Junko: News

Junko's newest CD, "Special Forces Kids," is now available for listening and purchasing at CD Baby. Please check it out at http://cdbaby.com/cd/junko7 so you can get your very own copy!

In just a couple of weeks, you will be able to purchase Junko's newest CD, Special Forces Kids, from CD Baby. You will also be able to hear snippets of each song on this fun, new album for kids and grownups, including this summer's surprise hit song, "Sweet Ranunculas," which has had kids at Mt. Hermon, Orchard Valley Christian Church, and CMO conference humming all day.

Special Forces Kids CD will also be available on Apple iTunes in about 4 to 6 weeks. Please stay tuned for information on how you can get your hands and ears on Junko's latest release, but for now catch Junko at one of her live shows by going onto the Calendar page to check out her schedule. She just might be coming to a church near you soon!

Junko's latest CD project, "Special Forces Kids," landed at her doorstep this afternoon, Friday, June 20, just in time for her Northern California road trip which begins tomorrow. This is her first full new release in five years, and it is once again filled with Scripture-based, Christ-centered songs geared towards kids (and their parents) which Junko penned herself...except for the great hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" which was written by a composer who is much more famous than Junko: Ludwig van Beethoven.

"I'm so excited about this project. I hope that kids and grownups would all be blessed and uplifted by these fun songs, but I also pray that through these songs people of all ages can learn Scripture and truths about God."

More on the new CD will be coming soon, but for now Junko's off on her NorCal trip. Unless you catch her at one of her concerts, for now you won't be able to get your hands on this new CD. In a few weeks, we will make it available to everyone through CD Baby, and it will eventually also be available through Apple iTunes. Please stay tuned!

Junko has gone back in the studio to work on her upcoming CD, another one for the kids. Once again working with award-winning producer John Andrew Schreiner at the helm, she is recording 12 songs of uplifting praise and worship for kids and grownups alike. If you've been around at Irvine Presbyterian Church, Saddleback Church, or at Mt. Hermon, all places where she leads worship, you might recognize some of the new tunes on this album...but with new and improved arrangements and production work. Junko's even including two familiar songs ("Brave Believers" and "Shine the Light"), this time sung in Japanese! Learn to sing in a foreign language or give this CD to your Japanese friends so they can hear the Gospel message in their own language.

Besides John Andrew Schreiner's outstanding arrangements, keyboards, and sequencing, you will also hear drums by Ron Robertson (from Saddleback's worship band), guitars by Randy Mitchell (Donna Summer) background vocals by Alva Copeland, Mike Saxon, and Emily Gomez (all featured vocalists at Saddleback), outstanding sax work by Junko's concert sidekick, Anthony Paular, and kids' choir featuring Junko's own kids Joshua and Megumi and their friends, Alex, Maddy, Emma, and Jenna. To top it all off, you will see outstanding CD graphic design by the same Anthony Paular mentioned above, featuring creative artwork by renowned cartoonist Van Partible (Creator of cartoon character Johnny Bravo)!

In short, expect everything you love about her Big & Small CD -- Christ-centered, Scripture-based music on high-rotation in your mini-van -- but even better for 2008! "Over the past 5 years, I've grown as a songwriter, as a vocalist, and as a Christian. I can't wait to share my growth and my renewed passion for God through this new album," says Junko.

This CD is scheduled to drop on June 19, 2008, making its debut at JEMS camp at Mt. Hermon Christian Conference Center. Stay tuned!

Three of Junko's songs, "Enjoy You Forever," "Rest in You Alone," and "How Deep is the Love of Christ" recently made it on Kids'Discovery CD which was sent to over 20,000 worship leader who subscribe to Worship Leader Magazine. Inside the magazine, Junko received favorable reviews for all of her songs, along with a mention of her desire to continually work on her craft in Dr. Mark Roberts' column on Page 10, "Lyrical Poetry: Play Skillfully." To read these reviews and to see an excerpt from Dr. Mark Roberts' column, click on the Press/Reviews button on this website or go to http://www.worshipleader-digital.com/worshipleader/200710/ to read the digital edition of the October issue of Worship Leader magazine. (Remember, the CD review is the 2-page spread just inside the front cover page before the table of contents.) "After toiling for years in relative obscurity, it is nice to get some exposure through Worship Leader magazine and SongDiscovery CD! If this allows my music to minister to more children and grownups alike, then I'm thrilled," explains Junko.

