What Our Clients and Friends Say

Bruce Swedien (Composer, Engineer, Producer -- Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, countless other classic albums. 13-time Grammy nominee, 5-time Grammy Award Winner):
"I have known Phil O'Keefe for a number of years, and he never fails to impress me with both his technical knowledge of the art of recording, as well as his ability to put aside all the doo-doo and use his ears, heart, soul and imagination to make great sounding records.

"Phil definitely understands the concept of "Music First!"!"

Craig Anderton (Musician, Author, Music/Audio Technology Guru):
"I've known Phil O'Keefe for over two decades, and during that time, have depended on him for contributions to both EQ Magazine and Harmony Central.com. Phil always comes through - something that's crucial when deadlines have to be met - and won't let go of something until he's done the best job that can possibly be done. But more importantly, this attitude carries through to his recordings, where his savvy and attention to detail are obvious.

"Although Phil has a deep mastery of his equipment - which is the reason why I wanted him to write articles in the first place - what gives an extra dimension to everything he does is his experience. There are some things you learn only in the studio trenches, like dealing with temperamental artists or gear that suddenly decides to break down. Somehow, Phil can always manage to navigate artfully around difficult situations.

"The bottom line is that it's a pleasure to work with him, because there's never any drama or excuses - just quality results."

Jules Day (Musician):
"As an artist, I was completely at ease with Phil O'Keefe. He recognized my strengths immediately, and capitolized on them. I appreciated his ability to mic my voice with the precise quality and sound we were aiming for. Phil worked tirelessly on our project, and acheived each and every goal we had laid out. Most of all, I was able to be myself at Sound Sanctuary, and 'explore the space,' as Phil and I would joke. Since recording my debut album with Phil O'Keefe, we've gone back to his studio, knowing we'd be in great hands."

Brett Dawson (musician, winner of the "Best Classic Rock" category - 2009 IE Music Awards):
"Phil at Sound Sanctuary has brought our music to a whole new level. He’s the wizard. The best feeling is that moment when you hear your songs after Phil has worked his magic, and they sound vastly superior to how you had imagined the finished song would ever sound like. It's overwhelming. The songs and sounds definitely have the big Hollywood studio quality without the price. We shopped around all the studios in the area, and have never once regretted choosing Sound Sanctuary for our album. We’re almost done with our first full length album, and are already planning to do our next album at Sound Sanctuary as well. Oh, and also he’s a cool guy to hang with and the studio has a good vibe, no pressure, so you get the performance you want."

Zak Claxton (Musician):
"I initially only intended on using Sound Sanctuary as a place to record, along with Phil's services as an outstanding engineer. But as time went by, it became clear that Phil's abilities went way beyond setting up a mic or pushing faders around. Here's a guy who really understands music and musicians, and knows just how to set a mood for everyone to be comfortable and do their best work, which is why he ended up as the co-producer of my record. I'd recommend Phil and Sound Sanctuary to any musician in Southern California who wants to make a great recording."

Ralph Tomaselli (Musician):
"When my band 'alexa's wish' was about to record our third full-length album, we had wanted this album to sound and to be our very best! My cousin Rob had mentioned to me about a studio in Riverside called Sound Sanctuary that promised to produce an amazing sounding product. This studio is owned by Phil O'Keefe, who is an astonishing engineer, producer and musician. One real unique quality about Phil is that he has perfect pitch, and settles for nothing less than the best! He gave us so much more throughout the process as well, as his attitude, demeanor and overall personality added the best experience to our final product.

"Phil was a real pleasure to work with and became a true friend throughout.

"What I liked the most about Phil is that he would not put anything out there with his name on it without it sounding its absolute best. In fact, he had a lot of work to do with our guitar player who didn't make Phil's job easy, but by the time it was done it sounded like anything you would hear on the radio, even better. We received rave reviews in multiple magazines about the sound of our Whatever album, as well as our It's Always About You album, and owe it all to Phil's talent.

"I can't say enough about the man except that I'm so glad we met him, as he took our music to a different level. Phil is an amazing engineer who knows his studio, components and gets to know your music inside and out, because he is a part of the album himself!

"I would recommend Phil O'Keefe and Sound Sanctuary to anyone that is serious about their music and wants someone to take that same pride and instill it for all to admire and appreciate.

"I love the man for his dedication in the art and desire to give all of himself to our music!"

Dan Fitzgerald (Executive Producer):
"During my initial phone conversation with Phil, I knew in the first few minutes that I found the right studio and the right engineer. And that gut feeling was confirmed over and over again during our recording sessions. But to label Phil an 'engineer' is like referring to Beethoven as just a 'musician.' Phil proved to be capable of assisting our project on whatever level the situation demanded, but his great attitude and enthusiasm is invaluable and what I appreciate the most."

Mark Ulmer (Musician):
"Phil, I always like talking with you after all the other 'experts' out there. They pale compared to you and your offerings. Thanks for being a pro. By the way, I still like going back and listening to CrossFire do "Pride And Joy" in your studio for our demo. That one song got us a few gigs. Sounds like a bigger band than we were!"

Bob Baker (Musician):
"Our band has people in it with variable recording experience including a couple of newbies. Phil has a way of making recording and mixing a comfortable yet productive and creative experience. He has a knack to giving his opinion where needed yet still empowering us to make the project our own. His deep knowledge of digital recording never ceases to amaze me."

Dennis Galuszka (Musician, Master Builder for Fender Musical Instruments):
"Recording for me is like going to the dentist. I really hate it. When a friend asked me to come over to Phil's and record I was less than excited. He assured me that recording with Phil was like no other recording experience I have ever had and he was right on. Phil makes you feel comfortable right off the bat. Being that he is a Pro Tools and editing ninja there is no "red light" fear. His "just go in and play" approach is so refreshing I actually look foreward to recording now. Add to to that his tone to the bone and amazing musicianship and you have a record you can play with pride. And lastly, he is so friggin nice!!"

John McGill (Musician, Songwriter):
"Phil is the best engineer I've ever worked with. He knows his stuff. Phil can turn your s**t into shinola, and he does it all without an attitude. You'll get the sound you want, and you'll have fun getting it."