Haji Maji started in August of 2007 with the mission of presenting “scratchy old Chinese records.” But now I’ve decided to take a break from Chinese records and explore some new territory as our 78 rpm time machine wanders around Asia searching for lost sounds. Some of these records represent styles that are hundreds of years old and it’s miraculous that they were captured on some improbable recording expedition before being lost to the changes of the 20th century. Now the music risks being lost a second time as the records disappear and the world forgets they were ever made in the first place.
All the records here come from my personal collection of 78 rpm records from China, SE Asia, India, Turkey, Greece and elsewhere. The images come from turn of the century postcards and books of that era.
Please CONTACT ME if you have similar records you’d like to sell, donate or trade.
I often get messages asking if I have these sort of records for sale and the answer is YES….some of my 78’s are for sale at www.shellachead.wordpress.com
A bit about me…I live in Oakland, California. I play fiddle in the Squirrelly Stringband and Greek bouzouki in the Disciples of Markos. I’ve also been a photographer, filmmaker and graphic designer.
Check out my website www.SpectacularOpticals.com for info on all this stuff.
Feel free to leave any comments and if you wish to use any of the material from this site please provide a credit and link, and lastly…enjoy!
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Please more, more, more!!! I have been searching for this music and though I have found Chinese music, it was not this, opera from the 20’s. This is just what I want!! Thank you so much for posting…MORE PLEASE!!!!!!
Comment by NoNameInTheStreet October 28, 2007 @ 1:45 amno worries…plenty more where these came from! Thanks for listening.
Comment by hajimaji October 28, 2007 @ 9:29 pmYes — this is SO great. Thank you for making an effort in preserving this material!!
Comment by wendell January 8, 2008 @ 12:14 pm:)
Comment by bibomedia February 28, 2008 @ 11:03 pmThis is such a beautiful wonderful thing. Thank you so much for doing it.
Comment by Greta Novitchka May 17, 2008 @ 1:22 pmHi, I was wondering if it’s possible to make a limited CDR release (max. 35 copies) with special packaging of your mp3’s? If you are interested you can mail me about it, thanks!
Comment by :René August 10, 2008 @ 1:23 pmThe 3 labels, Nam Sing, Golden Star Record and Tsing Ping were labels that were distributed in San Francisco. I particular remember Golden Star Records because they also had a radio station at the store in the 60s. My dad would blast their station every night. Some of the old cantonese opera I remember from my childhood days. My dad probably owned them. He had boxes and boxes of old 78s but they’re gone now.
Comment by Ed February 13, 2009 @ 11:49 amGreat, thanks for the info Ed.
Comment by HAJI MAJI February 13, 2009 @ 2:27 pm