numerous Japanese pop music through the 1980s. Here are some of them, with artists including Sandii, Susan, Taeko Onuki, Akiko Yano and many others.
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New releases and reissues with the best of contemporary pop and city pop, with some 80s city pop classics. Featuring new tracks from Tatsuro Yamashita, Natsu Summer, UA, Chitose Hajime, and classics from Junko Ohashi, Takako Mamiya and Tomoko Aran.
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Some of the world’s most innovative and creative music is being made right now in South Korea. Traditions are routinely updated with all sorts of contemporary influences. This week a selection of tracks including classics from 30 years ago to new directions, exploring unchartered sounds.
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Tracks from the rare Ippu-Do Magic Vox Era 1979-1984 Box set. Music from their four albums, plus solo material by Masami Tsuchiya and Akira Mitake. Ippu-Do are sometimes called the link between Japan’s YMO and the English band, Japan.
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Vietnamese traditions mixed with contemporary sounds for the 21st century beginning with a track from the recently released opera My Lai, performed by Kronos Quartet, Van-Anh Vanessa Vo and Rinde Eckert. Another track from multi-instrumentalist Van-Anh Vanessa Vo, and a selection of tunes from Vietnamese artists based both overseas and in Vietnam, including Huong Thanh, Tri Nguyen, and Van Khanh, plus Japan’s Blue Asia and Hong Kong’s Celestial with their takes on Vietnamese music.
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Rare tunes from pre-war Vietnam, from the 1960s and 70s when local traditions mixed with blues, twist, rumba and more.
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Tribute to Japanese shamisen player, singer, taiko drummer and guitarist Tsutomu Tanaka who sadly passed away last week aged 48. A brilliant musician and a big personality, he will be missed by the many musicians and fans whose lives he touched. I included tracks by his group Chanchiki and duo Tsukudanaka Sanpachi (with Koushi Tsukuda) on two Rough Guide Japan compilations, and was lucky enough to go with Tsukudanaka Sanpachi to the Rudolstadt festival in Germany in 2012 where they performed. Listen to tracks of minyo (folk) and other roots music from his group and trio and a special live recording with musicians from around the world at Rudolstadt.
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May 15th marks 50 years since Okinawa's reversion to Japanese rule from the US. Far Side Radio goes back to those times and before, with some of the biggest stars of the day, many mixing Okinawan traditions with pop, blues, soul, jazz and more, including several great Okinawan ’sisters’ groups, mostly originally released as 7 inch singles on the island’s legendary local labels such as Marafuku, Maruteru and others.
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In a similar vain to the French label Ocora, or the American Folkways label, there are two Japanese record companies who have travelled the world recording little known traditional, folk and ethnic music, JVC and King Records. Before the JVC World Sounds series, was the Super Ethnic series, recorded mostly in the 1970s and 80s. Many of these recordings were never released again, but remain documented treasures of often forgotten traditions. Here are 50 tracks from South Korea, Taiwan, China, Mongolia, Burma, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Both urban and rural recordings and traditions.
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Japanese/world mixtures from 1991 by Raizo, 1990s jazz funk from Hiroshi Sato and an unreleased 1984 electro-pop jazz track from Yasuaki Shimizu. New tracks from Kyoto Jazz Sextet, funky mohlam from Thailand’s Rasmee, an ambient classic from a new World Standard compilation, superb guitarist Shin Sasakubo and three wonderful old meets new tunes from the deep south of Japan, Amami island.
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Tracks from a compilation album that came out in 2009. A 3 CD set, Asian Roots- Folk & Classical, Asia Idols - The Legends, and Asia Now - Modern Roots & Electronica. In retrospect a feat of licensing with lots of great music! Tracks from legends including Asha Bhosle, Late Mangeshkar, Elvy Sukaesih, Ros Sereysothea, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, some traditional tunes from Burma, India, and from current masters Debashish Bhattacharya, Hong Thanh, Umeko Ando plus a track from, the late and great, Takeharu Kunimoto.
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Some bonus tracks on this Mixcloud exclusive to mark 25 years on the radio. Some of the music from the first years in Japan, artists who were guests or I saw live, and generally were part of the wider 'Far East Radio Family'.
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I began presenting a weekly radio show 25 years ago on 6th April 1997. The programme was called Far East Radio, or in Japanese, Kyokuto Rajio, broadcast on FM Cocolo in Kansai. It was a two hour show, with musician Kazufumi ‘Miya’ Miyazawa of the group The Boom, presenting the first and last 30 minutes, and me the hour in the middle. The show was produced by Boom's management company, Five-D, and a kind of scene developed around the programme playing other artists managed by Five-D and like minded musicians. Staff there started a dj event that became known as Tuk Tuk Cafe. Difficult to define, but essentially rock music with a punk attitude, melodic but not mainstream, sometimes with roots, especially Okinawan, and occasionally elements of dub or hip-hop. This is a show of some of these artists, including a few live recordings. Thanks again to Five-D for the first 5 years and to Resonance 104.4fm for the last 20!
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We’re going to a Thai club circa end of the 1990s / early 2000s, with a mix of mohlam, (Thai northeastern dance music), Lamsing (a type of mohlam) pop and disco, and sometimes a mixture of them all. Featuring some big names and the biggest hits of the day, alongside lesser known funky morlam sounds and poppy tunes.
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Back in the 1980s and 1990s, musicians from the UK and Japan joined together on numerous projects from their mutual love and development of electronic music. Singers including Virginia Astley and Aztec Camera had albums produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto, who himself joined forces with Robin Scott (M), Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) and David Sylvian (Japan). Meanwhile The Orb, The Shamen and 808 State all remixed tracks by YMO and Haruomi Hosono and Steve Jansen (Japan) became a long time collaborator of Yukihiro Takahashi, for whom he contributed a track for Takahashi’s tribute album. Plus Max Brennan’s remix of another electronic musician, Rei Harakami.
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Another show that felt apt during these times. The greatest protest songs from East Asia, sung by some of the greatest folk musicians, many legends in their own country and in some cases throughout the region. Anti-war, protest songs about poverty, destruction of the environment, pro-democracy, and the many issues that run deep throughout Asia. Songs from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Burma, Philippines, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.
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Every now and then, playing music on the radio seems somewhat trivial without acknowledging an event that is consuming the world at the time. This week feels like that, so
here’s an hour of anti-war and pro-peace tunes from Japan and one from Ukraine. Several tunes feature Ryuichi Sakamoto, with David Sylvian, as part of YMO, his tune for Ukraine and a cover of his War and Peace. Plus Ukraine electronic musician OMFO, Japan’s dub band Mute Beat with their song The Sky of Kyiv and ending with The Right to Live in Peace by Soul Flower Union.
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New releases from Japan. With reissues of Japanese 1970s and 80s music the current trend, let’s not forget the great music being created right now, and support the artists making it. Electronic, ambient, roots, jazz and club music, often put together in inspiring mixtures. From the well known to the unknown. Discover some of the best contemporary sounds being made today.
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A Japanese mellow ambient mix special featuring both legendary and lesser known, but equally incredible, artists including Yellow Magic Orchestra, Haruomi Hosono, Sunsetz, Test Pattern, Interior, Kaito, Inoyamaland, World Standard and Yui Onodera.
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Music for the Chinese New Year. Original 1930s Shanghai songs, remixes of those tunes and other remixes plus other Chinese electronic sounds mostly from the 1990s and 2000s.
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Japanese jazz pianists, from the 1970s with greats such as Ryo Fukui and Yosuke Yamashita, to the current luminaries such as Sumire Kuribayashi and Hiromi, all playing mostly, bop, modal and cool jazz.
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Adventurous Korean sounds played on various stringed instruments. Challenging, avant-garde, experimental takes on Korean traditions, and some of today's greatest masters from what is currently, one of the world’s most exciting roots music scenes.
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1950s Latin American music in Japan, as local folk songs are mixed with mambo, cha cha cha, rumba and other rhythms, and performed by some of the biggest stars of the day.
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For the first show of the new year, tracks from two essential albums released at the tail end of 2021. Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Playing the Piano 12122020, and World Standard, Eden.
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After 20 years of Far Side Christmas shows, with Silent Night played on Indonesian or Japanese traditional instruments, crazy Chinese punk versions of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and countless original Christmas tunes, good and bad from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and elsewhere, East Asian connections to Christmas have been mostly exhausted! So this year it felt time for a change! A soulful, jazzy, bluesy Christmas show with tracks from the 1960s and 70s, with absolutely no connection to the Far East whatsoever. Except perhaps for providing some inspiration.
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The Far Side Radio Top 10 of 2021. The Top 10 new albums released this year on CD; no vinyl reissues, no digital only. Apart from one live album, just great artists making new music that we want to support and pay tribute to in these difficult times.
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A cold Eastern chill blows through Far Side Radio, mixing electronic and traditional music from some of East Asia’s, and the world’s, coldest regions. Music from Japan, China, Mongolia, Tibet, Tuva and Altai.
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Aloha! Some Pacific sun for a cold day in London. Japanese and Okinawan musician playing Hawaiian or Hawaiian influenced music, Hawaiian musicians playing Japanese music and Japanese/Hawaiian collaborations.
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A show that combines some quintessentially Japanese music with some quintessentially Japanese food; enka and soba. Nearly all tracks were chosen by the Fuji Soba chain who only play enka in their restaurants. Some of the biggest names of the genre, with an added Autumnal feel.
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Tribute to James McDonald, a long time customer and friend of Far Side Music who passed away recently. Apart from being one of the nicest people I’ve come across, James was an avid collector of Japanese music and a fountain of knowledge especially about Yellow Magic Orchestra and the wider YMO family. Tracks from several CDs that James sent me over the years, including by Sandii, Sheena & The Rockets and World Standard, solo Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto and extending outside to Japan with Martin Denny and Virginia Astley.
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All tracks today, from Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan are new and forthcoming releases, released by European record labels. Tracks from a compilation called Tokyo Glow out in December, and vinyl reissues by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano and Makoto Kubota all released by Wewantsounds. Japanese ’tribal pych’ from Kuunatic, experimental Korean zither music by Dal:um, Chinese zither music from Cheng Yu and a re-release from Taiwanese contemporary roots group, A Moving Sound.
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Irish musician great Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains passed away recently. He was was a regular visitor to Japan, where Irish music has been popular for a number of years. This week we play mainly Japanese / Irish collaborations with Akiko Yano singing with Chieftains, Soul Flower Union with Altan, Heatwave with Donal Lunny, Oki with Kila, all performing both Irish and Japanese traditional tunes as well as original songs. Plus Tsunekichi Suzuki’s Omoide, originally an Irish tune, from the TV series Midnight Diner, and Misako Koja’s version of an Irish traditional song. And finally, unreleased live tunes, Donal Lunny and Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill recorded live in Tokyo in 1997, and Liam O’Maonali singing a Waterboys song for Japan, following the Tohoku earthquake in 2011.
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Joining the musical dots with two tracks each from six new and disparate albums from Japan. Okinawa ‘Gorge’ and ethno-electronic, Okinawa Americana and minyo meets avant-garde, and Japanese singer sings in Portuguese in collaboration with musicians from Uruguay, and Brazilian singer collaborates with Japanese musicians.
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1990s Indo Goyang Disco Reggae Dangdut! Dangdut is the local dance music in Indonesia, a mix of Arabic, Latin, Indian and Western music, popular since the 1970s. During the 1990s, Bollywood, disco, reggae and other styles were combined to create some pulsating dance tunes, which were heard throughout the country’s nightclubs.
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Cambodia 1990s Non-Stop Dancing, in the Ramvong or Circular Dancing style! Cambodians love to party with their local music, including at weddings. I attended a wedding back in 2005 and joined the circular dance, as well as filming it for a web site at the time. Cambodian pop and ramvong tunes are joined together in a party mix.
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Back in the early 1990s, Okinawan music was riding the crest of a wave of popularity and creativity. The music from the southern islands was Japan's major contribution to the 'world music' boom happening around the world. The 'Big Three' of Shoukichi Kina, Rinken Band and Nenes all updated their local island music, while other musicians, including Tetsuhiro Daiku, Yoriko Ganeko, Ara Yukito Parsha Club, Yasukatsu Oshima and others all gained in popularity. Two tracks each from the 'Big Three' and other artists from what was a golden age of Okinawan music.
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First show since the summer break, catching up with a few tracks or themes we might have played. Paying tribute to two musicians who died recently and had an influence on Japanese musicians; Lee 'Scratch' Perry and Charlie Watts. Afghan and Japanese melodies converge on Japanistan, while Tomita provided some music for the Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony.
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Part 2 of Nighties and Noughties Japanese electronic, lounge, downtempo, bossa, future jazz and samba, part 1 of which was broadcast in March. This one has a decidedly jazzy feel to it, with tracks by including Double Famous, Shigeru Suzuki, DJ Mitsu, Chari Chari, Norio Maeda meets Tin Pan Alley, J’s Bee, Studio Apartment, Lava and Soil & Pimp Sessions. To end with, another track for the ongoing Tokyo Olympics by Peko Peko Fluff, a Brazilian/Japanese cat music project, with Ganbare! (do your best!)
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Music themed around Tokyo and the Olympics which are due to start, controversially, in a couple of days. Tokyo related tracks from folk dances and electronica to 50s Latin and exotica, from YMO, Haruomi Hosono, Shigeri Kitsu, Morio Agata, The Boom, Yoshiko Yamaguchi, Mioko Yamaguchi and Akiko Kanazawa. Martin Denny’s version of Tokyo Melody, a hit song around the world during the Tokyo games in 1964. Various Olympic themed music, from the 1964 fanfare to the official Mario and Sonic Olympic tune and other Olympic 2020 songs. Olympic opening theme music from the BBC and French TV to Olympic ondo tunes and more!
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Balinese gamelan has long fascinated western musicians (from Debussy, Colin McPhee to Philip Glass) and has largely been recorded by western and Japanese record labels, (Nonesuch, Folkways, Ocora, JVC, King) while gamelan orchestras are found around the world. On this week’s show is Balinese gamelan recorded and released by local labels in Bali. Plus one interesting piece to end with, original gamelan recorded by the Warsaw Gamelan Group.
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Field recordings by Hiroshi Iguchi made between 2016-19, of various sounds and voices of the Naga people of Myanmar. Iguchi spent three years riding around the hills with recording equipment visiting Naga villages. Songs, voices, festivals, rituals, village life and more from one of the most remote regions in the world.
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When living in Tokyo, Peter Barakan's show on InterFM, The Barakan Beat, was essential Sunday morning listening. I was recently reminded that I was a guest a few times, and happened to come across a MiniDisc of my final appearance on 8th July 2001. The Rough Guides to Okinawa and Indonesia had been released at the time so most music is from these albums, with a couple of diversions to Okinawa's Shokichi Kina and Vietnam's Kim Sinh, the latter track ending up several years later on the The Rough Guide to the Music of Vietnam.
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Chinese 1970s and 80s rare groove, disco and funk from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Plus three tracks of 1960s and 70s surf, eleki and Tsugaru rock from legendary Japanese guitarist Takeshi Terauchi who passed away recently.
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Vinyl reissues coming out of Japan continue apace, with recent and upcoming releases featuring some classic, groundbreaking music from Miharu Koshi, Sketch Show, Haruomi Hosono, Makoto Kubota, Fishmans, Toshinori Kondo and Casiopea.
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Zithers a Go-Go, with contemporary, avant-garde Japanese koto and Korean geomungo, bluesy Vietnamese dan tranh and Chinese guqin, electronic and dance combined with Chinese guzheng and koto on a cover of Ed Sheeran, Dire Straits played on Korean gayageum, and Rider in the Sky on Vietnam’s monochord zither, dan bao.
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Inspired by the new album by G.Yoko, a singer/songwriter from Ishigaki island, Okinawa, a show focusing on some of the superb female singer/songwriters emanating from Japan. A laid back hour with four tracks from G.Yoko, and other current, mostly little known, highly talented musicians, in the acoustic, folk and roots music scene. Plus classic 1970s tracks from Sachiko Kanenobu and Maki Asakawa.
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Tracks from the just released, Paul Fisher compiled, Rough Guide to the Best Japanese Music You’ve Never Heard. That is, everyone except regular listeners to Far Side radio, who would have heard most of the tracks! Japanese, Okinawan and Ainu roots based contemporary sounds.
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Communist and patriotic music from the 1940s to 2010s, from Khmer Rouge music of Kampuchea (Cambodia), the PKI of Indonesia, Viet-Cong of Vietnam, Thailand, Chinese music under Mao Zedong, spy prevention and patriotic folk songs of pre-war Japan, and music from modern day North Korea.
