18th January 2012

As Paul Fisher turns 50, he reflects on a few records that changed his life.

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11th January 2012

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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14th December 2011

The Far Side Music Top 10 albums of 2011.

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23rd November 2011

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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16th November 2011

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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2nd November 2011

New releases from Kiwi & Papaya Mangoes, Maricamizki, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Sakamoto produced albums, YMO covers and more.

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19th October 2011

Chinese music from 1930s and 40s Shangai, traditional music and more.

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12th October 2011

New releases from Kazue Sawai, Oyama x Nitta, Misako Oshiro and Kanako Horiuchi, Takashi Nakagawa, Lucy and others.

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28th September 2011

New releases from Sakaki Mango, Makoto Kubota plus Japanese/African and other mixes. One not to miss.

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21st September 2011

Unusual renditions of Japanese children's songs, from Hosono, Sakamoto, Heatwave, UA and others.

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7th September 2011

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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10th August 2011

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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27th July 2011

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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20th July 2011

New releases from Oki Dub Ainu Band, Sandii, Snakeman Show, Waraku Ensemble and others.

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1st June 2011

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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18th May 2011

Miyako island music singer Isamu Shimoji joins Paul in the studio to play live and talk about his music.

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4th May 2011

New releases including from the new album by Haruomi Hosono and the compilation Oriental Deluxe.

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27th April 2011

East Asian music for weddings.From sublime Cambodian and Thai traditional wedding music, to syrupy idol bubblegum J-pop.

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13th April 2011

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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6th April 2011

Laid back cool sounds and some wild ones too from Java, Bali, Sumatra for a warm day in London.

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23rd March 2011

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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16th March 2011

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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2nd March 2011

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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23rd February 2011

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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16th February 2011

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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26th January 2011

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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19th January 2011

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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5th January 2011

The best of recent new releases.

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15th December 2010

The Top 10 releases of 2010 from the Far Side.

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8th December 2010

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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24th November 2010

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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17th November 2010

Okinawan group Maltese Rock come into the studio to perform live and talk about their compelling music.

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20th October 2010

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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13th October 2010

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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6th October 2010

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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15th September 2010

East meets East as musicians from Japan, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and elsewhere collaborate with eachother.

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8th September 2010

Tracks from the excellent Chlangden series of Cambodian 60s legends.

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1st September 2010

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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4th August 2010

Music for an imagined Far Side beach- laid back and fun sounds from Okinawa and Hawaii.

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28th July 2010

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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14th July 2010

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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7th July 2010

New releases from Tetsuhiro Daiku, Maltese Rock, Sandii and others

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23rd June 2010

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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9th June 2010

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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2nd June 2010

Various bamboo flutes from Asia. From traditional to jazz, serene to upbeat, flutes from Japan, China, Vietnam and Indonesia.

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26th May 2010

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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12th May 2010

Requests from Far Side listeners with tracks from Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

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5th May 2010

The latest Far Side Music Top 10. Plus an added bonus.

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28th April 2010

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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14th April 2010

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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7th April 2010

Another of our occasional series focusing on record companies. This one, Ryuichi Sakamoto's Commmons label.

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12th May 2001

A temporay file of Charlie Gillett's BBC London show from May 2001 with ping-pong guest Paul Fisher.

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24th March 2010

Paul is joined by journalist Howard Male to pay tribute to the late, great Charlie Gillett.

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17th March 2010

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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10th March 2010

New and modern classics from the contemporary Chinese music scene.

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3rd March 2010

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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17th February 2010

New releases from Japan, including Chanchiki Tornade, Aoki Takamasa, Haruomi Hosono, and superb new recordings of koto music.

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10th February 2010

Sublime recordings of traditional East Asian music from the JVC World Sounds catalogue.

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3rd February 2010

70s and 80s Indonesian pop and dangdut classics, including Makoto Kubota's early productions, plus a few surprises.

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27th January 2010

Ukulele gems, from the traditional to the bizarre, from Japanese maestros to Hawaiian masters.

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20th January 2010

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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9th December 2009

The Far Side Top 10 releases of 2009.

