Producer Quentin Allen aka Karu is from Cleveland, Ohio. He fell in love with jazz, fusion, real hip-hop, classical and electronic music at 5 years old. When other kids were playing outside, Quentin would spend hours taping jazz and fusion off college radio shows.

Kraftwerk's release of "Trans Europe Express" and "Man Machine" began Quentin's fascination with electronic music. He has also been down wit...

Producer Quentin Allen aka Karu is from Cleveland, Ohio. He fell in love with jazz, fusion, real hip-hop, classical and electronic music at 5 years old. When other kids were playing outside, Quentin would spend hours taping jazz and fusion off college radio shows.

Kraftwerk's release of "Trans Europe Express" and "Man Machine" began Quentin's fascination with electronic music. He has also been down with hip-hop since "Rappers Delight". In 1979, a show called Clubstyle on 107.9 WDMT came on at 8:00pm every Saturday - every week the hottest DJ in the area would spin hip-hop, underground disco (the early stages of house) and electro break dance music. When the tracks "Pac Jam" and "Numbers" came out, Quentin was only 10. That same year, he discovered Chic Corea & Pat Metheny. Quentin loved all these styles of music and in 1984 this started his quest for learning how to lay down electro and hip-hop beats blended with jazz/fusion overtones.

After taking a trip to New York in 1988, where he heard an abundance of house on the radio and in stores, Quentin was amazed with the house sound. He began seeking it and listening to it on college radio. When he left for college in 1990, he met some friends from New York, Chicago and London who were all crazy about house and Detroit techno. Quentin was introduced to many authentic mix tapes from New York and Chicago. He started playing with making house, trip-hop and jungle.

In 2000, he sent out his house demos and his first 12" was "The Feel" by Karu on Dadhouse UK and "Celestial Voyage" on Silver Network FR.

The Karu sound is deep, funky, jazzy, with a slight tech feel. He also has records on Smooth Agent, Winding Road, Little Angel, Deepermotions and has done a host of high profile remixes.