Improvised Music from Japan / Discography

Big Ears: Fitzgerald's Manifesto

(Sonic Arts Network) (UK) (CD)


  1. Tim Steiner - Jingle--Opening (0:23)
    Composed by Tim Steiner

  2. The Children's Choir of Skranevatnet Skolekor - Velkommen (0:58)
    Composed by Kirsten Hoybye
    Performed by the Children's Choir of Skranevatnet Skolekor
    Recorded at Studio 78, Bergen, Norway
    Originally issued on Skranevatnet Skolekor

  3. Otomo Yoshihide - Playgirl (3:01)
    Composed by Takeo Yamashita
    Recorded at GOK Sound, Tokyo, 1999
    Originally issued on Otomo Yoshihide Plays the Music of Takeo Yamashita, on P-Vine Records (PCD-5804)
    Kayoko Ishu: vocal
    Hiroshi Minami: piano
    Sachiko M: sampler
    Kayoko Wada: vocal
    Kumiko Takara: vibraphone
    Otomo Yoshihide New Jazz Quintet
    Otomo Yoshihide: synthesizer, guitar
    Naruyoshi Kikuchi: saxophone
    Hiroaki Mizutani: bass
    Kenta Tsugami: saxophone
    Yasuhiro Yoshigaki: drums

  4. Tim Steiner - Jingle--Portuguese Lady [edit] (0:04)
    Composed by Tim Steiner

  5. Hugh Le Caine - The Sackbut Blues (1:19)
    Composed by Hugh Le Caine
    Source: Hugh Le Caine, Composition Demonstrations, 1946-1974, JWD (JWD 03)

  6. Tim Steiner - The Mystery Sound (1:36)

  7. The Mills Brothers - Caravan (2:39)
    Music by Juan Tizol; words by Irving Mills
    Recorded in 1937

  8. Ben Vautier - Some Ideas for Fluxus (1:25)
    Composed by Ben Vautier
    Recorded in 1989
    Source: Fluxus Anthology, Zona Archives and Recordings (RT9001)

  9. The Parlophone Laughing Record--That Kruschen Feeling (3:10)
    Recorded in 1923
    Originally released as the A side of a 78 rpm record on Parlophone (E 5078)

  10. Tim Steiner - Jingle--Black Beauty (0:14)
    Composed by Tim Steiner

  11. The Beau Hunks - Smile When the Raindrop Falls (2:19)
    Words and music by Alice Keating Howlett and Will Livernash
    Recorded at Pottsville Studios, 1992
    Originally released on Movies Select Audio (MSA99025)

  12. Tim Steiner - The Pretentious Mystery Voice (0:43)

  13. Halim El-Dahb - Venice [extract] (1:25)
    Recorded by Halim El-Dahb in 1961
    Source: Halim El-Dahb, Crossing into the Electric Magnetic, Without Fear Records (WFR003)

  14. Frédéric Chopin / Henri Chopin - Nocturne in B Minor / Le Corpsbis (1:39)
    Left channel: Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne in B Minor (previously unreleased)
    Right channel: Henri Chopin - Le Corpsbis (WDR, 1985)

  15. Tim Steiner - Jingle--English Lady (0:04)
    Composed by Tim Steiner

  16. Friedrich Jürgenson - Einspielung #15 (1:26)
    Composed by Gleb Bojevsky
    Recorded by Friedrich Jürgenson in 1963
    Source: Friedrich Jürgenson, From the Studio for Audioscopic Research, Parapsychic Acoustic Research Cooperative (PARC CD3)

  17. Edward Kean - It's Howdy Doody Time (1:36)
    Composed by Edward Kean
    Theme song of the TV program The Howdy Doody Show, first broadcast December 27, 1947

  18. Nam June Paik - Etude for Pianoforte (2:48)
    Composed by Nam June Paik
    Recorded in 1959-60
    Source: Nam June Paik, Works, 1958-1979, Sub Rosa (SR178)