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Music from the brilliant Japanese TV series Midnight Diner, currently being shown on Netflix. Mostly atmospheric folk songs, plus Irish, English and guitar versions of the the series’ signature tune Omoide, performed by Tsunekichi Suzuki, by Duck Baker, Mary McLaughlin and Judy Garland. The other Japanese artists featured are Kimie Fukuhara and Suemarr.
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Indonesian gamelan mixed with rock, jazz, pop and electronic music, recorded between the 1970s and 90s from Indonesian musicians including Kua Etnika and Harry Roesli and from Japan, Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Geinoh Yamashirogumi
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A decidedly laid back feel to this week's show. Tracks from the just released Takashi Hirayasu & Bob Brozman live in Tokyo 1999 album. This was the release concert for the album Warabi Uta, titled Jin Jin / Firefly for its worldwide release probably the biggest selling Okinawan album overseas. Plus other Okinawan music featuring acoustic guitar down the years, featuring some classic songs from some of Okinawa’s most famous artists including Nenes, Tetsuhiro Daiku, Begin, Hasiken and Yoriko Ganeko, ending with the latest (2019) and earliest recordings (1975) from Takashi Hirayasu.
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There are hundreds of covers of the songs of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono. However, there are just a few tribute albums, endorsed and supervised by the artists themselves. A previous show played tracks from the Hosono and Happy End tribute albums, and this week are tracks from the official Tribute albums to Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sakamoto and Takahashi. Artists include Bajune Tobeta, Steve Jansen, Ken Ishii, Todd Rundgren and Takano Hiroshi. Plus Cornelius and Sakamoto cover the Sketch Show (Hosono and Takahashi) tune, Turn Turn.
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New releases and a couple of reissues, many on European labels. Beginning with three instrumental electronic tracks; wonderful Japanese composer and singer Ayane Yamazaki, Beijing musician Howie Lee, and Jun Sato from an album just out of Japanese Left-field pop 1989-1996. Three superb vocalists, Okinawa's Tomoko Kina, Adi and Dido (featuring Sizzle Ohtaka.) Then a change of mood with a track from the latest and brilliant Music for Isolation album by Japan based tuba player Gideon Juckes with Rie Takeuchi, and by London based violinist Chihiro Ono. Finally a previously unreleased track of Okinawa roots meets jazz rock from Rokunin Gumi and from the George Ohtuska Quintet live album recorded in 1975.
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Saturday night in Sunda, Western Java, Indonesia. Featuring the wistful sounds of Pop Sunda and the mesmeric dance style Jaipongan from the 1980s and 1990s, with a few earlier and later tracks. Follows a real journey and indeed a Saturday night I spent in Bandung in the mid 1990s. The trip was primarily to interview pop sunda singer Detty Kurnia, while I stayed at the house of the famous local musician, Nano. S. who had popularised pop sunda from the 1960s. I also visited Jugula studios to meet Gugum Gumbira, the originator of Jaipongan. Detty Kurnia and Nano S. both passed away in 2010, and Gugum Gumbira in 2020. Plus the original version of the hit song Denpasar Moon from Sabah Habas Mustapha.
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Nineties and Noughties Japanese electronic, lounge, downtempo, bossa, future jazz and samba for a warm and sunny day. Features 1178 AKA Bayaka, Calm, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Jazzrtronik and more.
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New and re-releases from the Far East, with an electronic, experimental, jazz, rock and roots thread. Featuring tracks from the new albums by Towa Tei and Soil & Pimp Sessions, Indonesian gamelan experimental psych and jazz from the 1970s and 90s, 1980s classics from Logic System and World Standard, and new tracks from South Korea and Taiwan.
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Evocative 1950s and 60s sounds from the Far East. Singers and groups from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, China, Hong Kong and Japan, mix elements of their local traditions with Latin, jazz and other western styles into sublime and atmospheric music.
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Lovers Rock Japanese style. Featuring some of Japan’s finest female singers Bird, Sayoko, Sandii, Likkle Mai, UA and Yoshie Nakano, groups including Dry & Heavy, Mondo Grosso, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra and Fishmans, Kazufumi Miyazawa, Okinawan classics and original tunes.
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Like other Asian countries, psychedelic, soul, funk and rare groove all influenced musicians in South Korea from the 1960s-80s. These sounds have remained largely buried, even in Korea, but are beginning to surface in recent years. Here’s a selection of songs by some of the leading artists of their time.
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New releases from Japan, including tracks from the just released Haruomi Hosono Live in the US album, a Hosono / Sketch Show composed tune from the new album by World Standard, a children’s song from Saho Terao, a track from the latest album by Kazufumi Miyazawa, a rare Hosono produced tune by Testpattern, and pianist Maki Namekawa plays the Philip Glass piano sonata.
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Music for the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Ox. From Chinese funk via Japan, to contemporary electronic and dub, indie artists from Wuhan, Kunming, Shanghai and Qingdao, Beijing punk veterans to Chinese / Western collaborations featuring guzheng and guqin with slide guitar and banjo. .
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The show this week is all music from Burma, in support of the protests taking place throughout the country against the military coup. From contemporary hip hop, to traditional and vintage popular music from the 1930s and 1950s.
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Tracks from the just released Rough Guide to Avant-Garde Japan, compiled by Paul Fisher. Includes rare recording from the legendary Japanorama tour of 2001, organised by London Musician’s Collective and directed by Yoshihide Otomo. Other artists include Haco, Michiyo Yagi, Ken Sugai and Shibusahriazu.
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Tribute to one of the greats of Okinawan music, who died on 17th January 2021, aged 84. Scintillating recordings with other greats, Rinsho Kadekaru and Sadao China recorded in 1975. Solo renditions of some her most famous songs including Kata Umui, recorded in 1984, and various other duets in recent years with some of today's brightest stars, Kanako Horiuchi, and Ainu musician Oki, plus a remix of Kata Umui. Marks the passing of a true legend and one of the last of her generation that gave inspiration to the people of Okinawa following the tragic events of the second world war.
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At the beginning of the year, time for a refresh, with some sublime remixes of stellar tracks by superlative Japanese artists. Original tracks by Quruli, Great 3, Fishmans, Ryuichi Sakamoto, HASYMO, YMO, Asa-Chang & Junray remixed by Rei Harakami, Takkyu Ishino, Aoki Takamasa and Tei Towa. Plus remixes of 70s Ushibuka Haiya Bushi from southern Japan by Makoto Kubota and an Ainu remix from northern Japan by Toshimi Mikami.
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An interview with Paul Fisher (in Japanese) on Tokyo's Shibuya FM, when the Rough Guide to the Music of Japan Vol. 2 was released, originally broadcast live on 24th July 2008.
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Originally broadcast on the first day of the 20th century on FM Cocolo (Kansai), Love FM (Fukuoka) and elsewhere, the Kyokuto Radio, Far East Radio, selection of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century and a couple of extra songs.
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The theme for this year’s Far Side Radio Christmas show is Natsukashii Christmas Eve. In Japanese, natsukashii is a kind of nostalgic feeling, but with a positive gratitude for the past. Christmas Eve meanwhile is the main day of Christmas, celebrated by couples who might go out for dinner or view the extensive Christmas illuminations. Most Christmas songs have a romantic, yet upbeat feeling. This selection is from the 1980s, with a few from the early 90s. All now city pop/j-pop classics.
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The Far Side Top 10 new releases of 2020. Many of these songs and albums were recorded or completed during the pandemic, or were recorded in isolation, or couldn’t be promoted as planned. Some have words in the titles we didn’t imagine using just a year ago, like social distancing and isolation. Congratulations and thanks to all the musicians for still making and releasing some great music against all the odds in 2020.
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New releases and new compilations from Japan, joining the dots between electro pop, city pop, Shibuya-kei and avant-garde, from the 1980s to the present. Featuring new tracks by Logic System, Ryusenkei, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Mukaju Dan, Tomoyo Harada and Vegpher featuring Haco, and old tracks by Mariah, Akira Sakata and Rie Miyazawa.
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Forty years of the deepest, funkiest music from Japan. From 1970s groovy workouts, 1980s electronic funk by YMO and Haruomi Hosono to the raw energy of 21st century funk, punk and Afro-beat.
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Ryuichi Sakamoto soundtracks down the years, including from the Japanese films, Ikari (Rage), Nagasaki, Memories of My Son, Tony Takitani and Ichimei Harakiri, Death of a Samurai, to his best known themes to Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, The Sheltering Sky and The Last Emperor, all played by Sakamoto live on piano, via among others, the 2017 Korean film The Fortress and the 1990s British film, Love is the Devil. An incredible body of work and a healing soundtrack for the times.
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An ambient feel to this week’s Far Side Radio, with the more laid back tracks from the Nick Luscombe compiled Tokyo Dreaming compilation, in a similar mood tracks from the just out six re-released vinyls and cassette by Haruomi Hosono, and starting things off, World Standard from the album Asagao.
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Vintage music from the Far East, between 1920s and 1940s. Japanese popular and jazz music, rare recordings from Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and China, all made during Japanese occupation, and some wonderful old recordings of Japanese folk traditions; Awa Odori, Tsugaru Shamisen and Okinawan minyo.
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The annual Far Side Radio show in advance of London’s Festival of Korean Music, K-Music, which this year will be held mostly online. Music by several of the artists performing including ADG7, Heemoon Lee, Leenalchi, Sinnoi, Kyungso Park and Black String, and tracks from other recent CDs of contemporary traditional based roots and avant garde music.
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Reflective traditional and improvisational music, from the excellent Rhymoi label from China. High quality recordings and brilliant musicianship, featuring all the main instruments and some crossover collaborations.
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All aboard a tuk tuk for a perilous journey as Thai musicians cover Beatles tunes with a deep Thai and funky feel, while we delve back to the 80s, when Thai musicians were reworking funk and disco classics.
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An hour of (mostly) soothing City Pop, a genre of Japanese music mainly from the late 1970s and 80s. A blend of AOR, soft rock, funk and boogie and other styles creating an indefinable vibe. Featuring some of the most famous names of the genre in laid back style, including Takako Mamiya, Taeko Onuki and Junko Ohashi, to more upbeat tracks from the giants Tatsuro Yamashita and Mariya Takeuchi.
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Isolation- innovation and contemplation. More gems from Japan from the last six months. Each track was either recorded during isolation, recently released or became known during this period. Quirky folk from Tsunekichi Suzuki from the Netflix series, Midnight Diner (unfortunately he died in July), folk meets tabla with Namaste Gakudan, while Shin Sasakubo plays Peruvian influenced guitar from the mountains of Chichibu. A track from the album Music for Isolation by Gideon Juckes and Rie Takeuchi and other atmospheric and electronic sounds from Kumamoto (A Mother Tongue Project), pianist Koji Maruyama, Mioko Yamaguchi, a remix of YMO and a Haruomi Hosono remix. There are two extraordinary tracks from Okinawa from recent albums by Aragaki Mutsumi and Kanako Horiuchi. Plus a bonus track on the Far Side Mixcloud page by Hideki Matsutake.
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After six months, Far Side Radio is back with a new show! And it's great to be back, with a show of Lockdown Japanese ondo (festival music), minyo (folk) and various traditions mixed with electronics. New releases include Masafumi Saito’s Social Distance Ondo, the sensational Minyo Crusaders, Amami island’s Anna Sato, and Akiko Yano together with shamisen player Agatsuma. Re-releases include tracks by Haruomi Hosono and Makoto Kubota, there’s a lockdown special re-recording by Oki, while contemporary classics are by Sugai Ken and Micabox. With the Japanese Bon Odori festival season wiped out across Japan this summer, this is the Lockdown version.
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Originally broadcast on 30th May 2012. There aren't many record companies in Japan like Respect Records, and not many people like the indefatigable owner, Kenichi Takahashi. His personality shines through in the music he releases; at times joyous and uplifting, at other times sensitive and emotional. It was a pleasure to welcome him to the Resonance studio, to hear his story and listen to music from Okinawa, Japan, France, Hawaii and Sierra Leone.
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Originally broadcast on 11th February 2009. David Mitchell is a talented guitarist from the UK. Living in Beijing at the time, he was travelling to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, playing with local musicians and recording with his Uyghur group, Panjir.
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Originally broadcast 2nd July 2014. Ethnomusicologist, specialist in Indonesian music and producer of the acclaimed Smithsonian Folkways Indonesian series, Philip Yampolsky, came into the studio to talk about his Indonesian recording exploits.
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Originally broadcast on 21st May 2014. Debashish, Subhasis and Anandi Bhattacharya joined Paul in the studio to talk, play tracks from their recent albums, and most special of all, perform three songs in a live session.
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Originally broadcast on 20th November 2013. Jun Lin Yeoh is the director of the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak and the Borneo Jazz Festival. She came to the Resonance studio to talk about and play some Malaysian and Sarawak music. Plus a few selections from the Rough Guide to the Music of Malaysia album.
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Originally broadcast on 23rd July 2014. Dutch musician Pascal Plantinga, has had a long and varied career from playing in punk bands to his own brand of experimental electronic pop music. After visiting Okinawa in 2005, he met the legendary Shoukichi Kina and his sister, Keiko at their club Chakra. Several years later he recorded with both of them on different projects. He came to the Resonance studio to tell us the story of how this came about and to play the music. Plus one solo and a couple of other tracks that inspired him.
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Originally broadcast 29th November 2006. Gideon Juckes has been living in Tokyo since 2007, where he plays tuba with Fu-Ching-Gido as well as many other groups and projects. He was a guest in 2017 playing music and talking about his life in Tokyo. However, before he went to Japan, he was a guest on an enjoyable trawl through, mostly, Japan's ondo festival music in various updated versions including by his group at the time, Setsubun Bean Unit.
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Originally broadcast on 23rd September 2009. I met Rie Ogata just before she headed back to Japan having worked for the Asian Music Circuit in London. She came to the Resonance studio to play some of her favourite Japanese music. Although I had no idea at the time what she would play, it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable selection of some of Japan's most interesting musicians from the avant-garde experimental scene.
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Originally broadcast October 6th 2010. Ten years ago, the British music journalist and author John Potter published the second edition of his book, The Power of Okinawa- Roots Music from the Ryukyus. Unusually for Far Side Radio, John joined as guest by telephone, from his home in Okinawa, to talk about the book and play some his favourite Okinawan music, plus a couple of tracks chosen by me at the end. Artists featured are Shoukichi Kina, Yuki Yamazato, Yasukatsu Oshima, Toru Yonaha and Nenes, all chosen by John, and from me Ajian Nostalgia and Lucy.
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Originally broadcast on 24th September 2008. Wataru Kousaka plays Okinawan sanshin and Indian sarod. Completely self taught, he uses various electronic effects, and combines his music with Indonesian gamelan and other styles, playing music with an often ambient feel. On a brief visit to London in 2008, he came into the Resonance studio to play live, tracks from his albums, and talk about the philosophy behind his music.
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Originally broadcast on 7th June 2006. I've long been a fan of the music of Sunda, Western Java, and of SambaSunda, going back to their first album as CMBW. Subsequently, they released albums overseas and toured around the world. Regularly played on Far Side Radio, it was great to welcome the leader of SambaSunda, Ismet Ruchimat, to the Resonance studio to play some tracks and talk about his music, and listen to some other sublime sounds from Sunda.
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Originally broadcast on 3rd June 2009. I've long admired Huong Thanh, travelling to Paris to see her perform live and interview her and her collaborator, Nguyen Le, for fRoots magazine. It was a pleasure therefore, several years later, for her to come into the Resonance studio, to hear her sing live for us, and talk about her music and life.
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Originally broadcast 12th November 2003. During her first visit to London in 2003, Chinese pipa player Liu Fang came to the Resonance studio, to perform live and to talk about her music. We also play tracks from some of her many collaborations with musicians from Syria, Vietnam, Japan and the USA, some played on the Chinese zither, the guzheng.
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Originally broadcast June 8th 2005. There aren't many people in the music 'business' I like and admire more than Roger Armstrong of Ace Records. Always interested and interesting, a fountain of knowledge about all types of music, yet equally eager to explore new sounds he might not have come across before. Together with the equally admirable Ben Mandelson, they established the GlobeStyle label before the term 'world music' was coined. In 2005 he came to the Resonance studio to talk about and play some of his favourite music from East Asia, including Japan, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos, with some beguiling stories behind the music.
