James' professional journey began at age 20, when he took a cosmic leap, teaching British Literature at a private school in London. Homerically returning stateside, he decided he didn't want to grade papers, so he moved to LA and became a waiter instead. Back in his hometown of Chicago he applied for a gig at the Chicago Recording Company (having fudged just a bit on a resume--stating he 'worked for' the top three LA studios, when in fact he had never set foot in a recording studio).

He nearly got fired-repeatedly-but quickly rose through the ranks to become the top jazz recording engineer in the city for two decades (that would be 80s and 90). Village Voice named two albums he recorded in the 1980s among the Top 50 Jazz Albums of the Decade.

Concurrent with recording legendary Chicago jazz artists, Cogan was hired to teach audio at Columbia College Chicago. In three years, he became full time faculty in the Audio Arts Department.

A book on the legendary recording studios of America, Temples of Sound (Chronicle Books, 2003) followed. Boasting a forward by Quincy Jones, Temples became an instant classic. Fans include Paul McCartney, Alicia Keys, Paul Shaffer (Late Night With David Letterman) Kanye West, Faith Hill and many more.

In the early aughts, Cogan changed course. He became, almost by accident, a Yogi. Garnering certification and experience, he opened the doors to his very own yoga studio, The Yoga Shop, in 2012, despite having zero experience as a brick-and-mortar business owner. At the same time, he obtained his Masters' Degree in Health and Wellness from DePaul University.

Cogan is now poised to go further and higher, finally realizing his dharma. His first solo book, Rampant Douchebaggery, The Death of the American Gent, will be released Spring of 2024. Twenty-two essays fill out an incendiary book that teems with uncomfortable topics, like the pornification of America; "wokeness" (ugh); the 'Hunger Games with Emojis' culture of Online Dating; and the frightening rise of the Manosphere.

James is available for your next intriguing Podcast, Workshop or Speaking engagement.

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