Earl Okin

Earl Okin
File:Simon Woolf, Earl Okin (guitar) and Steve Rubie at 606 Club.jpg Simon Woolf (bass), Earl Okin (guitar) and Steve Rubie (flute) at the 606 Club on 10 January 2016
Background information
Born	(1947-01-31) 31 January 1947 Surrey, England
Genres	Jazz, Bossa Nova
Instruments	Guitar, vocals (including mouth trumpet), piano
Years active	1967–present
Labels	Sony
Website	www.earlokin.com www.myspace.com/earlokin

Earl Okin (born 31 January 1947) is a London singer-songwriter, musician and comedian.

Born in Carshalton, Surrey, he has lived in Notting Hill since he was five years old, holds a degree in philosophy from the University of Kent at Canterbury (1968) and worked as a schoolmaster for 11 years before going full-time.

He was signed to the same company as The Beatles in 1966 and recorded his first single at Abbey Road in 1967. Some of his songs were covered during the 1960s by Cilla Black, Georgie Fame and Helen Shapiro, the latter recording now popular within the world of Northern Soul.

During the 1970s, Okin started to perform as support act in large venues, beginning with folk acts such as Ralph McTell and Fairport Convention, he progressed to open for such varied performers as Jean-Luc Ponty and Van Morrison. However, it was the 1979 tour with Paul McCartney and Wings which prompted him to pursue his musical career full-time. He also began to perform in jazz festivals.

In 1981, he appeared on The Parkinson Show and was invited by Nigel Planer to perform at The Comic Strip. This led to his second career on the "alternative comedy" circuit where he remains a headline act. However, his act continues to be primarily musical. He has never performed stand-up.

In 1983, he began to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe where he has since performed over 500 shows.

Okin continues to work as a songwriter and jazz singer/musician, with a particular interest in Bossa Nova. He gives concerts in Brazil from time to time, as well as touring his one-man show, a mixture of music and comedy, worldwide. He has performed in New York at Birdland, The Apollo and other jazz venues, but, not forgetting his comedy side, also at Caroline's. In addition he toured India, Singapore, and other nearby countries. He has also performed at most major venues in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall, The Palladium and Wembley Arena.

Okin has performed on TV in several countries, including Brazil, Australia and Germany.

Apart from self-published LPs, he has had CDs issued by the Bertelsmann Music Group in Germany and Austria, and Sony in the UK. He is currently unsigned, but has completed two CDs, one of Jazz and Bossa Nova, Bossa Britanica and, more recently a CD of his songs in various genres called, after the recording studio, Songs From A Garden Shed.

He is also very much a part of the recent rebirth of interest in the modern take on variety shows.

In 2012-3, Okin completed his autobiography, Earl's Caught, and a musical (in conjunction with Jackie Skarvellis), called A Harlem Story.

Discography

Singles

• "Yellow Petals", Parlophone (1967)
• "Stop! And You Will Become Aware", (1969)

Albums

• Mr Okin Comes To Town (1978), Folkland Records FL 1014
• Himself (1981), Whoopee Records WP 107 LP
• Earl's Caught (1986), Waterfront Records WFO 27
• Dancing Shoes (1989), Spats Music Ltd SPATS 1
• The Vienna Concerts (1996), Spray Records 74321344392
• "British But Sexy" (1998)
• Bossa Britanica (1999), Preiser Records PR90804
• Live In Freiburg (2001), Spats Music Ltd
• Musical Genius and Sex Symbol (2004), Columbia 5152852
• Songs From A Garden Shed (2006)
• Not in Our Name (2015)

External links

• Official website
• Detailed interview at the Wayback Machine (archived May 9, 2008)
• Earl Okin: musician, Joogleberry Acts
• "Earl Okin", Comedy Corner