Roger Bong

Tracklist: 1x10x100 (Harry’s Music Store Mixtape)

Before I get to work on the next 1x10x100 mixtape (can you say 45s?), diggers out there need to know who’s behind the tracks on the first mixtape in the ongoing 1x10x100 series.

After all, music like this deserves to be shared. Artists in pursuit of the purest sound of the soul deserve to be recognized, and keeping the complete tracklist from you does nobody good.

At first, 1x10x100 was an outlet for me to share the 100 vinyl records I bought for just $10 at Harry’s Music Store in February.

The Honolulu landmark was closing and moving to a smaller location, but they had way too much stuff to take along. So they sold all their vinyl, cheap. Really cheap. You can imagine the excitement I felt in scoring a hundred records at 10 cents a piece.

I didn’t plan on making more than one 1x10x100 mixtape, it just sort of happened. Adding nearly ten dozen records to my collection gave me hours of funky, soulful material to share with you.

With subsequent 1x10x100 releases in the works, my mission is not only to showcase my finds from Harry’s Music Store. It’s more than that.

My goal is to inspire others through the simple act of sharing great music.

Subscribe to Aloha Got Soul and be notified when the next 1x10x100 mixtape is released.

Download 1x10x100: Harry’s Music Store Mixtape

Tracklist: 1x10x100 (Harry’s Music Store Mixtape)

1. You Put A Charge In My Life – Brainstorm – Funky Entertainment – Tabu – 1979
2. Let The Dollar Circulate – Billy Paul – When Love Is New – CBS – 1975
3. French Waltz – Leon Ware – Musical Massage – Gordy – 1976
4. Mocha Velvet – Ju-Par Universal Orchestra – Moods and Grooves – Ju-Par – 1976
5. The Spring Suite – Rodney Franklin – In the Center – Columbia – 1978
6. Half Steppin’ – Nerio DeGracia – An Evening in Luzon – NRD – 1985
7. I Think I’m Falling In Love – Leroy Hutson – Hutson II – Curtom – 1976
8. Take A Stand – Jackie Moore – With Your Love – Columbia – 1980
9. SPG Theme – Silver, Platinum, and Gold – Hollywood – Neptune – 1981
10. Hurry Down Sunset – Chocolate Milk – Milky Way – RCA Victor – 1979
11. War of the Gods – Billy Paul – War of the Gods – CBS – 1973
12. Love Makes The World Go Round – The Woods Empire – 7″ single – Tabu – 1982
13. Night Room – The McCrarys – All Night Music – Capitol – 1982
14. Silly, Wasn’t I – Valerie Simpson – Keep It Comin’ – Tamla – 1977
15. Salsa Boogie – Nolen & Crossley – Ambience – Gordy – 1982
16. Time Is The Teacher – Dexter Wansel – Voyager – Philadelphia International – 1978
17. Let’s Make A Baby – Billy Paul – When Love Is New – CBS – 1975

Don’t have the mixtape yet? Learn more and download it here.

One of my favorite tracks from this volume is “Love Makes the World Go Round” by The Woods Empire.

Thank you for supporting great music.

Feel free to make a small donation to Aloha Got Soul, click here.

Tracklist: Paradise 1x10x100 Revisited

I hope you’ve been playing the Paradise mixtape on repeat since its release last month. A handful of bloggers shared the mixtape with their followers—shoutout to The Diggers Union!—so no doubt there are people across the world finding paradise through music.

Paradise: 1x10x100 Revisited is an oasis of smooth soul and jazz sounds that will take the listener to a paradise within. At least, that’s what my goal was when I made the mixtape.

I think it worked, because I’ve received several requests for a tracklist for the second installment in the 1x10x100 mixtape series. (The story goes like this: 1 store. 10 dollars. 100 records. Learn more here.) People really want to know which artists are behind these songs!

With this post, I happily share with you the complete Paradise tracklist, including artist, label, and release year for each track. Enjoy!