Junko will be one of the vocalists during the 9/11:15am services on Sunday, October 21, as well as the 4:30/6:30pm services on Saturday, October 27. We will be kicking off the 40 Days of Purpose starting the weekend of October 20 & 21, and we would love to have you attend one of the worship services at Saddleback! However, if you can't make it you can still catch the service -- including Junko singing with the worship band -- online via this link, live, during the actual worship times: http://saddlebackfamily.com/mediacenter/services/Default.aspx. Check it out!

Junko will be interviewed by a Japanese radio station KZOO Honolulu on Thursday, 9/28 between 1:30 - 2pm Hawaii time. If you want to tune in to AM1210 or online at http://www.am1210kzoo.com/ at that time, you'll hear her talk story, sing some songs, and plug her Saturday concert at Kalihi Union Church.

Junko and her family are back in Honolulu once again, and she hit the ground running! She shared a few songs and her testimony in Japanese at Kalihi Union Church Japanese fellowship on Sunday to a very appreciative crowd. Junko will be back at Kalihi Union on Saturday night for a family concert featuring Randy, Gay, and Andrew Hongo as the opening act, and the boys form KUC backing Junko up in the band. "I always enjoy being with the wonderful folks at KUC," says Junko. "I can't wait to spend an evening with everyone talking story and singing together!" If you're in town, come check out the concert at KUC at 7pm on Saturday 9/29!

Junko will be leading worship at the Treasured women's Bible Study on Tuesday mornings starting this fall. This study is for moms of children ages 5 and under, a stage from which Junko has only recently emerged. "I'm excited to be a part of this group of ladies who are sharing this precious time of life together. I'm also excited to hear the wonderful speakers/teachers lined up for the fall session," says Junko. Teasured meets on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11am at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest.

Junko recently was invited to be on the song listening panel for Worship Leader magazine's SongDiscovery CD. "When I got the call from Phil Sillas, my first reaction was, 'who am I to be judging other people's songwriting?' but when Phil offered free lunch, I couldn't refuse!" She sat alongside some accomplished songwriters and worship leaders including Pastor Mark Roberts and songwriter Rick Founds ("Lord I Lift Your Name on High") , helping evaluate songs submitted for the November/December release of SongDiscovery CD. Junko was honored and grateful to be amongst such an amazing group of people and hopes that she was able to contribute. "We listened to some great songs, had some heated discussions and enjoyed some good laughs as well," says Junko. "We hope you'll be pleased with our selection of the dozen or so songs in the next SongDiscovery CD."

Once again this year, Worship Leader magazine is releasing a special CD called KidsDiscovery CD for their 20,000+ SongDiscovery subscribers. Keep your eyes and ears opened for three of Junko's songs -- "Enjoy You Forever" from the Big & Small CD and two brand new songs "Special Forces Kids" and "Rest in You Alone" -- on this 14-track CD from SongDiscovery dropping in October!

Just in time for summer 2007, Junko is doing a special limited-release CD for kids! Special Forces Kids CD contains 12 tracks with four brand new songs -- "Special Forces Kids," "Rest in You Alone," "Kingdom of the Son" (which was previously only available on Junko's DVD), and "How Deep is the Love of Christ" -- along with two favorites, "Brave Believers" and "Shine the Light" PLUS performance trax for all 6 of these songs. This CD is only available at Junko's live performances and for a limited duration, as her hope is that these new songs will be included in her next full-length kids' CD to be released hopefully in 2008.

Junko recently auditioned for, and made, the vocal worship team at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. Each weekend this church offers SIX services for over 20,000 people, and the worship led by the very energetic and capable Rick Muchow includes four teams of six singers who rotate from week to week. Junko is currently a backup for one of the teams. "I'm so thrilled to be accepted on this amazing team of some of the best singers in the nation! For now, I'm very content being the 'understudy' just learning the ropes at this huge ministry called Saddleback." At most, Junko will only be up on stage at the worship center about once a month, so keep checking her calendar for when she will be helping lead worship there, and come join the celebration!

