Bakersfield recording engineer hitting high notes with Aum Studio in downtown B-town

Feb. 12—He's a 38-year-old Bakersfield native, husband, father of four girls, musician and audio engineer.

Brian Boozer is also the owner of Aum Studio Productions, a cozy yet busy (and growing busier) recording studio in downtown Bakersfield.

In a world where the ready availability of do-it-yourself recording software has made home studios ever more popular, one might wonder whether operating another commercial recording studio in a city like Bakersfield is a feasible option.

Let's put it this way: Last year was Aum's busiest year so far, so crazy-busy that Boozer felt like he was crawling toward the finish line in December.

"We only had two bookable days last year that weren't filled," he said. "Every other bookable day was completely filled for the entire year.

"I'm happy to say the studio is now flourishing. We're as busy as we can possibly handle."

In the meantime, Aum has been capturing the attention of bigger-name, major-label artists.

"I would say 85 percent of my clientele are local to Bakersfield, but we're starting to see more and more clients either drive up from L.A. or down from the Fresno area," Boozer said.

Singer-songwriter Alice Howe, a Boston native who now lives in Los Angeles, is thrilled by what she's experienced as a recording artist at Aum. She recorded her first full-length album there in 2019 — and while her second modern folk album was recorded at the legendary Fame Studio in Muscle Shoals, Ala., she and her record producer-collaborator and bassist, Freebo, decided they wanted the record mixed at Aum in Bakersfield.

It's due for release later this year.

"It's not a home studio," Howe said of Aum. "But it's beginning to feel like home."

Howe recalled preparing for a session at Aum and having friends and fans asking — or assuming — the sessions would take place in Los Angeles.

"I said, 'Nope, I'm going to Bakersfield!'" she recalled, laughing.

Freebo's praise of Boozer's work ethic, his "musician's ear" and his diplomatic yet confident approach to artists in the studio, seemed to be in the same key as Howe's.

The multi-instrumentalist, composer, recording artist, singer and producer may be best known for his work with the great Bonnie Raitt. But Freebo played bass on Maria Muldaur's 1973 hit, "Midnight at the Oasis," and has worked with the likes of bluesman John Mayall, Ringo Starr, Crosby Stills & Nash and several others.

"As far as I'm concerned, Brian is as good as anyone I've worked with," Freebo said of the young engineer.

With props like that, maybe it's not surprising that Aum is quickly becoming one of the hottest studios in the Central Valley.

"I feel as if we've been lucky enough to work with just about every single band and musician in town over the past few years," Boozer said. And it has been really exciting to see some big names stop by, as well.

"Most notably, I've been able to work with Disney, Florida Georgia Line, Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Gregory Porter, rock 'n' roll legend George Thorogood, Sting, the Zac Brown Band, Patty LaBell, Don Was, Larry Kelin, Freebo ..."

The list is long and getting longer.

"It's exciting to see my name in the credits on some of these amazing albums and films, a few of which are sure to be Grammy-hopefuls next year," he said.

Bakersfield-based singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer Monty Byrom, known for the success of his band Big House, his collaboration with Eddie Money and myriad other projects, has been working closely with Boozer for the past couple of years.

"I've practically been living here for the past year," Byrom said during a recording session at Aum last month.

"It's simple. Brian is really good at what he does," Byrom said.

Echoing Freebo, he said Aum is as good as any studio he has recorded in, including facilities in Nashville, Austin and Los Angeles.

But the reasons for Aum's rise remain complex and multi-faceted.

Boozer's personality is a big part of it, say those who know him. There's a drive to be the best, but there's also a gentleness in him that makes the creative process feel less threatening, less like you're walking on the razor's edge.

"We had an amazing experience at Aum," Howe said. "We love Brian so much we invited him to join us at Fame."

The studio in Alabama is nothing short of legendary, having recorded such artists as Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Otis Redding and a wealth of others.

For Boozer, it was like traveling back in time.

At the Aum session last month, there was a knock at the door during a break in the action. The elderly man at the door was a homeless person Boozer had spoken with before.

Despite his busy morning, Boozer didn't shoo the man away, but rather communicated with him for close to 15 minutes, maintaining the man's self-esteem, even as he waited for the chance to get back to work.

"He used to be a regular around here," Boozer told the musicians after he said his goodbyes and shut the door.

"He's a real sweet dude," he said of the man. "But that's the predicament I'm in."

Indeed, Boozer loves his downtown location, but he has struggled with the changes the district has experienced, like so many other businesses in the area.

Ironically, Boozer's caring, gentle approach may be one of the secrets to his success.

Artists walk a tightrope when they create. They take risks. It's part of the process. But Boozer's technical prowess, his musician's ear, his ability to communicate, even through creative disagreements, make the process more joyful and less stressful.

As a producer, Freebo said he works with Howe and Boozer as a team.

"We put our heads together to come up with the best way to support the vocals," he said.

And if all the elements come together, the end-product may be beautiful, even profound.

And it's all happening at a little studio in Bakersfield.

Reporter Steven Mayer can be reached at 661-395-7353. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: @semayerTBC.