Japanese Music of Hawaii - La International Shakuhachi Society

Japanese Music of Hawaii

Various
Hana Ola Records - HOCD 37000
2000

Pista	Título	Kanji	Longitud	Artista
1	Otomi-san		02'15
	"Otomi-san" is performed by Alice Kojima who's stage name was "Aiko Bingo." At the time, she was married to bandleader Bob Kojima. This song, composed by: Masanobu Tokuchi and T. Yamasaki, was a big 1954 hit in Japan for Hachiro Kasuga.
2	Ohtone Zukiyo		02'58
	"Moon Over Ohtone," tells of a fight between two rival gangs near the Ohtonegawa, a river in Chiba prefecture. It is performed by Harold Sasahara in what would today be described as an "enka" (nostalgic) style... In Japan's Meiji period (1868-1912), speeches were made into popular songs in order to help people better understand them. The people who made a profession out of this were called "Enkashi." Some Enkashi also composed original music...the use of the word has changed over time - today, it denotes a style of singing that is old fashioned, nostalgic.
3	Tokyo Serenade		03'08
	When performing, singer Jane Yoshino used the stage name "Jane Itai. Ms. Yoshino's "swing" rendition is a prime example of the Kayokyoku (popular music) style of the period.
4	Shina no Yoru		03'31
	"Shina No Yoru" was a popular hit in the years preceding WWII. It is a remnant of the modern era Sino-Japanese War (1931-1945). Performed by "Sparky" Iwamoto, the composition of this song is credited to Sylvia Eisenberg.
5	Momotaro-san		02'42
	Momotaro or Peach-boy is one of the most famous fairy tale heroes in Japan - in the mukashibanashi (an ancient tale) tradition. This genre is characterized by richly layered stories based on fictional characters and events. It is an oral tradition handed down through the ages. The appeal of the song is timeless and universal - many people of Hawai'i learn the fairy tale and song as children. Here, it is performed by child singer Mari Minami.
6	Ringo Oiwake		03'27
	Many Japanese songs are rife with metaphors, nuances and hidden meanings - much like Hawaiian songs. Hawaiians called this form of artistic expression 'kaona." Amongst other things, "oiwake" could mean "countryside" or a heavily embellished musical style derived from a famous "Oxen Driving Song" that originated in the southern part of Honshu - a style later attributed to a famous folk song from Hokkaido - Esashi (an Ainu word meaning kelp) Oiwake. We leave it to the listener to decide... This M. Yoneyama and F. Ozawa composition is performed by Alma Shimabukuro.
7	Sendō Kawai Ya	船頭可愛や	03'15
	Sadame Miyazu joined the Hawaii Shochiku Orchestra in the early '50s. She was asked by Club Nisei to "sit in" on the recording session and lend her exquisite vocalization to a nostalgic rendition of "A Boatman Song."
8	Machi no Hatoba		02'47
	Club Nisei's George Shimabukuro first recorded at Shochiku's Tropic Records. The Shimabukuro clan was very talented musically - brother Ted was member of the Hawaii Shochiku Orchestra; sisters Alma and Alice were singers for Club Nisei. The song is about the bars and sailors down at the docks.
9	Tokyo Boogie		03'02
	This "swing" number, composed by Aubrey Mullican, is a remnant of the post-WWII years when Japan was occupied by American and United Nations military forces. Club Nisei's "Aiko Bingo" gets "the joint jumping" with this up tempo song.
10	Tanko Bushi	炭坑節	03'14
	Guest performers Itsuo Tokunaga (a Japanese national) and Yukie Tsutsumi (a noted dancer) perform this famous song from Fukuoka Prefecture. It remains a favorite at bon matsuri (an annual Buddhist celebration held to pay respect to ancestors).
11	Asatoya Yunta	安里屋ユンタ	02'55
	Sadame Miyazu and Ted Shimabukuro perform this popular Okinawan folk song.
12	Hibari no Madorosu-san		02'59
	Hibari was one of Japan's most popular singers and actresses. After WWII, she gave hope to the people of Japan in a time of desperation - her activities became a symbol of the Japanese postwar reconstruction. Over her career, she recorded more than 300 records (over 500 songs) and appeared in over 160 films. Hibari remains a popular cultural icon to this day... "Hibari No Madorosu-san," composed by G. Uehara and M. Ishimoto is performed by Alma Shimabukuro. It should be noted that "madorosu" is a phonetic adaptation of the French word - matelot meaning "sailor."
13	Koko ni Sachi Ari		03'22
	"Sparky" Iwamoto sings this Saburo Iida composition. In the early '70s a cover with English lyrics was a hit in the Islands. It remains a very popular song to this day - particularly at weddings.
14	Wakare no Ippon-sugi		03'14
	A song of parting lovers, performed by Harold Sasahara.
15	Yūyake Koyake	夕焼小焼	03'23
	An old and very popular folk song, sung here by local-born guest singer Mari Minami.
16	Oranda Yashiki		03'20
	The first missionaries to Japan were Dutch. This song, composed by: M. Koga and Y. Saijyo and performed by "Aiko Bingo," tells of their mansion in the Deshima district of Nagasaki.
17	Doyobi no Yoru		02'45
	An up tempo song performed by Jane Itai, featuring the female singers of Club Nisei.
18	Yuuraku Cho de Aimasho		02'36
	Errol Nakao sings of two lovers who vow to meet at the station near Ginza in Tokyo.
19	Wakare no Iso Chidori		03'41
	Arguably, Hawai'i-bom Francis Zanami's most famous composition. First performed in the Islands it became a hit in Japan in 1952. Here, "Sparky" Iwamoto, backed by the Club Nisei singers, pays homage to the Hawaiian-Japanese composer. Regrettably Mr. Zanami's promising career was cut short - In 1949, at the age of 44, he died of a heart attack.
20	Japanese Rhumba		02'30
	This Jerry Miller composition dates back to the post-WWII Occupation years. The song, performed as a duet, features Harold Sasahara and "Sparky" Iwamoto.
21	Suite Ita Noni		03'29
	A very popular song in the Islands composed by Enkashi Hakurui Shibuya and sung by guest performer Ted Shimabukuro. In 1937, Japanese national Ken Uehara recorded this classic which was released by Polydor in Japan.
22	Madorosu-san wa Dai Kirai		03'21
	...because they're gone all the time and have a woman in every port. Singer Sadame Miyazu gives life to this feeling of despair. "I Don't Like Sailors" is performed in an "enka" style that respected Hawai'i based sound man Kit Ebersbach aptly calls "Japanese blues."
23	Ginza Kan Kan Musume		02'38
	This song, performed here by Jane Itai, was a giant hit in Hawai'i. The song tells of the women (also known as pan pan musume) who had to eke out a living under difficult circumstances during the Post WWII Occupation years.