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2nd December 2009

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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18th November 2009

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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4th November 2009

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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28th October 2009

Music for Autumn including Japanese koto, Chinese qin, enka and the sounds of Autumnal Chinese crickets.

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21st October 2009

Releases from the excellent GNP label of Indonesia, featuring tracks from Sambasunda, Waldjinah and traditional Sundanese gamelan.

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14th October 2009

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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23rd September 2009

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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16th September 2009

Children's songs for an East Asian playground.

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2nd September 2009

New releases from including Japan's Blue Asia, Shabushabu and Umekichi, Indonesia's Sambasunda and Cambodia's Ros Sereysothea.

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5th August 2009

Music for a Bon Odori summer festival in Japan. From Tokyo Ondo to Kawachi Ondo plus Hibari Misora classic tracks.

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29th July 2009

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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22nd July 2009

The cream of the current roots music scene in Asia. The final part of the Beginners Guide to Asia.

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15th July 2009

Legendary singers from Asia- all tracks taken from the Beginners Guide to Asia.

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1st July 2009

Traditional music from the just released Paul Fisher compiled Beginner's Guide to Asia.

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24th June 2009

The Far Side Top 10 for June 2009.

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3rd June 2009

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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20th May 2009

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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13th May 2009

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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8th April 2009

New releases from Yukihiro Takahashi, classic Thai lukthung from the 1960s and much more.

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1st April 2009

Protest, revolutionary, patriotic, propaganda and political songs from the Far East.

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18th March 2009

Asian songs and tunes about the joys of spring. From traditional Japanese and Chinese music to Hong Kong 60s pop.

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11th March 2009

A selection of new and recent releases from Japan, including Ryuichi Sakamoto and Ryukyu Underground.

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11th February 2009

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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4th February 2009

Minyo (folk) mixed with Latin and other music by star singers from the 1950s-70s.

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14th January 2009

New releases including tracks from YMO live in London and Gijon in 2008.

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7th January 2009

Jah Wobble joins Paul to talk about his fantastic album, Chinese Dub.

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17th December 2008

The Far Side Top 10 CDs of 2008

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3rd December 2008

Legendary singers and musicians from India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan and China.

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19th November 2008

A selection of the best traditional and contemporary roots music from Asia.

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12th November 2008

Korean roots music, from the traditional to the modern. Exciting and innovative.

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22nd October 2008

New releases from Okinawa's Misako Koja, Surf Champlers, HASYMO, Taiwan's Inka Mbing and many more.

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15th October 2008

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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8th October 2008

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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24th September 2008

Paul is joined in the studio by sanshin and sarod player from Okinawa, Wataru Kousaka.

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17th September 2008

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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10th September 2008

The September Top 10 (or Top 8 CDs to be precise).

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3rd September 2008

New Asian selections from the recently released World Roots Music Library series.

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13th August 2008

Latest releases, including Pupa, Haruomi Hosono, Okinawan court music and Flower Travellin' Band reissue.

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6th August 2008

Tracks from Paul Fisher's two Chinese compilations, including Bar Beijing

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24th July 2008

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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25th June 2008

Selections from the new edition of the Rough Guide to the Music of Japan

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4th June 2008

New releases from Japan, Thailand and Indonesaia, plus classic tracks from YMO

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28th May 2008

Japanese musicians play music from around the world; from Tanzania to Tuva, via India and Indonesia.

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21st May 2008

Westerners playing Japanese and Asian inspired music- brilliantly. Artists include Henry Kaiser, John Kaizan Neptune, Elizabeth Falconer and Bob Brozman.

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14th May 2008

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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7th May 2008

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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30th April 2008

The music of Tibet. From Buddhist chants to patriotic folk songs and the street sounds of Lhasa

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23rd April 2008

Classic vintage Japanese popular music recordings from 1938-45.

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16th April 2008

Chinese music. From virtuoso classical performances to the latest sounds from Beijing.

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2nd April 2008

Beautiful and enchanting traditional music from Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.

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26th March 2008

Some of the latest new releases. From Japanese jazz to Khmer rap, via Indonesian dangdut.

