Album of classical Ryukyu music, rather different to the traditional folk. The main musician is Hironobu Nohara who sings and plays sanshin, a long time member of the Nomura-ryu Honzonkai Denshosha. He is accompanied by fue and koto. Most interesting for any sanshin players, the booklet includes the lyrics (Japanese with furigana written in katakana) while there is a seperate booklet with the musical notation, kunkunshi. Click on image to view the notation, listen to all tracks and watch a video with Hironobu Nohara.

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Campus Records is a bit of an institution in Okinawa, a record company and record shop, owned by Bisekatsu. Selection of tracks of tradiitional and modern shimauta, and rather nice cover that like the previous Campus compilations, mimics Sergeant Pepper.

Congratulations to Respect Records, a record company we have worked with for the entire 20 years. Kenichi Takahashi has selected 20 tracks for this anniversary compilation. Here's my notes included in the CD booklet.

First album from 'veteran' 65 year old Okinawan singer. Mostly traditional and well known shima uta songs featuring Kinjo's sanshin and vocals. Accompaniment provided by koto played by her sister Kumiko Agena, her own shimadaiko drums with some vocals by male singers Seishin Taba, Seibun Tokuhara and female singer Yoko Ishikawa. The title track is a re-recording of a song written for her by Matsuo Kawada which she first recorded in 1969 and became a hit single. 16 tracks.

Born in 1929, Rene Paulo has been playing his brand of lounge Hawaiian style in Waikiki and the USA for decades. On this album he is joined by various local Hawaiian singers on an album of laid back tunes. Singers include Cyril Pahinui, Makana and many others. Beautifully recorded in Hawaii.

New recordings of 'combi' duet songs. Artists include Okinawan/Peruvian Lucy, with male singer Makoto Asage, Jinjin (Megumi Aragaki and Kazuya Jinbo) and Miyuki Kinjo. The 17 tracks include such favourites as Juku no Haru, Uwaki Bushi and styles rangiing from upbeat to mellow. Well recorded and performed in traditional style.

Joint album by one of Okinawa's greatest ever female singers Misako Oshiro with one of the brightest young stars and her student, Kanako Horiuchi. Horiuchi, originally from Hokkaido, used to work in Tokyo and moved to Okinawa eleven years ago to study with Oshiro. They sing Okinawan minyo in duet form and include two newly written songs specially for this album, track 6 by Toru Yonaha and track 13 by Hirokazu Matsuda.

Yet another Okinawa compilation. This one of the most famous tunes such as Asadoya Yunta, Tinsagu nu Hana, Toshin Doi, Umi nu Chimbora and Honen Bushi. Artists include Seijin Noborikawa, Mika Uchizato, Yoriko Ganeko and Toru Yonaha.

First album for about two years from Seijin Noborikawa, one of the last surviving greats of Okinawan music. 12 tracks from originals to traditional. On this evidence Seijin shows no signs of wilting, despite turning 78 this year. Simple traditional small band music featuring sanshin, percussion and hayashi backing vocals.

Japanese pop songs played on traditional instruments such as shakuhachi, koto, fue, kokyu and various percussion instruments. Trouble is probably J-pop fans won't like it and neither will anyone who likes traditional music. On the plus side a couple of tracks do actually work reasonably well. Comes with English liner notes.

Album of Okinawan celebration songs such as for new year, weddings, birthdays etc..performed by excellent singers backed by large traditional music groups. 16 tracks.

French accordion music played by one the great practioners of the genre, accompanied by guitar, clarinet, bass, sax, xylophone. 17 tracks.

Does what it says on the tin- Claire Elziere is accompanied by piano, accordeon guitar, bass, and even sansin and shakuhachi. 17 tracks.

George Kahumoku Jr. is one of Hawaii's best known slack key guitar players who has recorded for George Winston's Dancing Cat label. He has been called 'Hawaii's Renaissance Man', because of his love and expertize in the old ways of farming, fishing, and of course, music. Recorded in Hawaii in 2009.16 tracks.

Solo performances on sanshin on some of Okinawa's most famous songs. Comes with Western and Okinawan music score for any sanshin players out there, and lyrics (in Japanese only). 16 tracks including Shima Uta, Haisai Ojisan and Asadoya Yunta.

Hugely enjoyable album fronted by sanshin player and singer Kanako Horiyuchi and keyboard player, programmer and producer DJ Sasa. The unlikely scenario on this is Kanako and DJ Sasa have arranged well known Japanese pop songs into an Okinawan style and 60s ska and rocksteady mixture. They've added 70s and 80s guitar and keyboard sounds, sampling, drum programming and engaged the help of at least sixteen brass musicians playing sax, trumpet and trombone. It works because it feels an entirely natural mix, and discernably Okinawan.

Hsb play songs from the popular and internationally known animation studio, Studio Ghibli, founded by Hayao Miyazaki.

Fourth album and first for three years from the UK/US duo with their brand of Okinawan club music. Familar tunes are given a not so familiar workout, while other original tunes are full of Okinawan sounds. Dub, Afrobeat, Trip Hop, Lounge and more influences are poured into the Okinawan blender, and out comes some of the coolest new Okinawan music of recent years. Collaborators include Mika Uchizato, Toru Yonaha, Ayano Uema and Natsuki Nakamura.

Latest in this series aimed at players of sanshin as much as Okinawan music fans. This one focuses on a broad range of songs of departure, seperation and farewells. From Chopin to Utada Hikaru's First Love, comes with sanshin score and piano notation.