SAN GABRIEL

When James Bookert walked off the set of the last day of shooting the movie Pitch Perfect 3, he knew that he wanted more of a role as a writer/producer. Having collaborated with musicians Harvey Mason Jr, Anna Kendrick, Ester Dean, and Trinidad James, Bookert wished for a role far beyond what he could find in his then-band, Whiskey Shivers.

Having had a heavy hand in the recording, production, and arranging of Whiskey Shivers’ songs that appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Pitch Perfect 3, Bookert set out on a journey that would find him as the sole musician, engineer, and producer in his new project, San Gabriel.

Following the release of the film, when Whiskey Shivers’ European tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bookert took a job at an East Austin Liquor store to make ends meet. It was there that Bookert began writing and recording what would become his debut record Nights and Weekends.

The liquor store, nestled in a quiet East Austin neighborhood, became Bookert’s home away from home; his de facto studio. He began writing and recording during his downtime, before, after, and during shifts, as well as on Sundays when the store was closed. As long as the shelves were stocked, Bookert was able to write and record his music.

After a string of seizures and waking up in a hospital bed surrounded by his family, it was made abundantly clear how fleeting life can be. Bookert decided to leave his former band to pursue his solo music as San Gabriel

His efforts quickly caught the attention of Austin NPR affiliate Radio Station KUTX, when they named San Gabriel KUTX’s Artist of the Month in January 2022. With a newfound confidence, Bookert began recording and releasing more and more singles, all the while amassing a collection of songs.

Affectionately named after his shifts in the liquor store, San Gabriel’s debut record, “Nights and Weekends,” is a collection of synth-forward, optimistically melancholic songs, chronicling Bookert’s tackling of lost love, grief, and grappling with an uncertain future both musically and professionally.

After a chance meeting with Griff Washburn of Goth Babe at Austin City Limits, Bookert was offered a position in Goth Babe’s touring band as a keyboardist, singer, and guitarist, which he still holds.

In addition to San Gabriel, Whiskey Shivers, and Goth Babe, Bookert has also collaborated with musicians like Raissa, producers Nate Donmoyer, Odie, DJ Khalid, and Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 3). In 2024, he was selected as the winner of Hyundai’s ‘Your Journey, Your Track’ contest and was most recently awarded 2024’s PNW Music Awards’ Best Synth Pop Song for his song "Over My Shoulder."

Bookert currently resides in Ashland, OR where he assists at Syvia Massy’s recording studio, The Oddio Shop.