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Originally broadcast on November 17th 2010. Earlier in 2010, I received an album by Maltese Rock. All written in Japanese, I wasn't sure what the group had to do with Malta, where this strange music had come from, or who they were. All I knew was I loved it. Six months later, miraculously, four of the group came to the Resonance studio, to play live, tell us about who they are, and where their musical influences come from. A few years later, the group went on to record more albums and play overseas concerts.
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Originally broadcast on 1st June 2011. Kuricorder Quartet is a quite brilliant, rather eccentric multi-instrumental group from Japan. Never in the history of music has the humble recorder, sounded this fresh and exciting, from the small soprano, to the giant great bass, via alto and tenor. Each member is a virtuoso on at least one other instrument, and together they create a rich, warm, polyphonic tapestry of sounds. On this visit to the Resonance studio they play live and each member talks about their varying careers playing for a variety of groups and solo projects.
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Originally broadcast on 18th May 2011. The series of interviews, during this period when there are no live recordings on Resonance 104.4fm, has so far featured guests who speak just about perfect English. Not all guests do speak English however. In fact there's nothing more I enjoy than a guest who comes to play live in the studio for us, while we have fun conversations in the English they do know, mixed with bits of Japanese, sometimes with the help of an interpreter. Isamu Shimoji is quite a big star in Okinawa and Japan, singing in his Miyako island dialect. It was a real pleasure to hear him play live, listen to tracks from his latest album and talk to him about his music and Miyako island during his brief visit to London.
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Originally broadcast on 3rd July 2013. Peter Barakan is a well known radio broadcaster in Japan, and presents Begin Japanology on NHK World. Originally from London, he went to Tokyo in 1974, and went on to work with Yellow Magic Orchestra during their heyday. However, it's as a radio broadcaster that he made his mark, presenting on Tokyo's InterFM and NHK. I was a guest on his InterFM show a few times, so it was a pleasure to invite him onto Far Side Radio during a brief visit to London. His eclectic tastes take in many genres and countries around the world, but for this, our version of radio ping pong (in tribute to Charlie Gillett) we concentrated on Japanese and Asian music, so it was good to hear his choices, as well as stories about working with YMO and the music industry in Japan.
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Originally broadcast on 7th January 2009. It was a real honour to welcome the legend that is Jah Wobble to the Resonance studio, to talk about his music, especially his Chinese Dub album. Plus some Japanese and Thai dub tracks.
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Originally broadcast 6th October 2004. Bob Brozman, who passed away in April 2013, was a guitarist, especially of National resonator, lap steel guitars and other stringed instruments. Aside from continuously touring the world and recording as a solo artist, he was fascinated by music and musicians from around the world, leading to numerous collaborations with artists from including India, Okinawa, Reunion Island, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Greece and Guinea, creating a family of like minded musicians. While on a solo tour of the UK, he came into the Resonance studio to talk about his music, and play tracks from his collaborations with Takashi Hirayasu, a rare live recording of Bob with Takashi and Djeli Moussa Diawara in Paris, some of his solo material and from Papua New Guinea.
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Originally broadcast 8th November 2006. I've interviewed Makoto Kubota probably five or six times, not just for Far Side Radio on Resonance FM, but for radio in Japan, BBC and fRoots magazine. Each interview has been really different, as we have focused on what he was doing at the time. And with Makoto, he is always up to something new and exciting, whether producing artists from Asia and around the world, or as the artist, or both, as on this occasion as we are mainly talking about his Blue Asia project (Thailand, Vietnam and Morocco albums) as well as older recordings and productions from Okinawa, Indonesia, Brazil and working with Haruomi Hosono. Recorded at the old Resonance studio on Denmark Street during Makoto's brief visit to London.
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Originally broadcast on 25th September 2013. I've interviewed Debashish probably three or four times, and am lucky enough to call him a very good friend. Interviewing friends can be a little strange but I don't think I could ever run out of questions for Debashish. A truly world class musician and an inspiring person, this was an unexpected interview arranged at the last moment, and hopefully I was able to delve quite deeply into the man, his philosophies on music and what makes him tick.
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First in a new series called The Interviews. Delving back into a rich archive of 25 years of interviews with musicians, producers, label owners and more. Originally broadcast 21st March 2007, episode 1 is an interview with Tom Hamilton, the leader of an Oxford University and Royal Geographical Society expedition, who set out to record and document the traditional folk music of remote Himalayan communities. At the time, Tom was hoping the incredible recordings made by him and his team would be released onto a CD, but almost inexplicably never did see the light of day. Meaning, this show was, probably, the only broadcast of these precious recordings. Listen to them, and the story behind the music.
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One week after broadcaster Charlie Gillett died on 17th March 2010, journalist and author Howard Male joined me in the studio to pay tribute to the great man.
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Missed by many, Charlie Gillett passed away on this day, 17th March, ten years ago in 2010. He was always very supportive to me and many others. While I was living in Japan he didn't show too much interest in the music of Eastern Asia, but after moving back to London he was always encouraging and particularly interested in the various albums I was compiling. Artists too benefited from his exposure on the airwaves on London Live (as it was called then) and his BBC World Service programme. While visiting London in May 2001, I was his 'ping pong' guest, which was an honour. fRoots magazine were writing a feature on Charlie at the time, so fortunately Philip Ryalls took a photo which ended up in the magazine and elsewhere.
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Since the 1970s, Haruomi Hosono has incorporated various traditional and roots sounds from Japan and around the world into his own music. But he's also taken part in a large number of projects as bass player, producer, songwriter, singer, keyboard player and more, playing roots music from Japan and Okinawa, Balinese Gamelan, Brazilian Bossa Nova, the music of New Orleans, blues, Hawaii and more. Often hidden within the album credits, even ardent Hosono fans might not have heard some of these tracks. Plus, some bonus tracks for this upload! I forgot to bring a classic album from Okinawa that Hosono played Korg synthesiser on, didn't have time to play a pure Balinese gamelan track that Hosono supervised, and added the full version of a bossa nova classic that is so beautiful it was a shame to have to fade it down during the show.
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It's Sanshin Day, (San=3, Shi=4) and an hour of some blistering sanshin playing, that turned into a virtual who's who of the Okinawan roots music scene from the 1960s-90s with a medley of tracks from 60s/70s legends including Seijin Noborikawa, Rinsho Kadekaru, Shoei Kina, Teihan China, Rinsuke Teruya, 80/90s roots pioneers, Shoukichi Kina, Rinken Band, Nenes, Ara Yukito Parsha Club, Ayame Band, Tetsuhiro Daiku, Yasukatsu Oshima, Takashi Hirayasu, Begin, and left field classics from Surf Champlers and Shisars.
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New releases including topical dub via China, Dutch experimental electronica via Japan, tributes to enka legend Harumi Miyako, funky Ondo, Korean/Japanese roots rock, Makoto Kubota & Sunset Gang feat, Hosono from 1977, 1930s Tsugaru Shamisen, new directions on traditions from Vietnam, China, Japan and Burmese young singing sensation.
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The person behind the amazing Get Your Genki label out of Germany joins us via Skype from the Black Forest. Christian Preiss sources different genres of music, totally indie, directly from the artists in Japan, and compiles them onto cassette. He tells us the story of Get Your Genki and how he goes about finding the bands, some of which are real discoveries. All available digitally too via http://getyourgenki.bandcamp.com
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It's the annual fundraising week at Resonance, so as usual a different kind of programme. As requested by a listener, another Jigoku Radio with Hiroshi Yamaguchi of Heatwave, originally broadcast 31st July 1999, where I once again fail at playing shakuhachi. Plus interview with Tomohiro Kondo of Pealout, originally broadcast 22nd May 1999, Pink Floyd on Korean gayageum and YMO medley from Snakeman Show.
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From the pioneers of Japanese punk; Friction, Blue Hearts and Hi-Standard to the Afro-punk of Jagatara, Afro-funk of Zoobombs, girl bands Shonen Knife and Nelories, and Okinawan punk from Mongol 800, Beatle Crusher and Duty Free Shopp.
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China is much in the news- coronavirus, Huawei, but it's also Chinese New Year. A selection of Chinese electronic, ambient, improvised music mostly from the present, some recent and some past.
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I first met OKI and listened to his music 25 years ago. I've been a fan ever since, through all the different styles and projects; dub, solo tonkori, Dub Ainu Band, productions of Umeko Ando, Marewrew's accapella vocals, and the latest, the brilliant Amamiaynu. As passionate and relevant as ever, OKI plays live in the studio together with female singer REKPO, talks about his latest projects, Ainu music and we play some classic OKI Dub Ainu Band tracks.
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Balinese, Sundanese and Javanese gamelan and other traditional sounds (including some Okinawa) mixed with electronica into a mostly ambient mix. From 1980s Japanese pioneers, Geinoh Yamashirogumi, Haruomi Hosono and others, a scene developed in the 1990s, with Japanese musicians such as Makoto Kubota, Chito Kawachi, Hideo Inoura (Sunsetz) Kensuke Shiina, Chari Chari and others, spreading to other parts of the world by the end of the decade.
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Tracks from the YMC (Yellow Magic Children) live album featuring Hiroshi Takano, Ren Takada, Yuta Hosono, Miu Sakamoto and Kazufumi Miyazawa, Towa Tei's 25 year compilation, Classic 1980s reissues from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano and Kazuhiko Katoh, and the latest album from Cornelius.
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The annual Christmas show! A decidedly cool feel with Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono singing Christmas classics, other classics in bossa nova style, acoustic jazzy vibes from Ohashi Trio and Vacation Three, Happy Xmas War is Over, original songs from TV dramas, David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, 1990s Yukihiro Takahashi and the English version of probably the biggest Japanese Christmas song of all, Tatsuro Yamashita, Christmas Eve.
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Far Side Music / Radio Top 10 albums of 2019. Some great releases this year including favourites such as Haruomi Hosono, OKI, with his project this year, Amamiaynu, Takashi Hirayasu, Minyo Crusaders make another appearance as do Fu-Ching-Gido plus contemporary koto and guitar, Korean gayageum, Thai morlam and more!
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Tracks from one album of each year of the decade 2010-2018 (next week's show is the albums of 2019). As it turned out, two albums from Okinawa, one Ainu/Okinawa, three from Japan, and one each from South Korea, Burma and Thailand.
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Our 200th upload on Mixcloud! Covers of some of the Beatles greatest love songs from some of Japanese finest musicians, including Haruomi Hosono, Kiseru, Takuji Aoyanagi, Hanareigumi, plus two tracks in a totally different mood; Beatles Japanese ondo style and electronic madness with cats!
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Music is a potent force behind the anti-extradition demonstrations in Hong Kong. Protesters express their frustration and solidarity through songs. This is a selection of the currents anthems and rap, death metal and hardcore songs inspired by the protests. Plus songs of the Umbrella Movement and politicised pre-handover songs.
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One of the great roots musics of southeast Asia, Molam, from the Isaan region of northeast Thailand, given radical remixes, electronics, updated and reworked by musicians from including the Netherlands (Apichat Pakwan), Japan (Blue Asia, DJ Kensei) UK (Jah Wobble, Hijaz Mustapha) homegrown singers such as Rasmee, and 80s/90s legends Jintara Poonlarp, Honey Sri-isaan and Pornsak Songsaeng.
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Some of the latest radical mixtures coming out of Japan, and one from Thailand. Elements of Noh, Kagura, Minyo and other traditions combined with modern influences and technology. Includes Minyo Crusaders, who were about to make their UK debut, three versions of the Kumamoto folk tune, Otemoyan and three tracks from the Zipangu label.
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Tracks from Haruomi Hosono Tribute albums, Volumes 1 & 2, and from Tribute to Happy End. Features a wealth of top musicians from Japan and overseas, performing some of Hosono's masterpieces, including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, Akiko Yano, Spitz, Buffalo Daughter, Sheena & The Rockets, Dr John, Van Dyke Parks, Jim O'Rourke, Geoff Muldaur, Garth Hudson and more.
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A selection of some wonderful new releases, many which take traditions from Japan and Korea in new directions. These include a collaboration of Ainu and Amami island music featuring OKI and Ikue Asazaki, several innovative Korean tracks featuring Black String, Park Jiha and Kyungso Park, an extraordinary collaboration of slide guitar and guqin from Dom Turner and Tony Wheeler, and a track from the new album by the brilliant Fu-Ching-Gido. Plus Takashi Hirayasu & Bob Brozman from 2001.
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I've been following the career of Okinawan musician Mutsumi Aragaki for several years now. It's been inspiring to hear her develop her music with such a passion, open mindedness and bravery, in developing Okinawan traditional music, respecting the past masters, yet taking the music in totally new directions. It was therefore an honour and a pleasure to welcome her to the Resonance Studio. She enchanted us with her live studio performance, and listening to a track from her forthcoming and long anticipated solo album. Also featured music featuring her collaborator while in London, Mina, a track for October by the Boom, and the legend that was Hibari Misora.
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Sachiko Kanenobu interviewed in August 2019 at Festival Magia in Rotterdam. Sachiko talks about the making of her classic album, Misora, released in 1972, featuring Haruomi Hosono and Eiichi Ohtaki among others, and the 'miracle' she feels in promoting the album in 2019. A truly uplifting story from a truly inspirational person. Plus a couple of mid-90s J-Rock classics.
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Subtitled, First Rumba to the Real Rumba, this is an extraordinary 2 CD set of Congolese music compiled from many rare 78s by African music collector and expert Yoshiki Fukasawa and released on the El Sur label. I was lucky enough to translate the extraordinarily informative liner notes and track notes for all 50 songs. Plus comedy elements and funky music come together in two tracks, Kawachiya Kikusuimaru from the early 1990s, and more recently Taiiku Okazaki.
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Tracks from the new Haruomi Hosono compilation by Gen Hoshino, the upcoming re-release of Yukihiro Takahashi's 1978 album Saravah! and from his new live album Saravah! Saravah! (featuring Haruomi Hosono). Plus 70s City Pop classic and current band, Sakanaction, partly evoking the 80s City Pop sound.
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One of the great things about doing a radio show every week, is meeting extraordinary people doing extraordinary things, that I otherwise might never had heard about. Verity Lane is an artist, composer, creative director and writer who lived in Japan for ten years. She draws on this experience, in particular her study of classical Japanese traditions, that she takes into new realms of possibility with imagination and originality. On her latest projects, Origami Soundscapes explores ancient symbolism and Japanese birdsong and features a large scale origami performance, while The Crane reimagines a folk story with elements of noh theatre, dance, avant-garde music and animation. In addition to talking about this, we play some of her previous compositions and music by Bjork and Clive Bell.
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What a pleasure it was to welcome Japanese DJ Yuka Mizuhara to the Resonance studio for the first ever Far Side takeover. Playing music all related to YMO, including solo tracks and rare treasures, her selections reflected her personality; effervescent, decidedly cool, of exquisite taste and utterly charming. Fascinating to hear of her connections to Tei Towa, the members of YMO, and tales of DJing at Hosono's concerts. It was wonderful to sit in the guest's chair and listen to her show unfold of tracks I had mostly never heard before. Thanks Yuka!
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Gearing up for summer, with some crazy Bon Odori dance tunes. Kawachi Ondo, Goshu Ondo, Gujo Ondo, all given radical mixes from the 1960s, '90s and the 2000s. Kumamoto minyo together with dance beats and rap vocals, Okinawan folk dance tunes combined with electric surf sanshin and guitar, Awa Odori, 70s Haiya and Shiotori Odori all remixed, chindon and brass band minyo, Latin, Cha-Cha-Cha, and jaunty folk style songs featuring Haruomi Hosono.
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What a joy it was to welcome one of the world's most up-and-coming singers into the Resonance studio. Anandi Bhattacharya has been singing all her life. Immersed in the traditional music of her father, uncle, aunt, grandmother, and other legendary Indian musicians, she has embarked on her own course of musical discovery, culminating in the release of her acclaimed album, Joys Abound. In this in-depth interview, we play one of her first recordings under the guidance of her father, Debashish Bhattacharya, to her latest foray, a rendition of a jazz standard, via tracks from Joys Abound and an interlude of Spain's greatest flamenco vocalist paying homage to his Indian roots.
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New, recent and re-releases with at least two themes going on. Electronic space funk masterpiece from Tomita's 1974 soundtrack The Prophecies of Nostradamus, and ambient classic by Inoyamaland produced by Haruomi Hosono from 1983. From Korea, track from the new album by Park Jiha, gayageum from Yi Ji Young and North Korean folk from Kim Jeong Hee. Extraordinary music of slide guitar meets Chinese guqin from Australian Dom Turner and New Zealander Tony Wheeler. Songs from the new albums by wonderful songwriters Kazufumi Miyazawa (ex-The Boom) recent guest Hasiken and Okinawan Takashi Hirayasu.