Tracklist for Paradise: 1x10x100 Revisited

1. Paradise – The O’Jays – Message in the Music – Philadelphia International – 1976
2. I Believe In You – Enchantment – Soft Lights, Sweet Music – RCA Victor – 1980
3. Keep On Smilin’ – Weapons of Peace – Weapons of Peace – Playboy – 1977
4. Coming Back For More – Odyssey – Hollywood Party Tonight – RCA Victor – 1978
5. It’s Critical – Billy Paul – First Class – Philadelphia International – 1979
6. The Skin You’re In – GQ – Face to Face – Arista – 1981
7. I Love To Please You – Ramsey Lewis – Legacy – Columbia – 1978
8. Expressions – Willie Hutch – Willie…Mitchell…Listen…Dance… – Bearsville – 1981
9. La Bruja Negra – Joe Torres – Latin Con Soul – World Pacific – 1967
10. Back To My Roots – Lamont Dozier – Peddlin’ Music on the Side – Warner Bros – 1977
11. Inner Beauty – Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes – Reflections of a Golden Dream – Flying Dutchman – 1976
12. So True – Karma – Celebration – Horizon/A&M – 1976
13. It’s All In The Way – Mirage – Princes of Love – RCA – 1978
14. I Can’t Be The One – Enchantment – Soft Lights, Sweet Music – RCA Victor – 1980
15. Passport To Ecstasy – Banks & Hampton – Passport to Ecstasy – Warner Bros – 1977
16. BS – Jimmy Owens – Headin’ Home – Horizon/A&M – 1978
17. Mom And Dad – LaSo – LaSo – MCA – 1977
18. The Coke Song – Lamont Dozier – Peddlin’ Music on the Side – Warner Bros – 1977
19. Just A Phone Call Away – Mirage – Princes of Love – RCA – 1978

There you have it, the tracklist to Paradise.

Several of the songs can be found on YouTube, but I’m trying to fill the gaps with what’s missing—like Billy Paul’s “It’s Critical”, Karma’s “So True”, or Lonnie Liston Smith’s “Inner Beauty”.

Note: I uploaded the songs to my other YouTube account, bonghitsmusic, since the music is not exclusively Hawaiian. 

Still searching for Paradise?

Click here to download Paradise: 1x10x100 Revisited.

P.S. If you’re wondering about the first installment, 1x10x100 (Harry’s Music Store Mixtape), that tracklist is coming soon, I just need to upload more music videos to YouTube first.

Free Mixtape: Paradise: 1x10x100 Revisited

You know the story: 1 store. 10 dollars. 100 records.

When Harry’s Music Store closed in February to reopen down the street, I immediately jumped in the car and headed to their daytime clearance sale. Vinyl records, dirt cheap, I was stoked.

So I made a mixtape of my finds (you’ve probably heard it by now) and called it 1x10x100.

But one mixtape just wasn’t enough.

That’s why I made another, it’s called Paradise:1x10x100 Revisited.

Finding paradise in your soul

In Hawaii, paradise is everywhere you look.

But there’s another kind of paradise—you’ll find it inside you, close to your soul. Music will help you find that place.

Curated strictly from the records I bought at Harry’s Music Store, Paradise: 1x10x100 Revisited will take you to the paradise within your soul. This isn’t Hawaiian music, but music by artists who connect directly to the inner self—much like Hawaiian music does.

Download it now, free.

(By the way, Harry’s is still closed. Apparently they had issues with business permits or something. I’m not entirely sure. But, the storefront will reopen in a few weeks’ time, hopefully).

Fabulous Krush “Without The One You Love”

“Without The One You Love” by the Fabulous Krush Continue reading »

The Krush: Hawaii’s Favorite Band

It’s a huge claim to make: being Hawaii’s favorite band. But back in the 1980s, nobody could touch the Fabulous Krush.

Honolulu entertainment writer John Berger once described The Krush as ”charismatic, dynamic and superbly talented,” a band that gave its audience “good, clean fun and a happy wholesome entertainment” with every performance.

Hawaii's The Krush throughout the years

Instant success

Krush won two Na Hoku awards in 1981—the quickest way to ensure instant success—Best Album of the Year and Most Promising Artist.

Five days following the 4th annual Na Hoku Hanohano awards, the Fabulous Krush launched straight to the top of Hawaii’s music scene. Their biggest

An evolving act

Like I mentioned earlier this week, the Krush went through several transformation before finally dropping “Fabulous” from their name:

• The Exotic 5, a humble North Shore act from Waialua
• New Experience, a “marginally successful cover band”
• Fabulous Krush, featuring the addition of Glass Candle’s Bobby Gonzales
• The Krush, a name change that coincided with the evolution of the band’s rock sound

The Fabulous Krush

How the band was formed

The Krush began in 1977 when Yemun Chung, one of Hawaii’s top talent managers and booking agents, created a simple formula:

• Hire the marginally successful cover band New Experience
• Add Bobby Gonzales of Glass Candle
• Debut a new show band, the Fabulous Krush.

Rising stars

Despite a near constant rotation of members, the Fabulous Krush shot straight to the top, fast.

Their biggest gig in Hawaii? A headliner act at the Outrigger Hotel’s main showroom (they shared the space with the Society Of Seven).

A new direction

Manager Chung resigned and retired from show business, giving the Krush to make their own destiny.

Moving away from pop material and into a louder and more rock-oriented sound, the Krush eventually outgrew their Outrigger showroom.

