James Auwarter

Grammy Award-winning engineer James Auwarter began his journey as a musician himself, first as a trumpet player and later as guitarist/frontman in a rock band. His musical foundation was shaped at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, Ohio, through an internship at ReFraze Recording Studios, and ultimately through a degree in Recording Arts from Full Sail University.

After returning to the Midwest, James was taken under the wing of Craig Bauer at Hinge Studios, where he began building his reputation in Chicago's recording community. Over the years, "Studio James" became known for his versatility, working across rock, jazz, classical, gospel, hip hop, and everything in between.

James has worked with artists including Kanye West, Yo-Yo Ma, Kirk Franklin, Rihanna, John Legend, Mavis Staples, Jennifer Hudson, PJ Morton, and Lupe Fiasco, among many others.

James has been credited on 32 Grammy nominations, and earned his first Grammy statue in 2008 for The Clark Sisters' Live - One Last Time.

In 2016, James launched Coda Room Audio in Chicago, creating a dedicated space for recording, mixing, and mastering. In 2019, James received Arts Council England's Tier 1 "Exceptional Talent" endorsement, opening the door to a new chapter in the UK. Now based in London, he has since secured dual UK and US citizenship. His Coda Room London, a dedicated Dolby Atmos studio, came online nearly 10 years to the day after Coda Room Chicago publicly launched.

Today, James continues his work through Coda Room Audio, specializing in recording, mixing, mastering, Dolby Atmos and other immersive audio formats. He is also an educator, designing and leading the Dolby Atmos Mixing for Music course at Abbey Road Institute London, holding Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and sharing his experience through workshops and masterclasses internationally.

James remains available for projects, collaborations, and consulting. Get in touch for rates, availability, or just to say hi.

www.codaroomaudio.com