Aloha Got Soul

Interview: ʻĀina’s Howard Shapiro Leads Us to “Your Light”, Spirituality, and Life In Hawaii

July 27, 2016

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Interview: The Story of Aura, with Beverly Orbello and Vince Mendoza

June 15, 2016

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Soul Time In Waikiki

May 11, 2016

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A Modern Day Must-Have: Alika Lyman’s Leis of Jazz, Volume 2

May 8, 2016

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Recap: The Two Year Anniversary of Soul Time In Hawaii

March 30, 2016

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Strut Records & Aloha Got Soul: A compilation of funk, disco, AOR, and soul in Hawai‘i 1979-1985

December 16, 2015

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Record Culture In Hawaii: A Film by The Vinyl Factory

March 21, 2014

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Recent blog posts

Mix: Heavy Mellow, exploring Hawaii’s seriously sublime musical palette

Heavy mellow: two words that can describe so much of the music that’s created in Hawaii. This is what inspired us in our latest mix, the relaxed sounds of our islands that move us deeply. On June 10th, 2016, clothing company Claymore Minds invited Aloha… Read More

Aug 20, 16

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Interview: ʻĀina’s Howard Shapiro Leads Us to “Your Light”, Spirituality, and Life In Hawaii

“There is only one world and one race upon this earth. We all are children of the light knowing within our hearts that love will bring us all together again. To all of you who are sharing with us and seeking the light, I send you… Read More

Jul 27, 16

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Interview: The Story of Aura, with Beverly Orbello and Vince Mendoza

Aura has for a long time remained a mystery to me. I first heard their music on the oft-referenced “Hawaiian Breaks” mix that DJ Muro released in 2009. At that time I had no idea who the band was. Thankfully, with the help of a handful of dedicated… Read More

Jun 15, 16

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Soul Time In Waikiki

When the opportunity arose to work with The Surfjack, we realized we could bring Soul Time to the one place on Oahu that’s been needing it for some time. That’s why we’re launching Soul Time In Waikiki.

May 11, 16

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A Modern Day Must-Have: Alika Lyman’s Leis of Jazz, Volume 2

Alika isn’t looking to blow minds with deliciously innovative tracks that would push jazz music to new horizons. Instead he offers the end user a laid back listening experience that from start to finish transports you to an intimate jazz club on the dreamy shores of Hawaii.

May 08, 16

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Aura: Familial Music with Familiar Connections

There’s no question that Aura’s sole album needs to be heard once again. It’s an undeniably potent blend of jazz and funk highlighted by the Mendoza family’s signature sound: an unstoppable horn section with two sisters as lead vocalists.

Apr 29, 16

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Interview: Al Nobriga, “You don’t choose music. Music chooses you.”

Al Nobriga graduated from high school in Kauai in 1960. Following graduation, he moved to Oahu and attended Brigham Young University from 1960 to 1965. He started playing music in 8th grade. Nobriga’s entire family is musical, and they’d have kanikapila’s (jam sessions) on Kauai often. Nobriga remembers that his uncle… Read More

Apr 14, 16

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Recap: The Two Year Anniversary of Soul Time In Hawaii

I feel like there are really just too many ways to tell you about this two year anniversary of Soul Time In Hawaii, which was actually more than just an anniversary — it was a week-long celebration of a humble party that’s grown to connect the… Read More

Mar 30, 16

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Gaurab Thakali: Designing Soul Time In Hawaii’s Two Year Anniversary

For the two year anniversary of Soul Time In Hawaii, we worked with South London artist Gaurab Thakali to produce a small edition of hand finished screen prints which became our event poster. We were drawn to Gaurab’s work for his imaginative illustration of the early American jazz… Read More

Mar 13, 16

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Soul Time at Two Years: Connecting the old with the new, the local with the global

In March 2014, Aloha Got Soul hosted a dual-city party in London and Honolulu. We called it Soul Time In Hawaii, and since then we’ve been hosting it every month in Honolulu, London, and Chicago. You might remember the mix we created for the party: … Read More

Mar 09, 16

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2016 gives us ‘The Rhythm Of Life’ on LP (finally)

Last November we released (sort of) the long-awaited reissue of Mike Lundy’s 1980 Hawaiian holy grail, The Rhythm Of Life. It was accepted with great reviews from critics and listeners worldwide—the title track made it onto Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Winners 2015 list, which broadcast in December. “The crown jewels… Read More

Jan 12, 16

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Strut Records & Aloha Got Soul: A compilation of funk, disco, AOR, and soul in Hawai‘i 1979-1985

We are extremely pleased to tell you that for that past 12 months we’ve been working with London’s Strut Records on a compilation entitled Aloha Got Soul: Soul, AOR & Disco in Hawai‘i 1979-1985, and it hits stores worldwide in February 2016. Compiled by Roger Bong, the aptly-titled Aloha… Read More

Dec 16, 15

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“Over the last few years, Honolulu native Roger Bong has made it his business to become the authority on Hawaiian records, chronicling his various digging adventures on his fantastic Aloha Got Soul blog and feeding the more voracious US and UK collectors with utterly neglected gems from the paradise isle on a selection of superb mixes.

The music, ignored and inaccessible for so long, is, thanks to Roger finally filtering over the ocean and is feted by the likes of Psychemagik, Floating Points and the hardcore collectors at BBE records for its sun-soaked and gloriously carefree breed of island-tinted soul, funk and rare groove.

Heavily influenced by the US and recorded primarily in the 70′s and 80′s, it’s basically impossible not to fall in love with this stuff..."
— The Vinyl Factory, March 2014

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