The Fabulous Krush continued their successful career with mainland performances, sold-out concerts, and TV appearances like the Mike Douglas Show.

Saying Goodbye to The Krush

Lead singer Edwin Ramones left the group in 1987 with plans to live on the mainland with his wife and sons.

Without an official public annoucement, the Fabulous Krush disbanded.

Hawaii’s Favorite Band

Over the years, various Krush members would reunite with the same mission of bringing happiness and good, clean fun to the dance floor—it’s what makes them Hawaii’s favorite band.

Check out one of my favorite Krush cover songs, “Blame It On The Night.”

Fabulous Krush: That Summertime Sound

I’m in love with the album “Blame it on the Night” by Robert Byrne, an Alabama songwriter whose music I can listen to over and over throughout the day.

His music guides the listener through a strong emotional sway with every story he creates. Each song is powerful yet gentle, persuasive yet passive, immediately memorable to those who listen closely the first time around.

With each consecutive spin, the album sinks deeper into your soul.

Fabulous Krush “Blame It On The Night”

The Fabulous Krush knew this.

That’s why they covered “Blame It On The Night” for their self-titled release on Dove Records.

The Krush

Upon its release, Fabulous Krush propelled the band, led by singer Edwin Ramones and Hal Bradbury, to the top of Hawaii’s pop music scene.

The group already had a strong following, starting as the Exotic 5 then changing its name to New Experience, and then Fabulous Krush. They later dropped ‘fabulous’ and became The Krush..

Making Memorable Hits (and winning awards)

Their LP, an approachable mix of disco, AOR, and soul music, gave the islands some of the most memorable hits of the day, especially “Waialua Sky”, a song that brings genuine tears to those nostalgic for the days when music was pure and happy—an era when Nohelani Cypriano, C&K, and Kalapana dominated the local music scene

In 1981, their eponymous album won a Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Best Album of the Year—becoming one of the few exceptions where a distinctly non-Hawaiian group earned the award.

“In the 31 years the category has existed, the winners have almost always been either a Hawaiian album or some type of contemporary hapa haole rather than something pop, jazz, rock, hip hop, “urban” or reggae.” —John Berger, 2011

That Summertime Sound

With roots in Waialua, a rural North Shore town surrounded by sugar cane fields and surfing beaches, the Fabulous Krush captures that summertime sound which contemporary Hawaiian artists of the era played so well.

“Blame It On The Night” is a perfect example. I hope you think so, too.

Nohelani Cypriano “Lihue” Music Video (1977)

I should’ve seen it coming, but this surprised me: the original 1977 music video for “Lihue” by Nohelani Cypriano.

Thanks to Hawaiian music collector Yoshi—whose initial upload of Brandon Bray & Brown Spice performing “Polynesian Girl” brought Ron Jacob’s KKUA Home Grown TV series to life on the web—Nohelani and Dennis Graue’s “Lihue” music video from 35 years ago finally finds its place in Internet history.

“We think this young lady is gonna be an emerging star of the future. Look at her now as she performs ‘Lihue’”. —Ron Jacobs

Screenshots of Nohelani Cypriano's "Lihue" 1977 music video.

An emerging star…

In 1980, Nohe won Female Vocalist of the Year at the Na Hoku Hanohano awards, Hawaii’s most celebrated music awards ceremony.

In 1992, she won it again.

And to this day, Nohe continues to perform “Lihue”, along with other classics like “Moon of Monakoora”.

(Listen to “Lihue” by Nohelani Cypriano in high quality audio.)

This song will forever be one of Hawaii’s greatest rare groove tracks, resonating with future generations of music lovers.

Nohelani Cypriano "Lihue" 1977 music video

(P.S. There’s another version of “Lihue” from 1995, have you heard it yet?)

The Aliis Live: “Summer Sun”

Summer is just around the corner for most of you, the sun gradually warming the earth and breaking those spring clouds and rains away.

In Hawaii, it’s almost always summer. Which means anytime is the the perfect time to celebrate sunny weather. Right now sounds good.

The Aliis Live: "Summer Sun" (Photos by me_lv / Instagram)

Enjoy the sunshine with this track by The Aliis: a medley of three tunes, “Keep the Customer Satisfied”, “Didn’t We”, and “Summer Sun”.

What’s your favorite Hawaiian track to celebrate the summertime?

The Aliis Live: A Finale to Make Me Smile

The Aliis Live, a double LP made desirable among music collectors after DJ Muro included the super-charged “Finale” as the final track to his Hawaiian Breaks mixtape.

But there’s something missing from the album, something I feel is very important—liner notes worth reading.