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5th March 2008

Vintage Japanese Popular music from 1928 until 1937. Fascinating early mixtures of Japanese traditional and western music

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27th February 2008

The Far Side Top 10 in March, from vintage Japanese pop to present day Cambodian roots music.

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20th February 2008

Traditional music for Chinese New Year, plus Communist era patriotic songs, and our favourite Beijing punk rockers.

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6th February 2008

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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30th January 2008

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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23rd January 2008

February new releases from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Okinawa, Japan and Korea.

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16th January 2008

Some of Japan's coolest artists cover Beatles songs and solo songs penned by the fab four.

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9th January 2008

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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19th December 2007

The Top 10 releases of 2007 from the Far Side.

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12th December 2007

The Top 20 releases of 2007. Numbers 20-11.

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5th December 2007

The Far Side Mix- favourite tracks at the moment perhaps destined for some compilations next year.

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21st November 2007

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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14th November 2007

The December Top 10. Best sellers and favourite tunes.

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7th November 2007

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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31st October 2007

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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27th June 2007

The best enka singers, the best enka songs. Tears and sorrow; the soul of Japan.

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20th June 2007

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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6th June 2007

Tracks from and chat about the new release Rough Guide to the Music of Vietnam compiled by Paul Fisher.

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30th May 2007

Slow, meditative instrumental sounds from great master musicians from Korea, Japan, India, Thailand and Indonesia.

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16th May 2007

The May Top 10

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9th May 2007

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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25th April 2007

The best of the latest new releases from Japan, Okinawa, Indonesia and Malaysia.

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11th April 2007

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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4th April 2007

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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29th March 2007

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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21st March 2007

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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14th March 2007

The best of recent releases from Japan, Okinawa, Cambodia and Vietnam.

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28th February 2007

Yellow Magic Orchestra hits and rare tracks, plus comedy skits from Snakeman Show.

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21st February 2007

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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14th February 2007

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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7th February 2007

Some of southeast Asia's funkiest roots music; Thai morlam and Khmer Surin music from Cambodia.

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31st January 2007

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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17th January 2007

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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10th January 2007

The naffest songs from Asia ever! Songs so bad they're almost good (well some of them)

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27th December 2006

The Top 10 releases of 2006, numbers 10 to 1.

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20th December 2006

The Top 20 releases of 2006, numbers 20 to 11.

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13th December 2006

The Best of the latest new releases, from OKI to Okinawa, Khmer Surin to Indonesian kroncong.

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6th December 2006

The Top 10 for December 2006

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29th November 2006

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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22nd November 2006

Japanese lullabies, including ancient Ainu, modern Okinawan and updated versions of some of Japan's most beautiful songs.

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8th November 2006

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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1st November 2006

East / West collaborations from 1932 until 2006, plus Chinese meets Arabic music and Malian guitar combined with Japanese koto.

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18th October 2006

Traditional instrumental ensemble music from Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia and Malaysia.

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11th October 2006

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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27th September 2006

New releases, from Kawachi ondo to a Blue Asia mix of the Lambada via Okinawan recordings by the sea.

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20th September 2006

The autumn Far Side Top 10.

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6th September 2006

Music from around the world performed by Japanese musicians. From Tuvan throat singing to sitar, salsa, tango, fado and Irish harp.

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16th August 2006

60s Asian pop from Japan, Okinawa, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and more.

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26th July 2006

Producer and Author Joe Boyd joins Paul for an exchange of their favourite Asian music.

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19th July 2006

The most famous female singers from East Asia; Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Okinawa.

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21st June 2006

The Far Side Top 10 for June, from big sellers to the new CDs we like.

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7th June 2006

Ismet Ruchimat of SambaSunda plays music from his group, side projects and other Indonesian music.

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29th March 2006

The golden age of Okinawan music from the 60s and 70s by the island's greatest musicians.

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1st February 2006

From Cambodian traditional wedding music to sensational 70s psychedelic khmer roots mixtures.

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25th January 2006

A musical journey through Vietnam from traditional to pop, north to south.

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17th October 2005

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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3rd August 2005

Accalimed Ainu musician OKI comes in to talk about his music and culture.

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11th August 2004

The best Far East albums ever! inspired by Charlie Gillett's Sound of the World forum.

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