James Chu learned to play Hawaiian steel guitar music with the Indonesian Maluku Island people in the 1960's. Since then, his love for steel guitar music has become a deep-rooted part of his life.

Today James lives in Hong Kong, where he continues to perform with a small combo playing popular western, Hawaiian and Mandarin songs. His goal is to inspire young people to take up the instrument. James is perhaps the only steel guitar ambassador in his part of the world.

"Love Song"

For this two-CD set, James assembled many popular songs from western culture, then added a few Hawaiian standards for good measure. He tends to stay close to the melody on his Harmos lap steel, playing precisely and with feeling.

CD 1:

1. Spanish Eyes
2. Dr. Zhivago (Somewhere My Love)
3. Don't Cry For Me Argentina
4. Maria Elena
5. Honolulu March
6. Tennesse waltz
7. Apache
8. In the Mood
9. My Way
10. Edelweiss
11. It's Now Or Never
12. Aloha Oe
13. You Are My Sunshine

CD 2:

1. Hey Jude
2. Dancing Queen
3. I Started A Joke
4. Runaway
5. I Have a Dream
6. Always On My Mind
7. Paper Roses
8. Cassablanca
9. When a Child Is Born
10. Hula Blues
11. Wonderful Tonight
12. Top of the World
13. Can't Help Falling In Love
14. Yellow Bird

2 CD set: Item #C-042, $18.00
How to Order

"Evergreen Song"

This two CD set of popular Mandarin music demonstrates James Chu's versatility on the modern Hawaiian guitar. Even though I'm not familiar with the songs, the full orchestration and James' melodic approach to the instrument make a very enjoyable listening experience.

The song list on the package cover is in Chinese. James has provided these English translations of the song titles.

1. The River Side of Suzhou
2. Speechless
3. The scent of woman
4. When will you come back again?
5. Under the Shade
6. The love betrayor
7. Goodbye my love
8. Another glass
9. Who is the soul mate?
10. The tale of the walled city
11. Tears in the rain
12. The moon knows my heart
13. A soft dream

1. Cherish the night
2. The southern castle bell
3. In the rain
4. Love you ten thousand years
5. He who fights can win
6. Softhearted
7. The wind
8. The pearl of the orient
9. Toast
10. Save for the last night
11. The silence is gold
12. Who will know me?
13. The debt of the heart
    

"Christmas Relaxation "

A large orchestra compliments James Chu's melodic lap steel style on this CD of popular Christmas songs. Richly recorded in the audiophile HDCD format (24 bit, 192 kHz), this music will make a splendid background for holiday events or for the workplace. HDCD is compatible with regular CD players.

1. White Christmas
2. Silent Night
3. Joy To The World
4. On come All
5. Christmas Song
6. Medley
7. Christmas All Alone
8. The First Noel
9. Greensleeves
10. Christmas Everyday
11. Merry Boy
12. Blue Christmas
13. Saw  

"Country Love "

Here James Chu's Hawaiian guitar takes the lead voice on a variety of country songs. It's quite different to hear these songs on a lap steel as opposed to pedal steel. The approach is traditional, very melodic and easy to listen to.

1. Take Me Home, Country road
2. Cotton Fields
3. All I Have To Do Is Dream
4. You've Got A Friend
5. Coward Of The County
6. Baby Blue
7. Stoney
8. There's A Kind Of A Hush
9. You Needed Me
10. Annie's Song
11. Nobody's Child
12. I Don't want To Sleep Alone