  19. Tim Steiner - The Inkspot (0:41)

  20. Sol Hoopii - Kohala March (2:37)
    Recorded in 1951
    Originally issued in 1951 as a 78 rpm record
    Re-released in 1987 on Sol Hoopii's CD Master of the Hawaiian Guitar Volume Two, on Rounder (Rounder 1025)

  21. Leon Theremin - Polyphonic Aetherphon (0:41)
    Recorded in 1951

  22. Otomo Yoshihide - OA-21 (1:00)
    Recorded in 1997
    Source: Otomo Yoshihide, Vinyl Tranquilliser, Sonic Factory (NAIM 01CD)

  23. Tim Steiner - Jingle--Two Pairs of Ears (0:07)
    Composed by Tim Steiner

  24. Harry Champion and His Orchestra - A Little Bit of Cucumber (2:49)
    Composed by T.W. Connor
    Source: Music Hall to Variety Volume 1: Matinée, World Record Club (SH145)

  25. Louis and Bebe Barron - Nothing like This Claw Found in Nature (1:25)
    Composed by Louis and Bebe Barron
    Recorded in 1955
    Originally issued on the album Forbidden Planet Original Soundtrack, on Small Planet Records (PR-D-001)

  26. Tim Steiner - Jingle--Montiverdi Drivetime (0:13)
    Composed by Tim Steiner

  27. Animal Imitations (0:58)
    Vocal: N'Guni animal impressionist
    Recorded by Moses Asch in N'Guni Village, South Africa, 1965
    Source: soundtrack of the movie The Naked Prey, Folkways (FS 3854)

  28. Rob Schwimmer, Uri Caine, and Mark Feldman - The Bookstore (1:00)
    Composed by Bernard Herrmann
    Recorded in New York City, 1999
    From the movie Torn Curtain, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
    Originally released in 2000 on Theremin Noir, on November Music (NVR2005-2)

  29. Philip Corner - Lucinda's Pastime Pt. 3 (2:14)
    Composed by Philip Corner
    Recorded in 1962
    Source: Philip Corner, On Tape from the Judson Years, Alga Marghen (PLANA-C 4NMN.019)

  30. The Children's Ensemble of the Moscow Chapter of the Union of Official Drivers - Song about Stalin (2:56)
    Music by M. Blanter and words by A. Surkova
    Conducted by M.A. Alakhverdov
    Recorded in 1939
    Original issue: USSR 9025/6
    Reissued on the CD The Rise of Communism, on Opal (CD 9856)

  31. Richard Nonas - What Do You Know? (0:21)
    Composed by Richard Nonas
    Recorded in 1977
    Originally issued on the double album Airwaves, on One Ten Records (OT 001/2)

  32. The Mystery Frog (1:07)
    Recorded by Charles Bogart

  33. Manuel Rocha Iturbide - Chofer Indú (2:30)
    Vocal: Indian driver
    Recorded by Manuel Rocha Iturbide
    Source: Manuel Rocha Iturbide, Boom Box Project, Fundación Bancomer

  34. Glenn Miller / Tim Steiner - My Melancholy Baby (3:10)
    Left channel: Glenn Miller - My Melancholy Baby
    Right channel: Tim Steiner - My Melancholy Baby

  35. The Rhythm Rats Vocal Group - Bring Me Sunshine (2:12)
    Music by Arthur Kent; words by Sylvia Dee
    Recorded at the Wellingborough Music Centre, June 2004

All recordings were aired between March 2003 and December 2004 on the "Big Ears" radio program, broadcast by the Sonic Arts Network on the London radio station Resonance 10.4 FM. The program was based on Charles Fitzgerald's 1931 manifesto of broadcasting.


Curated by Tim Steiner
Design by Joerg Hartmannsgruber
Includes a 28-page "Broadcasting Manual" with instructions, notes, illustrations, etc., related to the attempt to broadcast according to the principles of Fitzgerald's broadcast manifesto; and a poster with an illustration and the text of Fitzgerald's manifesto

Released in 2005