Luke Okerlund

My name is Luke Okerlund and I am captivated by every step of the music-making process. Guitar design and building, playing, composing, recording, producing. Each step holds a unique fascination— from the tangible creation of an instrument to the inspirations of composition to the more conceptual approach of producing.

My early encounters with the instrument involved arming myself with a ping-pong paddle “guitar”, turning up The Who’s ‘Tommy’ and windmill strumming along with Pete Townsend. It was only fitting that when I bought my first 3/4 sized acoustic, “Pinball Wizard” was the first song I wanted to learn.

My journey with the guitar started in Classic Rock and the Blues and transitioned into Jazz by the end of high school. I attended the University of Rochester as an engineering student as well as studying jazz guitar at the Eastman School of Music. There I formed and played in a wide variety of bands from tradition jazz big band and combos, to funk, rock, hip-hop, soul, and fusion. All these genres impressed bits and pieces onto my playing and helped to sculpt my style. I always enjoy melding different ideas and finding the right balance between tasteful and explosive.

Whether it’s music, guitars, or even photos and food— creating is what I love. So let’s push the boundaries and make something exceptional.