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What a treat it was to welcome one of Japan's most engaging musicians, Hasiken, back to the Resonance studio for his second appearance. This time, we concentrated on singer/songwriters with Hasiken performing live, and playing tracks from his most recent and first albums. Plus two tracks from the fabulous British singer/songwriter Lucinda Sieger, who Hasiken is soon to play with at her 'Lucie's Lounge' and has a cult following in Japan, and other classic tracks from Hiroshi Yamaguchi (Heatwave) Sachiko Kanenobu and the amazing voice of Thai singer, Rasmee. One of those shows that was a privilege to present.
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A truly heady brew of intoxicating sounds reflecting the vibrant energy from an Asian metropolis during several musical golden ages. The roots of HK pop, when Shanghai singing stars emigrated to Hong Kong in 1949 (following the establishment of Mao's Communist China) and tracks from the film Crazy Rich Asians, 1960s pyschedelic rock 'n' roll, 70s funk, 80s Cantopop stars and covers of Western hits, an African dance anthem, and politically inspired 90s folk. All female cast and all incredible vocalists.
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Sachiko Kanenobu is about to have her classic album from 1972, Misora, re-released by US label Light in the Attic. 20 years ago she was in Japan to play some concerts as her album Sachiko was released. On 1st May 1999, She was my guest on Far East Radio, with an interview in both Japanese and English and playing tracks from that album. Plus other songs from Misora and other classic tunes from the early-mid 1970s by the artists Eiichi Ohtaki, Minako Yoshida, Chu Kosaka, Ryo Kagawa, Keiichi Suzuki & Moonriders, Masashi Sada and Kaguyahime, including some from the original vinyl.
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Rock arrived in China in the mid 1980s, mainly through the 'father of rock' Cui Jian. His song 'Nothing to My Name' became an anthem for the protesters at Tiananmen Square, and Cui Jian joined them as one of the main figures of the Pro-Democracy Movement. Cui Jian inspired a number of other rock bands, with the rock scene reaching its zenith in the early 1990s. However, by the mid 90s, Cui Jian was banned from playing in Beijing. On the 30th anniversary of the massacre of the protesters, Cui Jian's most famous songs, including Nothing to My Name, a cover of that song and other rock bands and singers both before and after the crackdown, including Tang Dynasty and Dou Wei. Also news clips from the BBC, ABC and CBC chronicling the protests from April until its bloody conclusion on 4th June 1989.
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Lewis Robinson of the record label, Mais Um, has long championed Brazilian music. Luckily for us, he has looked to the east for his latest release, with the superb Minyo Crusaders, and their reworking of folk songs with Latin, African, Caribbean and Asian rhythms and styles. Lewis talks about his label and how he came across the band, plays a few other Japanese discoveries and favourites, such as Monaural Mini Plug, Yasuba Jun Anchang Project and Churashima Navigator. Meanwhile I play a few tracks that Mincru have cited as influences including minyo/ Latin inspired tracks from the 1950s and 60s by Hibari Misora and Tokyo Cuban Boys, and other recent takes on minyo.
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On 21st May 1989 The Boom released their debut single, Kimi wa TV Ko and debut album, A Peacetime Boom. Tracks from The Boom to mark this anniversary plus on 1st May 1999, the four members of the band, Kazufumi Miyazawa (vocals), Kobayashi Takashi (guitar), Yamakawa Hiromasa (bass guitar), and Tochigi Takao (drums) presented a Boom special on Kyokuto Radio, Far East Radio, having fun and a few stories and thoughts on their first ten years. Listen to the first 30 minutes of this broadcast.
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After over 20 years of presenting a weekly radio show, something happened this week that hadn't happened before. A large segment of the planned show was to be played from an old Mini-Disc, and a combination of missing emails and a dodgy Mini-Disc player in the studio, meant with one minute to go I was faced with a one hour show with nothing prepared to play. A quick dip into my bag revealed a compilation album called Showa '64 that I bring every week (and is very good) as it contains the first part of the opening theme. Fortunately I had put a few tracks onto a CD for a Resonance colleague and played one track from an album intended for the original show. So here, hastily put together on the hoof, is this week's show.
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Tracks from the new album by Takashi Hirayasu recorded in Taiwan, several tracks of cool pop from the excellent Too Young Records label, more indie folk pop, the latest musical adventures from Dutch musician, Pascal Plantinga, shakuhachi from Rodrigo Rodriguez and Kohachiro Miyata, jazz/shakahuichi from Jeff Cairns and demo recording of Amami island singer Rikki and Chinese pipa player, Liu Fang.
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The Uyghurs are Turkic speaking Muslims, the majority living in China’s autonomous Xinjiang region, in the country’s north-west. China’s President Xi Jinping has taken a hardline approach towards Muslim minorities living in Xinjiang, especially the Uyghurs. The government has installed sophisticated surveillance technology and Muslim minorities are being arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned. It’s estimated around one million Uyghurs have been detained in what China calls 'vocational training centres', that resemble high-security jails. There is growing evidence of human rights violations inside the centres as well as reports of deaths in custody and forced labour. The region’s name suggests the Uyghurs have autonomy and self-governance, but similar to Tibet, Xinjiang is a tightly controlled region of China. Tibetan identity is under threat, and many call for freedom, human rights and the return of the Dalai Lama.
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Improvised music (mostly) from Japan, Okinawa and Korea, many featuring traditional instruments, some with jazz elements and others electronic experimentation, in both collaboration and solo. A stellar list of Western musicians with deep Eastern connections include Jeff Cairns, Clive Bell, Evan Parker and Henry Kaiser. Master musicians from Japan include Kazue Sawai, Tetsu Saitoh, Etsuko Takezawa and Toshi Tsuchitori. From Okinawa, Mutsumi Aragaki and Jitttyaku Orchestra and from Korea, Soo Yeon-Lyuh and Baek In-Young.
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Tracks from the recently released epic 4 CD box set, Non-Standard Collection. Founded by Haruomi Hosono in 1984, the pioneering Non-Standard label released Hosono's first post YMO recordings, including Friends of Earth, as well as albums by several other groundbreaking artists such as Miharu Koshi, Pizzicato Five, Mikado and World Standard. Selections from all four discs of mid 80s technopop, with funk, hip-hop and other styles, an influence that would permeate well into the 1990s pop scene. Includes a previously unreleased Hosono recording. All tracks on the set remastered, with selection and supervision by Sohichiro Suzuki of World Standard.
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Like many Asian countries, music in South Korea during the 1970s, was heavily influenced by American music, including the protest folk of Bob Dylan and others. A music scene developed, especially around the US bases, with musicians performing for the US military as well as the local population. Some great singers and songwriters emerged including Shin Joong Hyun, who produced and influenced many others. Here's a selection of atmospheric 1970s Korean Psychedelic Folk, some with a Bluesy twist from this period. Plus two tracks of 1990s folk pop/rock and a recent track from Japanese/ Korean folk singer/songwriter, Pak Poe.
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The 1970s were an incredibly fertile period in Japanese music. Jazz funk was a starting point for musicians such as Yasuaki Shimizu, Akira Ishikawa and Kazumi Watanabe, while a few others such as Terumasa Hino had embarked on a similar journey at the end of the 1960s. At the same time, a new movement started mixing jazz sounds and rhythms with traditional instruments such as shakuhachi, koto and shamisen, combining the talents of the leading traditional and jazz musicians of the day. These days, all of this music feels as fresh, relevant and quite simply cool, as it ever did.
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Three artists, Haruomi Hosono, Akiko Yano and Sohichiro Suzuki (World Standard). All connected to each other, all with new or recent albums out and re-released albums with previously unreleased tracks and outtakes. Plus a few other tracks featuring Hosono in different guises, loosely connecting to others.
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The current leaders of the Mongolian, Chinese and Japanese folk metal scenes, Okinawan and Chinese punk from the past and present, current Khmer rock from Cambodia, post-rock from Korea, and legendary rock roots pioneers from China, Japan and Thailand.
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With Akiko Yano's first album from 1976 about to be released outside Japan for the first time, journalist and Japanese music enthusiast Paul Bowler is our guest. Playing tracks from that album, Japanese Girl, other Akiko Yano early albums on vinyl, later tracks and Yano duets with Haruomi Hosono and The Boom. Plus 1980s City Pop on vinyl, from Mariya Takeuchi and Tatsuro Yamashita.
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Our guests this week; Akinobu Tatsumi, otherwise known as TA2MI, is a Japanese Jodo Shinshuu Buddhist temple priest. He is equally at home performing ritual chants at his family temple or for ceremonies at people's homes, as he is beatboxing and combining his Buddhist chants and traditional instruments with electronic genres while collaborating with musicians from around the world. Neil Cantwell of Japan Sound Portrait, first 'discovered' TA2MI while making his incredible film KanZeOn, and is organising his UK tour. Exploring the relationship between Buddhism and music, are a few other tracks, and to end, a tribute to Burmese guitarist U-Tin who passed away on February 5th.
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28 years ago to the day, on 20th February 1991, Kazufumi Miyazawa of The Boom, visited the Himeyuri Peace and Memorial Museum in Okinawa. It was an experience that would lead to him writing the song 'Shima Uta'. Originally released as the 'Uchinaguchi' version in December 1992, then released as the original version later in 1993, it went on become one of the biggest selling singles in Japan that year. It would later be covered by artists from Japan and around the world, sung at least partly, in Spanish, Portuguese, English, Russian and Polish. This show includes the original, some of those covers and songs that might have influenced Miyazawa.
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Glyn Ford, author of Talking to North Korea, is our guest. Glyn talks about the history of North Korea, his experiences, and gives his analysis on the current situation, based on dozens of visits to North Korea over more than two decades and dialogue with top party officials. Spliced with North Korean folk, propaganda and 1960s Japanese rock band Les Rallizes Dénudés, featuring Moriaki Wakabayashi, who defected to North Korea in 1970.
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A few concurrent themes this week. The studio guest was Japanese podcaster and music fan, Hiroki Sugi, who treated us to some of his favourite electronic and ambient musicians. A couple of tracks for Chinese New Year and several mentions of the Resonance fundraising week.
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Tribute to Phil Stanton who passed away on 26th January. Phil founded Riverboat Records in 1989 and World Music Network in 1994. On Riverboat (and the Introducing label) he gave an opportunity to many artists, most previously unknown, playing hitherto unheralded music from all corners of the world, to release albums and develop careers. While with the Rough Guide series, he gave many journalists, DJs, broadcasters and others, a chance to indulge their passions and release their compilation albums, again often obscure, yet music with a story that deserved to be heard. All done with great integrity, passion and imagination.
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On a cold day in London, I tried to imagine I was playing records in a cafe in Thailand. Not sure if it was next to a beach, or in the middle of Bangkok, but a mix of moods, with pure recordings of traditional Thai instruments, and various contemporary takes on Thai music. From jazz, ambient and chill out to hypnotic roots music.
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In the 1950s, musicians throughout South East Asia were influenced by various types of music and styles from other parts of the world, such as Latin, Hawaiian and Jazz. These were often blended with local styles to produce some of the most evocative music in those nation's history. Here's some of those tracks, plus at the beginning and end, a couple of songs reflecting the news of the day, and a few technical hiccups!
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1980s ambient classics (with excursions into new age, exotica, world, electronica etc..) from Midori Takada, Hiroshi Yoshimura and Yas-Kaz, 1970s synthesiser pioneers Tomita, Kitaro and Yuji Ohno, the innovative trailblazers Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, World Standard and Logic System, to current trendsetters including Shuta Hasunuma and Takagi Masakatsu.
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An alternative seasonal soundtrack- music for relaxation, reflection and remembrance. Piano solos from composers and pianists from Europe and America with Japanese connections, and from Japan. Plus classical piano masterpieces.
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We usually have at least two 'Top 10' shows every year, such as one for Japan and one for the rest of Asia, or one for new stuff, the other for reissues and compilations, but this year I ran out of weeks before Christmas! So all mixed in together, here are the Top 10 albums from the Far Side for 2018. Mostly new recordings and the different styles of music that reflect the Far Side catalogue.
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Some 25 years ago, I compiled an album for a UK record company tentatively titled OkiNOWa! the thriving music scene of the day. Unfortunately, due to various rights issues, it never saw the light of day. 25 years later, the Okinawan music scene is just as thriving and varied. Here's a just small selection of music that might be on such a compilation today, including some spellbinding unreleased tracks and remixes plus some recently re-released 1960s field recordings and 70s folk from Koza.
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Interview in his hometown of Chichibu, Saitama with guitarist Shin Sasakubo. There are some people who just seem extraordinarily talented, and Shin is one of them. A brilliant, classically trained guitarist, he plays avant-garde music influenced by Andean and his local Chichibu local folk among other styles. He's also a photographer and a tireless campaigner against further destruction to the sacred and brutally scarred Mount Buko which dominates the Chichibu landscape.
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Making a welcome return to Far Side Radio this week, were the acoustic duo, Kuri. Katsu and Miho were guests back in 2014, and once again they entertained us with their wonderful music. Blending Asian and European music, various flutes and wind instruments, guitars and stringed instruments, percussion and vocals, into an earthy sound that reflects their passion for nature and the environment. Playing live, tracks from their album, and plenty of talk about the issues that lay at the heart of their music.
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A show unlike any other. Three Japanese traditions, explained, demonstrated and performed. Minyo, folk songs, played on shamisen and sung by Aomidori. A modern take on Japanese storytelling, in English, played on lute, by Tetsuo Nakagawa. Kimono making, live in the studio by Izumi Uchiyama. A fascinating hour.
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I happened to be in touch in the last week, with two DJs from very different worlds, who I like very much. Jamie Renton has an ear for mixing infectious dance oriented world sounds, and is a tireless organiser of live music and dj events. Last week I was lucky enough to be part of the 'DJ Relay' at his birthday bash, and this week's show starts with a reprise of my short set. Meanwhile, DJ Bus Replacement Service (Doris Woo) is a Far Side customer and one of the few people who shares my interest in North Korean music - she deejays wearing a Kim Jong-un costume. We also seem to share a love of bizarre Asian pop. Asked for some further dance floor quirkiness are a few tracks that might fit her DJ ethos of "I simply love playing bad and incorrect music at people for my own amusement."
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Warning! On Halloween, this show begins with a loud scream, the track Osorezan (Ghost Mountain) from Geinoh Yamashirogumi. Things calm down somewhat with the full 18 mins of the world premiere of Coda for Glenn, featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto, then speed up again a bit with a medley of tracks from Cornelius (Oyamada Keigo), The Beatniks, featuring Yukihiro Takahashi, and two tracks from the remastered YMO compilation, Neue Tanz, although one is solo Hosono, before ending with an unrelated Halloween tune and Ryuichi Sakamoto from the 20 year anniversary of BTTB.
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There's many things to admire about Hasiken. Most importantly, he's a lovely guy, but he's also extremely talented; equally comfortable playing his own songs on an acoustic guitar, playing a jaunty tune on the ukulele, performing a traditional Okinawa or Amami island song with his sanshin, not to mention an accomplished pianist too. He's also brave, carrying these stringed instruments around Europe, busking, playing a few gigs here and there, while keeping up an exhausting live schedule in Japan, and all with an infectious energy and a smile on his face. We were lucky enough to hear his stories and listen to him play for us live.
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Rare 1970s Japanese vinyl, including the funky enka sound of Hiroshi Itsuki live in Las Vegas, the first albums by Yasuaki Shimizu and Stomu Yamash'ta, intriguing album by Yosuke Yamashita and Tsuitsui Yasutaka and the contemporary sound of koto and shakuhachi.
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If I was to choose one musician, whose music I love but I know little about, and who would therefore make an ideal guest on Far Side Radio, that musician would be Yu Kyung-Hwa. I first heard her extraordinary album of chulhyungeum, slide iron stringed zither music, about eight years ago. I sent copies to various guitar musician friends in the US, UK, Japan and India and all of them loved it. Who knows, perhaps a collaboration might come out of it? When asked in a questionnaire on the K-Music festival in London in 2016, which artist I would like to see perform in the future, I wrote down Kyung-Hwa. Two years later, here she is at the Resonance studio, playing live, talking about her music and her project E-Do, who she performed with in London. Fate? Serendipity? who knows, but I felt very lucky and blessed to have Kyung-Hwa sitting in front of me. A special show for me and wonderful to see her artistry close up.
