The Little Label That Could

However, the nature of CGRC's approach puts a limit on how many more projects the label can take on. "We could put out twenty records next year if we licensed a lot of existing records and just sort of plugged them into our pipeline," says Wetherbee. "But there is a philosophy at work, in terms of maintaining what we're doing, and keeping track of it, and doing it correctly, instead of just going for the quick buck."

Looming over everyone's head is the work that will be required on behalf of Hapa, whose success has fueled CGRC's growth. The band's contract -- which started out as a simple handshake between Courtelis and the group -- was renegotiated in December 1994 and now calls for five more albums, as well as one solo project from each member. A followup to Hapa is due by the end of the year. In the meantime, the first CD is beginning to have an impact beyond the islands: The duo made an appearance at this year's South By Southwest music festival in Texas; the CD has been included in the in-store listening stations of national chains such as Tower Records and Barnes & Noble; and the group recently concluded its first tour of Japan. "Nobody really had the audacity to assume Hapa would be so successful," shrugs Wetherbee. "They were caught by surprise.