Label founder Roger Bong recently hopped on the decks at London's My Analog Journal to share a 45-minute selection of soulful, groovy music from the Hawaiian Islands.
The popular YouTube channel showcases the talents of its creator, Zag Erlat, and a global network of vinyl selectors and DJs.
Fun fact: Zag's most-watched video to date, Japanese Funk and Soul on Vinyl (late 70's, early 80's), includes a cut from an Aloha Got Soul release: Aiko's uptempo city pop disco tune "Time Machine".
As a tribute to Zag and his channel. Roger closes his set with the A-side of Aiko's 7-inch, "Fly With Me".
From My Analog Journal:
Roger Bong runs Aloha Got Soul, a record label and record shop headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Focusing on Hawaii-based artists, Roger’s work as a curator and DJ brings Hawaii’s music to global audiences. His vinyl sets infuse island-inspired disco, house, and rare groove to create an atmosphere where paradise is not lost, but found.
"It’s been more than 12 years since I started Aloha Got Soul, writing my first blog post in August 2010. Since then, I’ve had the joy of connecting with artists from a golden era of groovy music in the Hawaiian islands — the 1970s and 1980s — sharing their sounds through blog posts, interviews, mixes, and reissues of their out-of-print records. What was a hobby has turned into a full-fledged operation with the opening of our record store in Honolulu in 2021.
This vinyl set is a “mahalo” (thank you) to the artists we’ve worked with over the years. Without their trust and support, I wouldn’t be able to so lovingly share this music with listeners across the globe to enjoy 40+ years later!"
Tracklist:
00:00 - Eddie Suzuki - Beauty Near Hanalei
03:35 - Kalapana - All I Want
07:45 - Steve & Teresa - Catching A Wave
11:15 - Momi - Another Side of Time
13:27 - Chucky Boy Chock And Oahu Brand - Walking In The Jungle
15:45 - Society of Seven - Between Hello And Goodbye
18:10 - Nohelani Cypriano - Lihue
21:09 - Mackey Feary Band - A Million Stars
24:10 - Brother Noland & Solbrea - Love Birds
27:52 - Aura - No Beginning, No End
31:42 - Studi-Yo - Studi Yo Theme
35:35 - Rockwell Fukino - Coast To Coast
40:04 - Waimanu - In Your Dark Eyes
42:52 - Hawaii - For Your Lady
43:57 - Aiko Sekiguchi - Fly With Me