The Original Liner Notes

The album’s original liner notes, probably written by the band’s manager, Irv Pinensky, don’t convey the exciting music you hear on this record (which I found at the Friends of the Library of Hawaii Music Sale).

No, in my opinion the liner notes give you almost nothing worthwhile to consider while listening to The Aliis Live. Check it out:

“The Aliis—a group for all ages—music from the 50s to our present day sounds are performed with equal feeling and musicianship. The album, recorded “live” at the main showroom of the Outrigger Hotel in Waikiki, showcases the versatility of The Aliis. Their combination of superior musicianship and great vocal ability have made The Aliis the most entertaining show group in the country today.”

What you do learn about The Aliis is: their music appeals to everyone, they can play tunes from almost any era with expertise, and their skills match the amount feeling they put into performing.

The Aliis “Make Me Smile”

While the liner notes say enough for the disinterested, I think The Aliis Live deserves more.

After all, just look at the musicians and the instruments they play!

The Aliis

Joe Mundo: piano, organ, brass
Al Akana: drums
Carlos Barboza: organ, brass
Rudy Aquino: vibes, marimba, brass
Benny Chong: guitar, bass
Bobby King: bass

Listen closely to “Finale” and you’ll find out that Benny Chong is a multi-instrumentalist. But read the liner notes and you’ll realize that almost every member of The Aliis plays more than one instrument.

So that’s where all that brass comes from!

The Aliis “Finale”

New and improved liner notes

I propose that The Aliis Live needs new liner notes.

Here’s my take, let me know what you think (feel free to add your own liner notes, too):

Explosive, unexpected, fresh—that’s The Aliis, a group whose musical talents know no limits. From early 50s pop to today’s jazz-funk grooves, these guys can dig it. 

If you missed their performances at the Outrigger Hotel in Waikiki, don’t worry because this live album captures their unique enthusiasm to entertain audiences with powerful versions of classic songs. 

The Aliis rule the entertainment world with presence and skill unmatched. With just one listen, you’ll find inspiration in the powerful music of The Aliis. 

The Aliis—meaning “royalty” or “kings” in Hawaiian—reign over Honolulu’s nightlife. After years as Don Ho’s backing band, The Aliis prove their sound can survive outside the shadow of a showroom superstar.

Besides, musicians who easily switch between heavy horns to blazing guitar and organ solos—and continue to amaze listeners night after night, year after year—were born to be kings. 

Here’s to new ideas

Have you ever wanted to rewrite lackluster liner notes of an outstanding album? 

Inside the Hawaii Record Sale: More Photos

Monday’s blog post painted a vivid perspective of the the weekend music sale in Hawaii—thousands of dusty LPs on sale, collectors anxiously waiting to flip through wax, the Hawaiian sky beaming gorgeous blue.

I’ve been updating the Aloha Got Soul Instagram account frequently, featuring snapshots of records dug up over the weekend—Hal Bradbury, The Aliis, Summer, Ron Tish, Nohelani Cypriano, Cecilio & Kapono.

(Yes, you should start following me on Instagram.)

You should follow Aloha Got Soul on Instagram.

More Photos from the Record Sale

Saturday morning, the garage doors rolled all the way up. For a few moments the collectors outside didn’t know what to do. Can we go in? Is there an admission fee?

Everyone understood real quick: game on.

The people poured in, short of a stampede but still filled with loads of excitement, carrying empty crates and boxes soon to be filled with dusty vinyl.

At that point, I knew I’d better start digging, too. 

Here’s what I captured when I looked up from flipping through records.

The "Collectibles Corner" filled up quickly. Dennie from Hungry Ear wore his Record Store Day tee.

In deep concentration. Looking through the Pop section for R&B, rock, disco, and more.

Home Grown mail order inserts. Can someone please find me one of these old shirts?

Surprisingly, the sale wasn’t crowded elbow-to-elbow.

Some collectors were worried the event would be blown out after I announced the sale and posted the flyer last week. But not that many people showed up in the morning.

At 9:00 am, the handful of Hawaii music collectors who woke up early on a Saturday were here having a good time.

For the first hour everyone was pulling good finds and a few gems (more on those later!).

The people I talked to spoke positively of their scores. It sounded like everyone found something good this year.

Digging through records. I now know three of the five collectors pictured here thanks to Aloha Got Soul.

Barry made an appearance.

Ready to make a new discovery. Shout out to Oliver for always finding good music.

More finds coming soon

Although I scored tons more vinyl at the Harry’s Music Store sale, where I came home with about a hundred records (and made a mixtape from my finds), I left the Friends of the Library of Hawaii music with enough vinyl to last me—20 solid Hawaiian LPs, plus a box of other finds from Monday’s mega sale.

Stay tuned for more updates on what I found:

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