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Poignant guitar music from Sulawesi following the earthquake and tsunami there. Evocative 1960s Burmese guitar with Latin and Hawaiian influences. Pulsating traditional Burmese circular drums, gongs and vocals. Dazzling Indian global tabla and a new mesmerising contemporary voice rooted in Indian tradition from the wider Bhattacharya family.
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If there is such a thing as the 'Hosono Family' then Sohichiro Suzuki is perhaps his little brother. His career has been inextricably linked to Haruomi Hosono, who produced and released his first albums as World Standard, inspired his project Everything Play, recorded in the same studio and using some of the same instruments as on Hosono's classic album Bon Voyage. Suzuki has also collaborated with Van Dyke Parks, David Byrne among others, and now has a legacy of innovative, highly original recordings, inspired by Hosono and others but in his own indomitable style. In this interview in Tokyo, Sohichiro Suzuki takes us through his career with fascinating stories of his encounters with Hosono, David Byrne and others.
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1960s and 70s Okinawa folk on 7",10" and 12" vinyl. Plus in the week of her retirement and final concert in Okinawa, two 1990s CD singles from Namie Amuro.
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Shina Shihoko Nagai is a London based Japanese actor and musician, who has appeared in Rogue One: A Stars Wars Story and 47 Ronin among other films. Dipika Soni is a British woman who lived for a few years in a small town in Japan where she sang enka songs at her local snack bar and became involved in her local festival. I play some film based music, Shina talks about her career, and what it's like being an actress in London, Dipika her time in Japan and those snack bars, and both guests sing enka live in the studio. Together with Sarah from Resonance, we all demonstrate our chopstick skills and eat Japanese sweets, all filmed by a visiting Japanese TV crew.
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New, recent and re-releases from Thailand, Okinawa and one from Indonesia. Tracks from the incredible Thai singer Ramsee and re-releases from legendary singers Banyen Rakkaen, Waiphot Phetsuphan and Phon Phirom. From Okinawa, the master Tetsuhiro Daiku, the latest version of Nenez and Churashima Navigator featuring Kanako Horiuchi, plus Indonesia's Sambasunda.
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Every now and then, Far Side Radio reflects what's going on in the news that week. And what a week it was! England were about to play Croatia in the semi-final of the World Cup in Moscow, the winner to play France in the final. Brexit was imploding with hard Brexiteers resigning from government , Trump was about to visit the UK for the first time, while 12 boys from a football team and their coach were rescued from a Thai cave. All these stories converged and were viewed through the unlikely prism of Japanese and Asian music- with Japanese / Okinawan/ Russian / French themed tunes and collaborations, plus a large dose of great tracks by artists from USA, Russia, France, Croatia and the UK!
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1990s (with some late 80s and early 00s) remixes of tracks by some of Japan's and Okinawa's finest bands and artists including The Boom, Shoukichi Kina, Nenes, YMO, Logic System, Towa Tei, Soul Flower Union, UA and Miyazawa remixed by Bally Sagoo, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Chris Franck, Haruomi Hosono, Hirofumi Asamoto and more in a seamless, upbeat, joyful mix.
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Interview with the incredible Haruomi Hosono, plus studio versions of some of the music he played at his concerts in London and Brighton. The man who helped make the Hosono shows a reality, Matt Sullivan, whose label Light in The Attic are re-releasing several of Hosono's albums in the US and Europe, and put on the show in London, is the live studio guest to talk us through how this all happened.
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Show featuring tracks by artists performing in almost unprecedented few weeks of upcoming shows of Japanese and Okinawan music in London. Japanese Innovators, Pioneers in Experimental Sounds at the Barbican featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono (also in Brighton) and Yasuaki Shimizu. Okinawa Day and Okinawa Africa, featuring Kanako Horiuchi, Mina, Miharu Tamukai and Abdul Tee-Jay. Mode 2018, three concerts curated by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Plus Fu-Ching-Gido European tour and the World Cup!
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Three years since her last appearance on Far Side Radio, the brilliant Haco comes to the Resonance studio to play tracks from her most recent album Qoosui, remix album Suiqoo and other new recordings and collaborations.
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Japanese street and summer festivals, Balinese trance rituals, Cambodian wedding celebrations, Thai Kick Boxing ceremonies, Korean shamanism and more. Old and rare recordings alongside recent reimagined versions of music deeply rooted to the ancient culture and psyche of the people.
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From the beginnings of 1950s Japanese exotica, with Tak Shindo, to 1970s exotica tropical sounds from Haruomi Hosono, pioneer Martin Denny's Japanese recordings of Exoitca '90 to other 80s, 90s and 00s exotica inspired ambient, Shibuya-kei, lounge and world music tracks from Sandii, Cornelius, Buffalo Daughter, Frank Chickens, Blue Asia and more.
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Edition 2 of this show, where Japanese (and Okinawan) traditional instruments and vocals are combined with electronic accompaniment in various moods from upbeat to chill out, jazzy grooves to experimental, big names to relative unknowns, classics to new, Japanese to worldwide, all in a seamless mix.
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New releases including several tracks from The Beatniks, featuring Yukihiro Takahashi and Keiichi Suzuki, re-release from Sheena & The Rokkets featuring YMO, Okinawa's Kanako Horiuchi, Japanese electronic musician Sugai Ken, Indonesia's brilliant Sambasunda and Japanese singer Sandii.
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Fantastic Tsugaru shamisen player Hibiki Ichikawa, and the wonderful minyo and enka singer Akari Mochizuki came to the Resonance studio to play live. Tracks by some of the greatest figures of these genres including Chikuzan Takahashi and Harumi Miyako, plus innovative Tsugaru shamisen mixtures from the 1970s and 90s.
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Hip hop and rap but probably not like you've heard before. From current creators in Burma, Thailand and Indonesia, combining hip hop with traditional flavours to pioneers of the Japanese scene. Early 1990s local rap style roots singing and hip hop rhythms, plus rap from Cambodia, hip hop from Korea, and cool chill out sounds from Japan.
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The Vietnam war ended 43 years ago on 30th April 1975. The war changed East Asian music forever. American troops brought their music with them, local groups would play on and around the military bases in Vietnam, as well in Thailand, Japan, Okinawa and elsewhere, playing rock, funk and other styles. American music was blasted out on American Forces radio, further influencing local musicians, an influence that spread to neighbouring countries. This show contains music made during the Vietnam war in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia, together with news reports, AVFN radio, Presidential speeches, addresses and interviews from Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, all tracing the course of the war from the early 1960s until the fall of Saigon.
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Japanese musicians play African music. African musicians remixed by Japanese producers. Japanese and African musicians together. From Afrobeat inspired dance tracks to Japanese / Okinawan / African roots mixtures. From the technically advanced studios of Tokyo and Paris, to single mic live recordings in rural Africa. Joyful, infectious, danceable, beautiful, mesmerising.
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Spring is celebrated in Japan like nowhere else. Perhaps the brief blooming of cherry trees symbolises the transience and beauty of life itself. At any rate, the Japanese love to sit under cherry trees at hanami parties and drink and sing. The theme of spring is everywhere in Japanese music, from classical and traditional to local folk, modern folk, enka, and pop, past and present. This is a selection of tracks for any mood with spring songs and tunes from across the musical spectrum.
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1970s Japanese and Thai funky sounds, 70s Indonesian dangdut psych soundtracks, 1940s and 50s Japanese and Hong Kong boogie and classics to Japanese Pink Floyd covers. Music from Far East cinema and film themed albums.
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Evocative original film themes from East Asia featuring some of the most talented composers on the planet. These include Jo Yeong-Wook, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tomita, Joe Hisaishi, Shigeru Umebayashi and themes from films including In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-Wai) The Revenant, Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away (Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki) Twilight Samurai, Onmyoji, Nabbie's Love, New World and more. Plus music from Michael Nyman, Michael Galasso and Ludovico Einaudi.
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Matt Robin of wewantsounds joins Paul in the studio to talk about their recent release, the album Orient by Hiroshi Sato, and to play other related sounds from Haruomi Hosono, Happy End, Akiko Yano, YMO and more. Plus a track from The Cambodian Space Project following the tragic death of their singer, Kak Channthy.
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Tracks from each of the five CDs of the Ryuichi Sakamoto Year Book 1985-1989. From live recordings, demos, TV commercials and stage productions to collaborations with other artists, many of them previously unreleased.
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David Hughes was recently awarded the Order of the Rising Sun for his work over many years promoting Japanese music in the UK and elsewhere. He is joined by his wife Gina Barnes, to talk about his extensive career, play songs from Japan and Okinawa, and together with Gina, play live in the studio.
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During the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, some teams competed under a unified Korean flag. On this week's show, a patch work of music from North and South played side by side, with Northern folk tunes, patriotic songs, rousing orchestral pieces next to new generation Korean traditional, wacky ponchak rock, 60s guitar boogie and much more.
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The emotion and sentimentality are (apologetically) turned up to the max with a selection of tracks from the 1960s to 2000s of enka, folk, new music, group sounds, power ballads and J-pop, with a large dose of syrupy, corny, cheesiness.
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A different programme during fundraising week at Resonance 104.4fm. Repeat of a Resonance production originally broadcast in 2009. An on location documentary that delves deeply into the Ainu people, their culture and music. Beginning in Tokyo, Paul travels to Hokkaido to meet with Oki Kano at his home near Asahikawa, ending the journey at Cape Soya, the northernmost point in Japan.
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Ten of the best new, recent or upcoming artists in southeast and east Asia right now. Most have made self funded albums, demos, uploaded songs or made videos. Not many have had any support from record companies. From traditional to pop, but mostly somewhere in between. All talented and creative. Music from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Laos, South Korea, Japan and Okinawa.
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Inspired by the new album by Minyo Crusaders, minyo (folk) ondo (dance) and other old and local tunes given radical mixes down the years, with cumbia, cha cha cha, rock, surf, jazz and other styles added to the minyo blender.
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A Merry Christmas from the Far Side. With some wacky, wonderful and some wubbish music from Japan, Korea, China and Indonesia.
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The Top 10 albums of 2017 from the Far Side.
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Tracks from the new compilation album Music from Okinawa 2018 followed by, well, not something that could be said to be 2018. From punk, dance, folk, jazz and traditional to big Okinawan ballads.
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Live from Tokyo, the brilliant tuba player Gideon Juckes is our guest talking about and playing tracks from his new album as the extraordinary duo, Fu-Ching-Gido. Plus music from other bands Gideon has been involved in, Cicala Mvta, Orquesta Libre and Setsubun Bean Unit.
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A few threads running through this week's show of Chinese music. Inspired by Dub Mentor and Yan Jun's version of Guns of Brixton, Chinese dub, electronic music and Chinese / non-Chinese collaborations, all quite radical traditional / contemporary mixtures. From the Far Side Archive, originally broadcast Sept.22nd 2004, an interview with Chinese electronic pioneer, Christiaan Virant of FM3.
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Music from throughout the long career of the legendary Haruomi Hosono. Includes two tracks from the brand new album Vu Ja De, 1970s tracks from Happy End and solo albums and 80s YMO. Electronic music from the late 1980s, 90s and early 2000s, plus other unclassifiable New Orleans, country, tropical, exotica, world, trad, folk, jazz mixtures from this extraordinary musician.
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From the Far Side Radio archives, originally broadcast on 5th November 2003, Japanese koto player Chieko Mori joins Paul in the Resonance studio to play live and some of her other recordings. We also pay tribute at the start of the show to Japanese folk musician Kenji Endo who died on 25th October, and at the end of the show, Vietnamese slide guitar and stringed instrumentalist, Kim Sinh, who had just passed away.
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Some of the past greats and current leaders of the improvised and electronic scenes from Japan and Asia, including collaborations with artists from the UK and US. Includes Koji Ueno, Harry Hosono, Haco, Yasuaki Shimizu, Otomo Yoshihide, Derek Bailey, David Cunningham, Clive Bell and Henry Kaiser.
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Seb Merrick of Kazum! joins Paul in the studio to play music by artists featured in the Europalia Arts Festival Indonesia in London, with 60s psychedelic inspired Indische Party, the original rebel girl band Dara Puspita, the incredible Moondog for Gamelan project, new takes on gamelan and other various tracks from Indonesia. Plus version of the James Bond Theme with Kotsuzumi drum featuring Kaho Aso for the Japanese Sandscapes event in London.
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Nowhere in the world is the quality of the recording and audio format more important than in Japan, where physical sales are still way ahead of streaming and downloads. These are recordings where utmost care and traditional recording values combine with the latest in technology in an attempt to realise the ultimate in sound. If terms and equipment such as 2 track/76cm/sec, 24 channel multi-recorder (Studer A-820) 192khz/24 bit, 5.1 formula, Shure SM-57, B&K 4006, CMC-52S/Neumann U-87 Aix, K2 Super Coding, rubidium electron oscillator, vacuum tube and Blumlein arrangement mean something to you, then this is for you. If not, then simply enjoy the pure live sounds of traditional taiko drums, shakuhachi and shamisen, the sonic architecture of Geinoh Yamashirogumi, Balinese gamelan, Chinese crickets, a festival, and from the US Water Lily Acoustics label, Ry Cooder and VM Bhatt. Even as an mp3 you might just be amazed.
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Tracks from the excellent new album by Okinawa/US duo Okinawa Americana, plus other songs loosely fitting into a similar theme including Americans, Ry Cooder, David Hidalgo, Bob Brozman and David Lindley and Okinawans, Takashi Hirayasu, Rinji Kadekaru, Seijin Noborikawa, Nenes and Shoukichi Kina. A meeting of roots and rock from both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
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London based Japanese/Swiss musician Mina comes to the studio to talk about her recording in Okinawa with five other female musicians on the album Uchina Love Songs. Aside from other songs from the album by Kanako Horiuchi and Lucy Nagamine, Mina plays live in the studio and there's a track from the wonderful Mutsumi Aragaki.
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Sublime ancient traditions are combined with innovative contemporary music. Avant-garde, experimental, improvised, jazz and bossa add new dimensions to some of Asia's most venerable instruments and songs.
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Tracks from the wonderful forthcoming US released album 'Even a Tree Can Shed Tears: Japanese Folk & Rock 1969-1973' and from the deleted compilation Tokyo City Pops 70s. Seminal tracks from Kenji Endo, Haruomi Hosono in various guises, Hachimitsu Pie, Sachiko Kanenobu, Makoto Kubota & Yuyake Gakudan and more. From folk to early world and roots mixtures.
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Second edition of the behind the scenes documentary of the Boom's European tour in July 1997, this time from the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival. Interviews with band members, Montreux staff, the Boom's management staff, a press conference, interview with Jeff Trott, songwriter and band member with Sheryl Crow who were performing on the same bill, and reflections on the tour with the Boom's Kazufumi Miyazawa.
In July 1997 The Boom embarked on a European Tour to Germany and Switzerland to play at the Viva Afro Brasil Tubingen and Montreux Jazz Festivals. In part 1 of this behind the scenes documentary, Paul talks to band members, fans from Japan, local press and Brazilian music legend Gilberto Gil. Music played comes from Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Carlinhos Brown.
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50 Years on from the Summer of Love. 1960s Psychedelia was heavily influenced by Asia, and then Psychedelic sounds went back to Asia emerging in a variety of music. On the first half of the show, 1960s and 70s artists from Singapore, Indonesia and Japan and in the second half more recent psych and surf sounds from Japan and Vietnam.
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The music of the incomparable Sandii, one of Japan's greatest ever vocalists. From early pop and disco to trailblazing sounds together with YMO, productions of Haruomi Hosono and with the Sunsetz, pioneering sublime pan-Asian and other world music mixtures, to her glorious recordings of Hawaiian music. Singing in Japanese, English, Indonesian, Portuguese and Hawaiian, a musical chameleon like no other.
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Two of my favourite musicians, Japanese clarinet player Wataru Ohkuma and chindon percussion player Miwazow Kogure are guests in the Resonance studio. They play live as a duo and tracks from their groups Cicala Mvta, Jinta-la-Mvta, and other artists they have played with, Likkle Mai and Soul Flower Mononoke Summit. Rip-roaring, squeaking, booming, frantic, screeching. Indescribable, indefinable, incomparable.
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The brilliant Vietnamese zither (dan tranh) player Tri Nguyen, joins Paul in the studio to play live, tracks from his albums and talk about his remarkable music and Vietnamese music in general.
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A different kind of show this week. Our studio is situated next to London Bridge and Borough Market where the terrorist attack took place on 3rd June. Today we celebrate London with tracks from Japanese artists and elsewhere about London, quirky Japanese covers of London artists such as David Bowie and Queen, YMO live in London, and from some of London's most famous musicians themselves.
