Wewantsounds reissue
Newly remastered by Makoto Kubota
Original artwork, OBI and the original Japanese inserts.
First time the albums are released outside of Japan

Recorded in 1975 at the famed Sounds of Hawaii studio in Honolulu, Hawaii Champroo was co-produced by Haruomi Hosono and marks the start of Kubota’s keen interest in Hawaiian and Okinawan music (Champroo is derived from Chanpurū, the traditional Okinawan stir-fry dish). A companion album to Hosono’s own ‘Tropical Dandy’ and ‘Bon Voyage Co.’ albums(on which Kubota plays), the album was at the forefront of a tropical musical movement started in Japan in the mid-70s.

The core Sunset Gang consists of Kubota on Guitar, Takashi Onzo on bass, Yosuke Fujita on guitars and mandolin, Keni Inoue on lead guitar and Hiroki Komazawa on pedal steel guitar. They are joined on the album by Hosono on drums and Teriyuki Kokubu on piano.

Having travelled to the United States in the early 70s, Makoto Kubota had fallen in love with American music and had brought back many influences from his sojourn on the East and West coast. these are evident from the tracks covered by the band on ‘Hawaii Champroo’, including Jesse Fuller’s ‘San Francisco Blues’, The Rooftop Singers’ ‘Walk Right In’ (an old Gus Cannon ragtime) or The Texas Playboys’ classic ‘Steel Guitar Rag.’

‘Hawaii Champroo’ also features originals such as the funky

‘Shanghai Gaeri’ and a nod to the Hula Hawaiian dance ‘Moonlight Hula’. One of the highlights of the album is the classic ‘Haisai Ozisan’, the Okinawan 1972 cult classic by Shoukichi Kina which has become a standard in Japan.

All in all, ‘Hawaii Champroo’ is a timeless classic and one of the key Japanese albums from the 70s which Wewantsounds is happy to introduce outside of Japan for the first time.

Side 1

1. Steel Guitar Rag 3.28 2. Moonlight Hula 3.19 3. Walk Right In 2.58 4. Shoka No Kaori 3.52 5. Hi Sai Ozisan 5.16 6. Itsu No Hi Omae Wa (I Love You So) 6.33

Side 2

1. San Francisco Bay Blues 3.00

2. Shanghai Gaeri 8.12

3. Kokkyo No Minami (South Of The Border) 5.06 4. Bye Bye Baby 3.17

5. Oh Senorita 3.52