Newsletter May 2015

Dear Customer and friend of the Far Side,

This newsletter is a week later than planned, but there’s been quite a few new releases uploaded so far in May.

I blame a national holiday and a funeral as well as endless hours building flat pack furniture. Even the general election.

Akiko Yano has released a live recording of her first album Japanese Girl. Originally only available as download, its now on good old fashioned Compact Disc. And reissued onto SHM-CD are two more of her albums, both featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto, and on at least one, Yukihiro Takahashi, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Charlie Haden and Anthony Jackson.

Also worth mentioning from Japan is the album by Toshi Tsuchitori of the some century old ‘enka’ songs of political activist/songwriter Azembo Soeda and his son Chido, and avant garde from duo Fuchigami & Funato with the wonderful band Pascals, who once played WOMAD in the UK.

There are four albums of 50s and 50s music from Hong Kong and Singapore released onto CD. Many more of these to follow this month as they are all rather good and rather tasty.

From the same sort of period are five albums from Thailand. Thai country music, called Luk Thung, and a bit of psychedelic rock. Some of these brilliant artists have been included on recent Thai compilations such as the Sound of Siam.

You can watch videos and listen to tracks from most of these albums.

There were quite a few videos uploaded to our You Tube channel in the last month

Several videos from Okinawa, by Tetsuhiro Daiku, Ara Yukito Parsha Club, Rinken Band. Okinawan influenced tunes from Japan’s The Boom, and Amami island traditional music from Kazuhira Takeshita. There are three Kabuki videos and two of Peking Opera.

There are five new Far Side Radio programmes to listen to again on Mixcloud
Where you can follow us or with links to the CDs at the Far Side web site

These include new releases, including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akiko Yano, Jinta-la-Mvta, and 1940s Japanese ‘spy songs’. Two shows of the Top 10 Greatest Songs from Asia- from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Okinawa and Cambodia. Covers of YMO from artists from Japan, Germany, UK, USA. 50s and 60s music from Indonesia and Malaysia.

On our blog are those 10 Greatest Songs from Asia, with videos and translations of the lyrics. Liner notes from albums by Miyazawa and the Very Best of the Far East. Features on two Taiwanese artists and albums, Labour Exchange Band and David Darling’s collaboration with the Wulu Bunun. And a biography of Okinawa’s Tetsuhiro Daiku.

To keep up to date with news, new releases, radio, videos and anything else, best way is to Like us on Facebook

or Follow us on Twitter.

or we’ll be along with the next edition of this newsletter in about a month’s time.

Until then, hope there’s something of interest.

All the best
Paul