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Inspired by the new mini-album by Japan's Minyo Crusaders, folk and traditional songs from Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Thailand and Japan are mixed with Latin rhythms from the 1950s to the present day. Plus in the wake of the attack, two tracks from Manchester.
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The music of one Japan's most impassioned musicians' Takashi Nakagawa. Singer/songwriter, left wing activist, drawing on Japanese and Irish folk traditions, punk and protest songs. Music from Soul Flower Mononoke Summit, Soul Flower Union, Soul-cialist Escape and Solo. Plus from the Far East Radio archive, an interview with Takashi from 22nd February 1998.
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African musical pioneers in Japan with Vundumuna, Mamadou Doumbia, Toumani Diabate, Njava and others plus from the Far East Radio Archive originally broadcast on 14th August 1999, the guest is Femi Kuti.
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Cambodia remixes from Dengue Fever and Cambodian Space Project and later in the show, ramvong from Him Sivorn, master musician Kong Nay and Mekong blues from Krom. Originally broadcast on 8th June 1997, the guest on Far East Radio was the wonderful singer Sandii talking about the music of Hawaii.
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Rare tracks from Okinawa, including the 1978 Izaiho ritual, vintage recordings from the 1920s, old cassette tapes of Shoukichi and Shouei Kina, Rinsho Kadekaru's first single from 1950, plus from Far East Radio twenty years ago, Kazufumi Miyazawa introduces Shoukichi Kina, while the studio guest is Jun Yasuba of An-Chang Project. The photo for this show is also rare, featuring four Okinawan greats, from left to right, Shouei Kina, Tsuneo Fukuhara, Shuei Kohama and Rinsho Kadekaru.
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Celebrating Twenty Years on the radio, two clips from Far East Radio broadcast on 15th June 1997. The first featuring Kazufumi Miyazawa with one of Japan's most acclaimed musician's Akiko Yano, the second a seminal moment as Hiroshi Yamaguchi of Heatwave encounters Irish musicians Donal Lunny and Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill and they listen to Mangetsu no Yube. Plus jazz and roots mixtures from sublime female singers from Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.
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20 Year Anniversary of Far East Radio first broadcast on April 6th 1997, with original show opening presented by Kazufumi Miyazawa and Paul's guest OTO. Plus tracks from the new album by Ryuichi Sakamoto async and his Year Book 1980-84.
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New releases including from the posthumous album by Tomita, the incredible Shibusashirazu, Makoto Kubota produced Mariko Hamada, Amami's Rikki, Shuta Hasunuma and U-Zhaan, and reissue of HIS featuring Haruomi Hosono and Kiyoshi Imawano.
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Tracks from the new album by Tri Nguyen, various types of Vietnamese music and wild sounds from the 1960s and 1970s.
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Toshio Nakanishi aka Tycoon To$h passed away on 25th February 2017. One of Japan's most influential musicians, he was central to Japan's new wave, hip-hop, trip-hop and dance music scenes from the 1970s including with his bands Plastics, Melon, Major Force West, Skylab and as a solo artist in various guises. Tracks from throughout his illustrious career.
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Innovative British producer and music maker Verity Lane, brings three brilliant musicians from her Yugenism project to the Resonance studio, Clive Bell (shakuhachi), Etsuko Takezawa (koto) and Ko Ishikawa (sho) to perform live, together with animator Rowan O'Brien. Utterly Japanese sublime.
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The Annual Fundraiser. The Big Issues through the mind of a 10 Year old, and Japanese children's songs with real children.
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Tracks from the new album by Debashish Bhattacharya, Hawaii to Calcutta: A Tribute to Tau Moe, original Tau Moe tracks plus other Hawaiian Classics from Sol Hoopi to Gabby Pahinui.
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More 1990s Japanese rock, from punk rock to funk rock, and influences from Brit-pop to Bob Dylan.
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Fantastic Japanese rock and pop from the 1990s, featuring The Boom, Soul Flower Union, Heatwave, Kazuyoshi Nakamura, Mr Children and Spitz.
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From Legendary Thai Crooners of the 1950s to the Funkiest Sounds from 1970s Bangkok.
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New releases of some classic Japanese traditional music, plus tracks from Ryuichi Sakamoto's new compilation of Japanese pop music.
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A Christmas special with Asian versions of Christmas tunes and the best of the guests who came to the studio to play live in 2016.
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The Top 10 albums of 2016 from the Far Side.
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Ten of the Best Compilations and Reissues of 2016.
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Tribute to Japanese keyboard player, producer, songwriter, arranger, remixer, who passed away on 30th November. From solo and early dub with Mute Beat, productions and keyboards with The Boom, songs for UA, to collaborations with Boy George and Janis Ian. Some brilliant sounds from a musician who will be much missed.
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Two guests, one crazy show. Kaptain Rock lands at the Resonance studio with his one string light sabre guitar, while Okinawa duo Sala-saji bring their brand of acoustic instrumental tunes on guitar and soprano sax.
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Music from one of the great traditional music series; The World Roots Music Library from King Records. Tracks from Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Laos,China and Vietnam.
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10 Classic Albums from East Asia featuring Shoukichi Kina, Haruomi Hosono, Siti Nurhaliza, Koto Vortex, Pompuang Dunangjan, Cui Jian, Rhoma Irama, Nenes, Labour Exchange Band and Byungki Hwang.
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The Far Side reaction to the US election. From Gil Scott-Heron to Soul Flower Union, old American tunes and sounds from Japan to match the mood on the morning after.
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Brian Foreman of Thrashing Doves joins Paul in the studio to play tracks from the re-released edition of their first album Bedrock Vice, his co-written song with Japan's Miyazawa plus Paul plays other artists singing in English and covers of Dylan, Doors, Madonna and James Brown from Japan, Thailand and Indonesia.
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Yumi Kagura- ancient mesmerising music for the gods. New takes on Kagura from Micabox and Aragehonzi, plus zen shakuhachi from Akikazu Nakamura.
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Amazing slide guitars and zithers featuring Ry Cooder & VM Bhatt (India) Kim Sinh (Vietnam) U Tin (Burma) Tse Chan-Yan (China) Yu Kwung Hwa (Korea) Yuji Hamaguchi (Japan) Debashish Bhattacharya (India) and vintage Hawaiian/Indonesia/Malaya sounds.
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New releases including tracks from the new album by Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Enka Mood Collection LPs, Burmese guitar, Japanese gakubiwa and from Kenji Yano's latest of sanshin island cafe music.
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Propaganda Songs, Commie Funk and Stirring Classics from North Korea, wacky and melancholy sounds from the South. A various mix of artists including Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble, Wangjaesan Light Music Band, E Pak Sa, Cho Yong-Pil, Kim Hye Yeon, Tokyo Bibimbap Club and Puri.
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Members from the Korean group Jeong Ga Ak Hoe come into the studio to play live, plus tracks from other artists appearing at K-Music 2016 in London.
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Music from the career of one of Japan's musical legends, Yukihiro Takahashi. Includes tracks by YMO, HASYMO, Sketch Show, Metafive, Pupa, Beatniks, solo material and tribute covers from including Steve Jansen and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.
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New releases from Japan and Korea, a rare live recording, crazy Kawachi ondo, classical Ryukyu music, 70s Thai morlam and a 90s cult electronic/dub album re-released onto vinyl.
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Extraordinary new releases with Japanese folk (via Paris), saxophone and shakuhachi avant garde weirdness, 1920s Asakusa Opera, 1930s Japanese Erotic Songs and Thai 70s morlam and funk.
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After a tumultuous week leaving the UK divided over Europe, Far Side Radio embraces European culture. From innovative Japanese interpretations of European songs, to traditional tracks where you can scarcely believe the performer is Japanese.
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A trawl through some vinyl; old and new, LPs and singles, traditional and modern, Japanese and Okinawan.
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60s and 70s Shima Uta Pop from Okinawa. Evocative island sounds mostly originally released as 7 inch singles.
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Music from the Asia Diaspora; Japanese in London, Laotians in Paris, Vietnamese in San Francisco, Cambodians in Los Angeles, Koreans in Tokyo and more.
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Tracks from Books + CDs. Beautiful artefacts, packed with great writing, information and photos, that come with a CD of often rare and wonderful recordings. Music from Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Malaysia, China and Japan.
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London based Japanese journalist Akiko Shimizu, joins Paul in the studio to play tracks from the wonderful Tokyo record label, Zipangu.
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The effervescent Kanako Horiuchi joins Paul in the studio to play live and introduce tracks from her varied recorded output.
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Okinawa based Japanese musician Coo plays tracks from his new album and production of minyo singer Yoshiko Furuta. Plus amazing Indian slide guitar from Debashish Bhattacharya and Korean slide zither from E-do feat. You Kyung-hwa.
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Japanese/Swiss singer and sanshin player, Mina Mermoud joins Paul in the studio to play Okinawan songs live in the studio, various recordings she features on, plus some songs from Kumamoto following the recent earthquake.
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New releases from Japan including from Tomita, Oki Dub Ainu Band, Sakai Shun, Sven Kacirek and Kanako Horiuchi.
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Rather well known Western musicians including Brian Eno, Bjork, Ry Cooder, Richard Thompson, Jah Wobble, Martin Denny and others play their take on East Asian music. Includes some wonderful quirky stuff.
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Indigenous music, both traditional and modern, from East Asia. Includes some amazing and rare music from the Ainu (Japan), Amis, Wulu Bunun, (Taiwan), Batak (Indonesia) Dong, Naxi (China) and from East Timor and Papua New Guinea (Oceania).
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Arabic and East Asian connections, with Nubian version of Japanese folk song, Algerian / Japanese collaborations, Syrian meets Japanese and Chinese music, Arabic influenced sounds from Malaysia and Indonesia and more.
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Some fantastic women players of Asian traditional instruments including Kazue Sawai, Koto Vortex, Chieko Mori from Japan, Korea's Geomungo Factory and Yu Kyung-Hwa, Vietnam's Vanessa Van-Anh Vo and Nguyen Thanh Thuy and China's Min Xiao-Fen and Jiang Jian Hua.
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New releases and some crazy stuff from Japan, China, Mongolia, Korea and elsewhere.
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Second part of the latest music from Okinawa plus some mid 1990s favourites.
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Fundraising for Resonance and playing music from Okinawa received at or inspired by the Trans Asia Music Meeting 2016.
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Music for the Chinese New Year with stars of the 50s - 70s from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia, Shanghai Divas from the 1930s plus modern remixes and cutting edge electronic sounds.
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New and re-releases from the doyens of Japanese Electronic Music. Unreleased 70s recordings from Ryuichi Sakamoto, new tracks from Cornelius, Metafive (Yukihiro Takahashi) Akiko Yano, Yumiko Ohno (Buffalo Daughter) and a sub theme tribute to Joe Meek.
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Amami island and Asian blues. Traditional bluesy tunes from Amami, Vietnam, Cambodia and Korea plus American blues inspired Japanese music.
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New and re-releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano, Miharu Koshi, Yukihiro Takahashi & Meta Five, Steve Jansen, Sean Lennon, Cornelius, World Standard and more.
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A slightly wacky run through Christmas songs from Japan, Indonesia, China and Taiwan, with Brazilian and Hawaiian flavours.
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The Top 10 Japanese and Okinawan Releases of 2015 from the Far Side.
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The Top 10 Asian albums of 2015 from the Far Side (excluding Japan and Okinawa)
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A trippy kaleidoscope of sounds from dub meets Japanese festival, Okinawan and Ainu roots music to cutting edge remixes of Femi Kuti and YMO.
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The extraordinary sounds of Myanmar. From 1970s psychedelic rock to exquisitely beautiful traditional music via bluesy guitar and modern day hip-hop.
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Mostly new and some old favourites from Okinawa, including Ryuichi Sakamoto + Unaigumi, Kanako Horiuchi, Mutsumi Aragaki and a dedication to my recently deceased father with a song by Takashi Hirayasu and Bob Brozman.
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New releases and re-releases from Vietnam, Burma, Thailand and Korea. From traditional to contemporary, the greatest singers to the latest roots sensations.
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Yukihiro Isso is Japan's foremost player of the nohkan flute. He is equally at home performing traditional style accompanying noh plays or improvising with musicians from Japan and around the world. He performs live in the studio and introduces tracks from his albums.
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New releases from Japan and Okinawa including tracks from the live album by YMO, the brilliant Sandii, bluesman Yuji Hamaguchi and a fantastic Okinawa/Senegal collaboration from Kanako Horiuchi and Falaye Sakho.
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Best known as a member of YMO and a pioneering solo musician, here's a selection of songs written by Hosono for other artists. An incredible body of work, that mirrors the development of Japanese pop music.
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Gearing up for a DJ stint for Cambodia Space Project, 70s psychedelic Cambodian classics, Thai funk and lukthung.
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An eclectic mix of recent releases including Korea's Geomungo Factory and Jambinai, Burmese hip-hop and traditional, 70s pyschedelic sounds from Indonesia, 70s Thai funk and 60s Malaysian pop yeh-yeh.
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Ngawang Lodup sings traditional nomadic ballads and Tibetan folk songs. He performs live in the studio and talks about his nomadic lifestyle in Tibet, and life in a monastery.
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Japanese guitarist Kenta Hayashi joins Paul in the studio. Layered guitar, effects and percussion creating a mix of acoustic/funk/blues/trance performed live, plus interview and album tracks.
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Tetsuro Naito and Tomoko Takeda of the Japanese duo Tomoro join Paul in the Resonance studio to perform live on their taiko drums and flutes, play tracks from their albums and talk about their wonderful music.
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Some of the most amazing music you'll ever hear from Indonesia from the 1960s-90s. Dangdut, psychedelic, Sumatran pop and classic pop sunda.
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New releases from Japan. Tradtitional shamisen mixed with jazz. Heavy rock meets heavy gypsy. Shakuhachi from a Spanish maestro. Three Okinawan greats. Ryuichi Sakamoto classic reissue.
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Kazuya 'Gachan' Uechi, musician and owner of the the Okinawan live house , 'Groove' and bassist Kengo Sakamoto join Paul live in the Resonance studio to talk about the current Okinawa music scene and play tracks from their 100 of the Latest Okinawan Popular Music compilation.
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Tracks from six CDs of evocative Malay and Indonesian music from the 50s and 60s.
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YMO covers. From the weird and wild to almost perfect renditions of some Yellow Magic Orchestra's most famous songs. From Todd Rundgren to Human League via electronic, Latin, classical and jazz.
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Part 2 of the Greatest Songs from Asia. This week the Top 5! Songs from Malaysia, China, Thailand and Japan.
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Part 1 of the Greatest Songs from Asia. This week numbers 10-6. In no particular order, in no real seriousness, but truly great songs nonetheless that have withstood the test of time and crossed international borders.
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New releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano, Jinta-la-Mvta, Sugai Ken, re-releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Thailand's Daojai Paijit and Japanese spy prevention songs from before and during the war.
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Two pioneering Japanese keyboard players. Electronic music legend Tomita, including tracks from his recent SACD surround sound release of Space Fantasy and sending out positive vibes to dub master Hirofumi Asamoto, who is in a coma following a serious bicycle accident in September 2014.
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Japanese Avant-Garde legend Haco joins Paul in the studio to play tracks from her new album and some of her previous work.
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Japanese traditional meets electronica, as koto, shakuhachi and other instruments are combined with electronic sounds and beats in a variety of styles and moods.
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Psychedelic sounds from the 1960s to the present day from Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Okinawa and Vietnam.
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New releases from Okinawa's Unaigumi, Japan's Kodo, Vietnam's Hanoi Masters, re-releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto and a tribute to Sheena of Sheena and the Rokkets who died on 14th February.
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Best of Far Side live sessions and interviews Part 1. Far Side Radio has been broadcasting on Resonance since 2002. Many guests have graced the studio to perform live and be interviewed. Part 1 features interviews with Jah Wobble (2009), Christian Virant of FM3 (2004), Makoto Kubota (2006) and live sessions from Shinichi Kinoshita (2003), Huong Thanh (2009) and Kuricorder Quartet (2011).
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Ancient meets modern, old meets new. Fantastic mixes of Japanese folk and traditional tunes with dub, electronica, surf, pyschedelic and more.
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Tracks from the Ryuichi Sakamoto Year Book 2005-2014, of unreleased material from the last decade.
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Just over 20 years ago, on 17th January 1995, the Kobe Earthquake struck killing nearly 6,500 people. Out of this tragedy came the song Mangetsu no Yube. Listen to the originals, covers, songs by Thai musicians about the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and a few other choice tunes.
