Abel Okugawa is an electronic musician whose sounds and beats echo the sublime eloquence of his person. Abel is the primary Recording Engineer for the Monkeyclaus studio and had an integral role in building, wiring and refining the studio, which over the years metamorphesized from an old barn into a magical full-fidelity production facilty. Some of his past work building studios in New York city also received the attention of Source Magazine. Abel works prolifically as a solo musician and collaborates with many folks as producer, bandmate, beat generator, and guest musician. Okugawa states simply that his recording philosophy is rooted in "ease and inspiration".

His most recent CD-R release, "Magic Cuts" is available in both mini and full size CD-R with handmade packaging as well as by digital download. These "Magic Cuts" are cinematic, sexy, and infused with infectious grooves. His "816"vinyl, Monkeyclaus' first record release, is an underground classic full of crucial beats and haunting samples. Both releases feature gorgeous vocals provided by Rahimah von Briesen, whose voice summons mental imagery of a silver-tongued vixen wandering the desert from oasis to oasis taming birds and making men faint. Live tabla beats from local prodigy Loren Oppenheimer also grace both recordings. Buy the Vinyl through AbelOkugawa.com, alternatively, download it here. Abel's catalog additionally includes three releases from his old band Avon Force, and a high profile track on the Dosage Three Rock Climbing video from Big Up Productions.

Born in Los Angeles where he lived until age 14, Abel then moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. As a child Abel met King Crimson guitar guru Robert Fripp in a castle in England, where Abel's unique spirit inspired Fripp's League of Crafty Guitarists to write the song, "Are you Abel". In his own words Okugawa recounts one poignant exchange between him and the prog-pioneer Fripp. "I was about eight years old and at a seminar my Mom was teaching for the League of Crafty Guitarists. I was there as a guest. We had to eat spaghetti with peanut butter most nights. And I finally asked Robert (Fripp) at the dinner table why he liked the peanut butter spaghetti so much. So he called me a name and I called him a 'toad'." Though surrounded by much music growing up, Abel is mostly self taught and completely original.

Please listen to this melange of Abel's tracks to get a taste for his sounds and styles. One clip herein features voice samples of Joe Maynard, a Charlottesville denizen who was William S. Burroughs' official bibliographer and is known as "the last of the Beats".
Please enjoy Abel Okugawa's work and for more information visit his official website.

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