Two of Junko's songs, "Brave Believers" and "Shine the Light," were recently included in the SongDiscovery CD, a collection of songs that go out to over 20,000 churches each month to subscribing worship leaders and pastors around the globe. Many of the songs on this CD go on to become standards at worship services. The October issue was a feature on children's worship, and Junko hopes that these songs would bless many kids and will be sung by children all over the world in the days to come.

Do you need Junko's music NOW? You don't have time to wait for the CD's to arrive in the mail? You can now download entire albums or single songs on Apple iTunes.

Two of Junko's songs, "Enjoy You Forever" and "The Lord's Renown," made the cut to semi-finals during GMA's Seminar in the Rockies Song of 2006 Competition in the Praise & Worship category. All semi-finalists enjoyed getting critiqued live by a panel of Christian music industry professionals. Although her songs didn't make the top three to go on to the finals, Junko was pleased with the positive feedback and high marks the songs received as well as possible interests for her songwriting from some song publishers.

We hear it all the time: "I am buying the fun, upbeat album for my kids. Now I want something quiet for a grownup like me." Well, we finally have something for you! Junko has compiled her previously recorded hymns and original worship songs and added a brand new song, "The Lord's Renown," to come up with her "best of" CD for those of you searching for some music to help enhance your quiet moments of meditation.

Next time you come to Junko's store to shop for her CD's and DVD, you'll notice a little change. We have partnered with CD Baby , an online music distributor based in Oregon, to get her music out to the world. From now on, CD Baby will handle your product orders and ship them directly from their Portland, Oregon office. Have your credit card ready and let's go shopping at Junko's store!

Big & Small DVD is now available!
If you've been wanting to learn the hand motions to Junko's song from the Big & Small CD, now you can--in the comfort of your own home--because the long-awaited DVD is finally here! With the help of friends Kara and Nicole, Junko goes through 8 of your favorite kids' songs from the Big & Small CD plus 3 new bonus songs. Catch a snippet of some of her songs by clicking here. Please come visit Junko's store or to get a copy of the DVD to purchase!

DJ Eric Skattebo recently interviewed Junko via overseas phone call for his show on HCJB radio, "Asian Focus on International Friendship Program," based out of Melbourne, Australia, and reaching the airwaves of the Far East. You can catch Eric's show anywhere in the world, however, via the internet by visiting www.hcjb.org and clicking on "International Friendship Program."

Junko's songs have been added to regular rotation on His Kids Radio, an outreach ministry of Cornerstone University in Michigan. Check out www.hiskidsradio.com and hear Junko's music alongside many other wonderful Christian artists.

Many of you have been asking for a DVD so that you could learn the hand motions done during Junko's family concerts, so Junko set about making this a reality. She started by hiring her friend, an awesome musician, and a professional videographer Steve Taylor to produce her very first video. Steve has done some amazing work in the field of video, but he is most noted for his video and film work with DC Talk (check out www.digitalspatula.com for more info on Steve's work). The shoot was held in Irvine, California, on Saturday, August 28, and the DVD is set for a late-fall release. "This will be a cross between an instructional video and a music video," explains Junko. "My main purpose for the video is to help our viewers learn the hand motions to the fun kids' songs. But, I do know that with Steve, everything will be top-notch quality and entertaining to watch." Songs include 8 of your favorite songs from her kids' CD Big & Small plus a bonus track of a brand new song called "Kingdom of the Son." Stay tuned for the release date soon.

Hawaii, April 2005
Junko and family enjoyed attending and participating in the 17th Annual HIM (Hawaiian Island Ministries) Conference at the Honolulu Convention Center, April 7 - 9, 2005. She started her time with a live radio interview with The Fish 95.5FM Honolulu. Here, daughter Megumi is vying for some air time with mom. Her highlight was singing at the Friday evening session following featured speaker Tony Campolo. Junko poses with her two Tony's: the always inspiring and often animated speaker Tony Campolo, and her talented sax player, Anthony (a.k.a. Tony) Paular who joined Junko on stage in Hawaii.