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From traditional morlam to pulsating 70s tracks and the latest dub mixes. One of southeast Asia's funkiest sounds from northeast Thailand.
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Japanese traditional tracks for the new year, all taken from the new Ryuichi Sakamoto compilation of traditional music.
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Merry Christmas from the Far Side. Weird and some wonderful Christmas tunes from Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, Indonesian degung and Japanese koto and shakuhachi, Kuridorder Quartet, Teresa Teng and others
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The Top 10 albums of 2014
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Music from Geinoh Yamashirogumi. A collective of hundreds of people who have studied the musical traditions of many countries, and at the same time developed their own original compositions of hi-tech ethnic fusion. The group was founded in 1974, have released many groundbreaking albums and have a cult following around the world.
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New and old favourites from the Japanese roots/rock/chindon/strange worlds. Music from Oki Dub Ainu Band, Soul Flower Union, Sakaki Mango, Shisas, Tatsumi Chibana, Kuricorder Quartet and Cicala Mvta among others.
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Japanese singer and player of various flutes, Miho, joins Paul in the studio to play tracks from her latest album as half of the duo Kuri, play live in the studio and explore more Japanese and Celtic mixtures.
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The greatest ever female vocalists from east Asia. Mostly not with us anymore, all popular in their home countries and an influence still today on a younger generation. Singers from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Taiwan, China and Japan.
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From Folk pop to Technopop, from the early 70s to the late 70s, from Happy End to Yellow Magic Orchestra. Plus solo material from Haruomi Hosono, Eiichi Ohtaki, Akiko Yano, Masayoshi Takanaka, Makoto Kubota, Morio Agata and Haruomi Hosono and Yellow Magic Band.
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Music from pre-handover Hong Kong (before 1997). Atmospheric tracks from the 1940s to 90s, from 60s pop to ancient traditions via 90s electronic.
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Okinawan music chosen (including by Paul) for a CD sampler to be given away at the upcoming WOMEX conference. From traditional Okinawan folk to jazz and other styles with only a passing reference to Okinawa, but all of high quality.
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Sounds of Tokyo in 1959, early 20th century music and entertainment from Asakusa, Tokyo, and Tokyo jazz 1920s-40s.
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New releases from Yukihiro Takahashi, Yasuaki Shimizu and others plus some other old favourites
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Dutch musician Pascal Plantinga comes to the studio to talk about his recent collaboration with Okinawan Shoukichi Kina and other collaborations and influences.
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Tribute to the great shakuhachi player and cross cultural collaborator Hozan Yamamoto with tracks from big band bossa to Bach and flamenco.
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Ethonomusicologist, specialist in Indonesian music and producer of the acclaimed Smithsonian Folkways Indonesian series. Philip Yampolsky, comes into the studio to talk about his Indonesian recording exploits.
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Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 which was brutally ended on 4th June. Music from the rock artists who helped inspire the protesters at the time such as Cui Jian plus others inspired by these rock pioneers.
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Tracks from the new Rough Guide to Psychedelic Cambodia and a couple from the Rough Guide to Indian Classical Music.
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Football World Cup songs from Japan and Japanese/Brazillian collaborations and songs from the 1950s to the present, to mark the start of the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
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New releases from including Cambodia's Krom, Korea's Jambinai, Bali's Mekar Budaya, Malaysia's Siti Nurhaliza, and Indonesia's Ubiet.
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Debashish, Subhasis and Anandi Bhattacharya join Paul in the studio to talk and play music from their recent albums and UK tour.
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Tracks from the just released surround sound SACD by Tomita, Pictures at an Exhibition, plus other tracks from Tomita albums.
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To commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, minyo (folk) tunes from the region, in different styles from the traditional to the modern.
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One of the most requested tracks on Far Side Radio is the opening theme by Kensuke Shiina called Ring of Fire. Other tracks by Kensuke Shiina, and other similarish tunes by Makoto Kubota and others.
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Far Eastern albums released on European and US labels. Includes tracks by Shanren, Hanggai, Da Wang Gang, Van-Anh Vanessa Vo, Huong Thanh, Sambasunda and Dengue Fever.
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Incredible mixes of Japanese and Latin music from the 1940s 'til the 1990s. Japanese traditions with rumba, calypso, samba and flamenco.
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Music for the Chinese New Year. From traditional and vintage pop to electronic and indie sounds of Beijing.
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Brilliant Thai morlam and lukthung music from the 1950s-90s. Funky and wild grooves from northeastern Thailand.
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Albums from the Zipangu/Bamboo label, based near Mount Fuji in Japan. Japanese traditional music with a contemporary edge. Some really fascinating releases.
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Christmas songs Japanese style. Hawaiian Christmas from Sandi,and renditions of famous Christmas tunes and carols by Japanese artists including Haruomi Hosono and Kuricorder Quartet.
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New releases and re-releases including Ryuichi Sakamoto's Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, Khun-In and Sweetnuj from Thailand, and 96 year old Japanese Goze singer Haru Kobayashi.
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Music from South Korea, Japan and China all brought back from the World Music Expo in Cardiff in October 2013.
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Jun Lin Yeoh, director of the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak and the Borneo Jazz Festival comes to the studio to talk about and play some Malaysian and Sarawak music.
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The Music of Miyako island Okinawa featuring both traditional and modern styles, including Satoru Shimoji, Sakishima Meeting and Blue Asia.
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Part 2 of the Japafrica theme. This time with Algerian rai musicians, Congolese and of course Japanese. Includes Hamid Baroudi, Cheb Tati, Vundumuna, Ali Hassan Kuban, Sakaki Mango and Anyango.
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Indian slide guitar player Debashish Bhattacharya comes into the studio for an in depth interview about his music and Indian raga.
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African musicians playing with Japanese musicians, Japanese musicians playing African music. Some wonderful and surprising collaborations featuring Toumani Diabate, Youssou N'Dour, Mamadou Doumbia and many others.
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Music of Tokyo in 1964, the last time the Olympics were held in the city, upon news Tokyo will host the 2020 games.
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Some wonderful rootsy Thai music from the Baichasong label in Bangkok,unknown, and superb Burmese roots music, plus Japanese shakuhachi.
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New releases, many with a YMO connection. New albums from Yukihiro Takahashi, Ryuichi Sakamoto + Taylor Deupree, Soggy Cheerios, Haruomi Hosono singing Bossa Nova, plus superb biwa and koto duo tracks. The recording device in the studio wasn't working properly and the first few songs are distorted. Persevere as it gets a bit better...
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New releases including tracks from North Korea, Blue Asia, Sandii and vintage jazz.
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Hawaiian music with a Japanese link, from the 1930s to the present day, from Club Nisei to Sandii.
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Paul is joined in the studio by Japanese acoustic duo Kuri to perform live and talk about their 'global' music.
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Broadcaster and long time Tokyo resident Peter Barakan comes to the studio to talk about his time in Japan and play some Japanese music.
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Music from a playlist for a Japanese restaurant. Modern, cool, electronic sounds from HASYMO, Chari Chari, Beatniks, Akiko Kanazawa, Oki and others
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New releases from Haruomi Hosono, Miharu Koshi, Etsuko Takezawa, Kenji Ikegami, Hatsuneya Ishikawa and Tetsuhiro Daiku
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New releases from Tetsuhiro Daiku, Lucy, Indonesian kroncong, and Indian slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya.
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Japanese psych and garage rarities from 1967 and 1968.
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Selection of amazing 1930s-70s music from Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Cambodia.
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New roots music from Japan. Some quite brilliant stuff, with a few classic things in the mix as well.
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Bob Brozman sadly passed away on April 23rd. This is a recording of a show with Bob as guest first broadcast on 6th October 2004 in which he talks about his Okinawan recordings and other projects.
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Contemporary Chinese music with roots and an experimental edge.
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Tracks from the new Early Popular Music of Indonesia CD, with vintage recordings from 1920s-60s of all types of Indonesian pop music including kroncong, gambang kromong and dangdut.
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Left field Okinawan music, a show inspired by Dutch musician Pascal Plantinga's collaboration with Shoukichi Kina. Okinawan music combined with all sorts of extraneous influences and sounds.
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Tribute to Okinawan musician Seijin Noborikawa who died on 19th March. Tracks from throughout his career from 1950s to 2011.
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Japanese roots music gems from 1991 to the present day. Classics from Shang Shang Typhoon, Takio Ito, Soul Flower Mononoke Summit and recent tracks from younger, contemporary musicians pushing the boundaries of traditional music.
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Tracks from the latest album by Tomita, Symphony Ihatov, and from some of the electonic music pioneer's previous albums.
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Prayer and religious music, mostly with a contemporary edge from Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Vietnam, Tibet and Bali. Laid back traditional and contemporary sounds.
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Singers who died too young. Legends from Thailand (Pompuang Duangjan) Cambodia (Sinn Sisamouth) Malaysia (P.Ramlee) and lesser known singers from Indonesia, including Detty Kurnia and Japan (Yoshie Uno)
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Various styles of Chinese electronic music from house to chill out.
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Monumental recordings 1931-1957 of Latin American music in Japan. Some brilliant recordings.
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Cool music from Japan and Thailand, ideas for a new restaurant compilation.
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The Far Side Top 10 releases of 2012.
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New releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Shibusashirazu, Emme, and tracks from a Ryuichi Sakamoto Tribute album.
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Some amazing Indonesian pop sunda, dangdut and jaipong, produced by Japanese producers or released in Japan from the mid 1980s to mid 90s.
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Traditional Vietnamese music from Hanoi in the North to Saigon in the South, via Hue in the centre.
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An eclectic mix of songs about Tokyo. Boogie-woogie, old folk, new folk, underground, overground, and the odd.
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Tracks from the Discover New Japan CD, Ainu group Marewrew, Sandii and others.
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New releases from Fishmans+, Tsukudanaka Sanpachi, plus Korean music from Geomungo Factory and others.
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As Psy's Gangnam Style reaches Number One in the UK, some other tracks from Thailand, Japan and elsewhere that, you never know, could also have reached the top spot if You Tube had been around and someone was doing a horse riding dance. But then again, maybe not, Plus, some good tracks as well
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New releases, re-releases and related tracks including Tomita, Logic System, and tracks from Red Diamond, tribute to Yukihiro Takahashi
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New releases from Shoukichi Kina, Perunika Trio, Yu Kyung-Hwa and more.
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Music from the just released second edition of the Rough Guide to the Music of China, compiled by Paul.
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As torrential rain floods much of Kyushu, including Kumamoto where Paul lived, and Aso where the Far Side Japan office is located, listen to folk tracks from the various Kyushu prefectures.
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Sublime Balinese gamelan music, while the presenter tries to deal with a chronic attack of hayfever.
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Some rather wonderful Japanese roots and popular music, all to do with rain, topical for the UK in June, although it was a sunny day when this was broadcast. Features Shigeri Kitsu, Kiwi & The Papaya Mangoes, An-Chang Project, Tadamaru Sakuragawa and Shoukichi Kina.
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New releases from including Okinawa's Yasukatsu Oshima, Japan's Kuricorder Quartet and Logic System, Korea's Yoo Ji-Sook and Noh Eun-Ah and re-releases from legends, Indonesia's Rhoma Irama and China's Bai Guang.
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Kenichi Takahashi of Respect Records of Tokyo comes to the Resonance studio to talk about his label, play some of his favourite tracks and have some fun at the same time.
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A phone interview with Matt Gillan, currently living in Tokyo who has just had his fascinating book 'Songs from the Edge of Japan: Music-making in Yaeyama and Okinawa' published. Matt selects a few of his favourite tunes.
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Kenichi Kawamura and Masato Higa, of the Okinawan sanshin/vocal, piano duo Lacorde come into the Resonance studio to play live and talk about their music.
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Collaborations; Chinese & Japanese, Vietnamese & Japanese, Japanese & Spanish, Mongolian & Iranian, American & Taiwanese, Okinawan & American..Fantastic music from two cultures.
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Tsugaru Shamisen, the northern Japanese folk style. From the greats such as Chikuzan Takahashi to the new generation and hybrid styles from bluegrass to polka and even heavy metal.
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Live music and festivals featuring the legendary recordings of the Kawachi Ondo festival in Tokyo 1982, live music from Nenes, Shokichi Kina from Okinawa, Oki Dub Ainu Band, Cicala Mvta and more. Rather good.
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New releases from including OKI meets Misako Oshiro, Shanghai Hits of the 1930s and 40s, and contemporary Chinese roots music.
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From Korean traditional music to wacky 'ponchak' via roots and emotional 'trot'. A brief overview of Korean music.
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Music you might like to hear at a Japanese restaurant. Mostly cool pop with some added dance, jazz, Latin and ambient vibes.
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It's donation drive week at Resonance while playing retro covers of pop hits from 1930s-60s by contemporary artists from Japan and Malaysia.
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New releases from The Beatniks, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Toshihiko Mizuno and others, plus Chinese electronic tunes for the Chinese new year.
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As Paul Fisher turns 50, he reflects on a few records that changed his life.
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New releases by The Beatniks, featuring Yukihiro Takahashi, Hiromichi Sakamoto, 70s Pop Melayu from Indonesia's Koes Plus and 1930s-40s Japanese re-releases.
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The Far Side Music Top 10 albums of 2011.
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Odds and ends of demos and other oddities.Includes Okinawan 12" from Pascal Plantinga and Keiko Kina, Malaysian music and tracks recorded for BBC World Routes.
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The type of sounds to be played at a forthcoming DJ set at the release party of the superb film KanZeOn.Buddhist and other traditions mixed with dance beats and other modern styles.
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New releases from Kiwi & Papaya Mangoes, Maricamizki, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Sakamoto produced albums, YMO covers and more.
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Chinese music from 1930s and 40s Shangai, traditional music and more.
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New releases from Kazue Sawai, Oyama x Nitta, Misako Oshiro and Kanako Horiuchi, Takashi Nakagawa, Lucy and others.
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New releases from Sakaki Mango, Makoto Kubota plus Japanese/African and other mixes. One not to miss.
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Unusual renditions of Japanese children's songs, from Hosono, Sakamoto, Heatwave, UA and others.
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New releases including from Ryuichi Sakamoto and Christian Fennesz, plus music from two musicians who died recently; Japanese electronic musician Rei Harakami and Indonesian singer Euis Komariah.
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Protest songs from East Asia by Okinawa's Shoukichi Kina, China's Cui Jian, Japan's Soul Flower Union, Taiwan's Labour Exchange Band and more.
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Katsunori Tanaka joins the show from Tokyo to talk about the life of legendary journalist Toyo Nakamura who died on July 21st, and play music from his various productions and compilations.
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New releases from Oki Dub Ainu Band, Sandii, Snakeman Show, Waraku Ensemble and others.
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Kuricorder Quartet come to the Resonance studio to play live and talk about their music and other groups they've played in.
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Miyako island music singer Isamu Shimoji joins Paul in the studio to play live and talk about his music.
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New releases including from the new album by Haruomi Hosono and the compilation Oriental Deluxe.
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East Asian music for weddings.From sublime Cambodian and Thai traditional wedding music, to syrupy idol bubblegum J-pop.
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New releases from Sandii, Tomoyo Harada, re-releases from Lebu Kamuy, hits of the Showa Period, Shisas and tsugaru shamisen from Michihiro and Michiyoshi Sato.
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Laid back cool sounds and some wild ones too from Java, Bali, Sumatra for a warm day in London.
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Paul is joined by Maki Nishida to talk about the ongoing situation in Japan, to promote a web site sending goods to Tohoku and play relevant music.
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Following the earthquake and tsunami that tragically struck the Tohoku region of Japan on March 11th, Paul plays music from Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Aomori prefectures, much in the news, and is joined on the phone live from Tokyo by Australian Joe Gayton.
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New releases from Japan including some great club/ambient underground music from Osaka, electro-pop classics from Logic System, Okinawa's Seijin Noborikawa and more.
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Music from the 20 year history of the documentary programme, NHK Special with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Isao Tomita, Kitaro and other speicially commissioned music.
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Music for the Chinese new year; both modern and traditional, from rock and folk stars Ai Jing and Cui Jian to traditional erhu and Guqin.
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Music and dialogue from classic Japanese films from the 1930s-50s, featuring Hibari Misora, Shizuko Kasagi and other film and music stars of the day.
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Tracks from the brilliant compilation, The Sound of Siam- Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz & Molam in Thailand 1964-1975 and other classic tracks from the 1950s and 60s.
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The best of recent new releases.
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The Top 10 releases of 2010 from the Far Side.
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Tribute to John Lennon on the 30th anniversary of his death. Wacky and wonderful cover versions of John Lennon and the Beatles.
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Neil Cantwell and Tim Grabham, makers of the documentary film KanZeOn, join Paul in the studio to talk about their intriguing project and play remix tracks of music featured in the film.
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Okinawan group Maltese Rock come into the studio to perform live and talk about their compelling music.
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A selection of tracks from various Rough Guide CDs compiled by Paul Fisher including from Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Japan and Okinawa.
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Another in the occasional series focusing on record labels. This one, Japan's Chitei Records, home to Shibusashirazu and other jazz and experimental artists
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Paul is joined on the phone from Okinawa by author and journalist John Potter to talk about his book, The Power of Okinawa, Roots Music from the Ryukyus.
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East meets East as musicians from Japan, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and elsewhere collaborate with eachother.
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Tracks from the excellent Chlangden series of Cambodian 60s legends.
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New releases and re-releases including Umekichi, Soul Flower Union, Pupa, Kazue Sawai and Indian hindustani music meets Japanese Buddhist chants.
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Music for an imagined Far Side beach- laid back and fun sounds from Okinawa and Hawaii.
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Documentary titled Ainu Country, recorded on location in Japan by Paul Fisher for CBC Radio in Canada. In Tokyo he talks to Mina Sakai of young performance group Ainu Rebels, witnesses a live concert by Oki Dub Ainu Band, before travelling to the northern island of Hokkaido, the ancestral home of the Ainu, to meet musician Oki Kano. Paul's journey ends at Cape Soya, the northernmost point of Japan.
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More new releases from Oki Dub Ainu Band, Harry Hosono and others plus great reissues of 60s Okinawan music and more.
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New releases from Tetsuhiro Daiku, Maltese Rock, Sandii and others
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Paul is joned by Meria Miller and Sherry Sugita of the London Sanshinkai to play and talk about Okinawan music ahead of Okinawa Day.
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A lighthearted preview of the football world cup from an East Asian perspective. Football songs from Japan and patriotic songs from North Korea.
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Various bamboo flutes from Asia. From traditional to jazz, serene to upbeat, flutes from Japan, China, Vietnam and Indonesia.
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New releases from Sandii, Iyeth Bustami plus some rare gems from Elvy Sukaesih, Mamadou Doumbia, Toumani Diabate, Nenes, Yasukatsu Oshima and others.
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Requests from Far Side listeners with tracks from Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
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The latest Far Side Music Top 10. Plus an added bonus.
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Western and African collaborations with Japanese musicians, plus non-Japanese playing Japanese music. Featuring Youssou N'Dour, Toumani Diabate, Jah Wobble, Kila and Oki, Martin Denny, Masami Tsuchiya and many more wonderful tracks.
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Some superb new releases including tracks from the new albums by Shibusashirazu, Cicala Mvta, Okinawa's Seijn Noborikawa and classic reissues from Chu Kosaka and Kenji Endo.
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Another of our occasional series focusing on record companies. This one, Ryuichi Sakamoto's Commmons label.
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A temporay file of Charlie Gillett's BBC London show from May 2001 with ping-pong guest Paul Fisher.
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Paul is joined by journalist Howard Male to pay tribute to the late, great Charlie Gillett.
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A tongue-in-cheek listen to some of the worst music from the Far East including some of the bad but brilliant variety.
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New and modern classics from the contemporary Chinese music scene.
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The Japan Playlist from the new edition of the Rough Guide to World Music book- Europe, Asia and Pacific. Everyone a gem.
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New releases from Japan, including Chanchiki Tornade, Aoki Takamasa, Haruomi Hosono, and superb new recordings of koto music.
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Sublime recordings of traditional East Asian music from the JVC World Sounds catalogue.
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70s and 80s Indonesian pop and dangdut classics, including Makoto Kubota's early productions, plus a few surprises.
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Ukulele gems, from the traditional to the bizarre, from Japanese maestros to Hawaiian masters.
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New releases and re-releases. From 60s jazz versions of traditional tunes to traditional versions of traditional tunes, 60s Group Sounds and Okinawan legend Shouei Kina.
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The Far Side Top 10 releases of 2009.
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New releases from Japan including Minimums covers of YMO, shakuhachi player with Isao Tomita, re-release of 80s Miharu Koshi and taiko goup Wadaiko Hiryu.
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Okinawan musician Kanako Horiuchi drops in to play live in the studio as well as recordings of her traditional music and with her band Ska Lovers, who mix Okinawan traditional with ska and J-pop.
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Paul is joined by Cathy Eastburn of Good Vibrations who run gamelan workshops in UK prisons and secure hospitals. She plays some extraordinary music including her favourite Indonesian gamelan music and recordings from those workshops.
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Music for Autumn including Japanese koto, Chinese qin, enka and the sounds of Autumnal Chinese crickets.
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Releases from the excellent GNP label of Indonesia, featuring tracks from Sambasunda, Waldjinah and traditional Sundanese gamelan.
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New releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian, Setsubun Bean Unit, plus re-releases from Virginia Astley, Malaysia's Sharifah Aini and Zaleha Hamid, Cambodia's Ros Sereysothea and more.
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Paul is joined by Rie Ogata, recently of the Asian Music Circuit in London, just before she headed back to Japan. Rie plays some of her favourite Japanese experimental music.
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Children's songs for an East Asian playground.
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New releases from including Japan's Blue Asia, Shabushabu and Umekichi, Indonesia's Sambasunda and Cambodia's Ros Sereysothea.
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Music for a Bon Odori summer festival in Japan. From Tokyo Ondo to Kawachi Ondo plus Hibari Misora classic tracks.
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Music featuring Yoshie Uno of Shisars and An-Chang Project who sadly passed away in July. Includes never before heard session recordings.
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The cream of the current roots music scene in Asia. The final part of the Beginners Guide to Asia.
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Legendary singers from Asia- all tracks taken from the Beginners Guide to Asia.
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Traditional music from the just released Paul Fisher compiled Beginner's Guide to Asia.
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The Far Side Top 10 for June 2009.
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Paul is joined by Vietnamese singer Huong Thanh and musician Hong Nguyen, to talk about Thanh's new album and to perform live in the studio.
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Musicians who died too young, inspired by the passing of Kiyoshiro Imawano on May 2nd, plus legends from Cambodia, Thailand and other Japanese musicians.
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Music linked to Paul's trip to Japan, including demo recordings from Blue Asia, Toshimi Mikami and Hosono's Daisyworld label.
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New releases from Yukihiro Takahashi, classic Thai lukthung from the 1960s and much more.
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Protest, revolutionary, patriotic, propaganda and political songs from the Far East.
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Asian songs and tunes about the joys of spring. From traditional Japanese and Chinese music to Hong Kong 60s pop.
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A selection of new and recent releases from Japan, including Ryuichi Sakamoto and Ryukyu Underground.
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David Mitchell of the group Panjir joins Paul for a fascinating talk on Uyghur music and to play some superb other Uyghur sounds.
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Minyo (folk) mixed with Latin and other music by star singers from the 1950s-70s.
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New releases including tracks from YMO live in London and Gijon in 2008.
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Jah Wobble joins Paul to talk about his fantastic album, Chinese Dub.
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The Far Side Top 10 CDs of 2008
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Legendary singers and musicians from India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan and China.
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A selection of the best traditional and contemporary roots music from Asia.
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Korean roots music, from the traditional to the modern. Exciting and innovative.
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New releases from Okinawa's Misako Koja, Surf Champlers, HASYMO, Taiwan's Inka Mbing and many more.
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Second programme in our series of record labels. This one focuses on Respect Records, with tracks from Takashi Hirayasu, Soul Flower Mononoke Summit, Cicala Mvta, Seijin Noborikawa, Abdul Tee-Jay and others
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The coolest dub tracks from Dry & Heavy, Kodama, Dub Squad, Oki, and dub remixes of YMO, Ryukyu Underground and Kawachi Ondo.
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Paul is joined in the studio by sanshin and sarod player from Okinawa, Wataru Kousaka.
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Three male singers who were born and died within a few years of eachother, were the biggest stars of the 50s and 60s in their own countries and remain icons today. Thailand's Surapol Sombatcharoen (1930-68), Cambodia's Sinn Sisamouth (1933-76) and Malaysia's P.Ramlee (1929-73)
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The September Top 10 (or Top 8 CDs to be precise).
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New Asian selections from the recently released World Roots Music Library series.
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Latest releases, including Pupa, Haruomi Hosono, Okinawan court music and Flower Travellin' Band reissue.
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Tracks from Paul Fisher's two Chinese compilations, including Bar Beijing
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Paul Fisher is a guest on Shibuya FM in Tokyo to talk about the Rough Guide to the Music of Japan
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Selections from the new edition of the Rough Guide to the Music of Japan
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New releases from Japan, Thailand and Indonesaia, plus classic tracks from YMO
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Japanese musicians play music from around the world; from Tanzania to Tuva, via India and Indonesia.
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Westerners playing Japanese and Asian inspired music- brilliantly. Artists include Henry Kaiser, John Kaizan Neptune, Elizabeth Falconer and Bob Brozman.
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First in a new series paying homage to some of the Far East's best record labels. Disc Akabana / Off Note in Japan, has been a pioneering label in both the roots and contemporary jazz scenes.
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The best of the latest new releases including Japanese electro-folk rock, an Okinawan/Indian mixture, Indonesian jaipong, Malaysian classic pop, Korean and Japanese traditional music and Arab Andalous vintage recordings.
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The music of Tibet. From Buddhist chants to patriotic folk songs and the street sounds of Lhasa
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Classic vintage Japanese popular music recordings from 1938-45.
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Chinese music. From virtuoso classical performances to the latest sounds from Beijing.
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Beautiful and enchanting traditional music from Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.
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Some of the latest new releases. From Japanese jazz to Khmer rap, via Indonesian dangdut.
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Vintage Japanese Popular music from 1928 until 1937. Fascinating early mixtures of Japanese traditional and western music
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The Far Side Top 10 in March, from vintage Japanese pop to present day Cambodian roots music.
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Traditional music for Chinese New Year, plus Communist era patriotic songs, and our favourite Beijing punk rockers.
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Tracks from the 2 excellent volumes of Tributes to Haruomi Hosono from foreign artists including Dr John, Geoff Muldaur and Garth Hudson and Senor Cocunut while from Japan there's Buffalo Daughter, Makoto Kubota, Micabox and Sheena and the Rokkets.
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Hawaii meets Japan and Okinawa with incredible collaborations from the last 60 years from Dick Mine to Sandii via Shokichi Kina and Nenes.
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February new releases from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Okinawa, Japan and Korea.
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Some of Japan's coolest artists cover Beatles songs and solo songs penned by the fab four.
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The best (worst?) of Asian pop. From established to new stars, the Malaysian, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese versions of Madonna, Celina Dion, Kylie Minogue etc..
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The Top 10 releases of 2007 from the Far Side.
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The Top 20 releases of 2007. Numbers 20-11.
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The Far Side Mix- favourite tracks at the moment perhaps destined for some compilations next year.
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No Music Day - so listen to a Chinese cricket orchestra, sounds from a Japanese garden, traditional Japanese street entertainment, Sundanese Wayang Golek, Japanese kabuki, Japanese comedy, Balinese Gongs and more.
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The December Top 10. Best sellers and favourite tunes.
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More essential new releases and old favourites from Haruomi Hosono + Cornelius, Ryuichi Sakamoto with a couple of collaborators, Hibari Misora, Indonesia's Sambasunda, Cambodian legend Ros Sereysothea and Dengue Fever.
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Back on the air after a break, exceptional new releases from Japan's Haruomi Hosono, Morio Agata, YMO, Momonashi, China's Sa Ding Ding, Taiwan's Lo Sirong and Korea's Puri.
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The best enka singers, the best enka songs. Tears and sorrow; the soul of Japan.
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New releases and a few first time airings, including from Japan Takeharu Kunimoto's bluegrass shamisen, Thai legend Pompuang Duangjan, Korean female trio Infinity of Sound and the wacky sound of ponchak from Korean singer E Pak Sa.
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Tracks from and chat about the new release Rough Guide to the Music of Vietnam compiled by Paul Fisher.
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Slow, meditative instrumental sounds from great master musicians from Korea, Japan, India, Thailand and Indonesia.
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The May Top 10
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More new releases, including Yasukatsu Oshima and Geoffrey Keezer, Tsuru to Kame featuring Haruomi Hosono and tributes to Haruomi Hosono, from Geoff Muldaur and Garth Hudson.
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The best of the latest new releases from Japan, Okinawa, Indonesia and Malaysia.
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A programme of entirely vinyl tracks, culled from the Far Side vaults. Updated Japanese kouta or geisha style music, YMO, Akiko Yano, Okinawan singles, Indian film music and Tibetan conch calls
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Prepare to be amazed as east Asian music from the 1940s-70s is combined with Latin and rock 'n' roll. Listen to pioneering artists of world mixtures from Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Thailand and Okinawa.
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Neil Cantwell joins Paul to talk about his Japanese electronic project, Shinokosei, and exchange tracks from the cutting edge of the Japanese electronica and club scenes.
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Tom Hamilton, leader of the Oxford University expedition to Tibet 2005, talks about the trip and plays some of his incredible recordings of rare folk music from the remote Porang region and the ritual chants of the Bodang-pa school of Buddhism. More info www.tibetmusic.org
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The best of recent releases from Japan, Okinawa, Cambodia and Vietnam.
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Yellow Magic Orchestra hits and rare tracks, plus comedy skits from Snakeman Show.
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The outer sounds of jazz and beyond from some of Japan's most extraordinary musicians including Shibusashirazu, Kazutoki Umezu, Cicala Mvta and Soil & Pimp Sessions.
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All the major Japanese instruments and music styles, such as koto, shamisen, shakuhachi, gagaku, nogaku and kabuki from the award winning King Japanese Traditional Music Series.
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Some of southeast Asia's funkiest roots music; Thai morlam and Khmer Surin music from Cambodia.
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Traditional gamelan music from Bali, Java and Malaysia, plus modern gamelan influenced tunes from Geinoh Yamashirogumi and Blue Asia among others.
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Japanese and Asian music played by non-Japanese and Asians. Listen to among others Bjork, Brian Eno, Michael Nyman, Balanescu Quartet, 3 Mustaphas 3 and Brave Combo venture east.
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The naffest songs from Asia ever! Songs so bad they're almost good (well some of them)
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The Top 10 releases of 2006, numbers 10 to 1.
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The Top 20 releases of 2006, numbers 20 to 11.
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The Best of the latest new releases, from OKI to Okinawa, Khmer Surin to Indonesian kroncong.
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The Top 10 for December 2006
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Gideon Juckes of the Japanese / UK group Setsubun Bean Unit (and Farmyard Animals/Bellowhead) joins Paul to play his music and share their passion for the wacky side of Japanese ondo (festival music).
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Japanese lullabies, including ancient Ainu, modern Okinawan and updated versions of some of Japan's most beautiful songs.
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Legenday Japanese producer Makoto Kubota talks about his latest project Blue Asia, and other classic albums he has produced including Shokichi Kina's Bloodline and Detty Kurnia's Dari Sunda.
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East / West collaborations from 1932 until 2006, plus Chinese meets Arabic music and Malian guitar combined with Japanese koto.
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Traditional instrumental ensemble music from Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia and Malaysia.
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Sample the atmosphere of Tokyo in the 1950s with American soldiers playing Japanese influenced tunes and Japanese singers adding boogie woogie, mambo and rumba. First an exploding boiler had knocked out the Resonance FM transmitter, then the heavens opened up and flooded the studio and server during the broadcast. Listen to an unfolding disaster culminating in an abrupt end, as it happened!
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New releases, from Kawachi ondo to a Blue Asia mix of the Lambada via Okinawan recordings by the sea.
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The autumn Far Side Top 10.
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Producer and Author Joe Boyd joins Paul for an exchange of their favourite Asian music.
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Ismet Ruchimat of SambaSunda plays music from his group, side projects and other Indonesian music.
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The golden age of Okinawan music from the 60s and 70s by the island's greatest musicians.
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From Cambodian traditional wedding music to sensational 70s psychedelic khmer roots mixtures.
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A musical journey through Vietnam from traditional to pop, north to south.
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Songs you'll know by artists you won't. Wacky cover versions from Yellow Submarine to No Woman No Cry via Japan, Indonesia and Okinawa.
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Accalimed Ainu musician OKI comes in to talk about his music and culture.
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The best Far East albums ever! inspired by Charlie Gillett's Sound of the World forum.
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