Jerome Sabbagh: Heart—Analog Tone Factory/AAA 180g Vinyl [2024]

The official release date for Heart is August 30, 2024.

Heart is the latest recording from New York-based, Parisian tenor phenom Jerome Sabbagh. And the first to be released on his label, Analog Tone Factory. As you can probably tell by the audiophile-approved company name, Sabbagh’s recordings are all-analog, (recorded, mastered and cut). On Heart, James Farber recorded the players’ live with no overdubs or edits and Bernie Grundman mastered and cut the lacquer using his all-tube system.

Heart differs from Sabbagh’s previous two recordings in that only two sidemen are used, bass and drums. Coltrane uses this instrumentation on Side 1 of Lush Life. Others have used it, too. It's not my favourite setting since I’m all about harmony and changes. But I put all prejudices aside and lowered the stylus.

No surprise to say that Sabbagh succeeds where others have fallen. Heart is a very special album, supremely musical with exceptional playing from the three musicians (with Joe Martin, bass and Al Foster, drums). The session does not lag for one second—sure using the great Kenny Barron, piano on Sabbagh’s last album, Vintage, was a masterstroke. It helped produce a superior, Audiophilia Dream List album. But as Sabbagh’s playing and improvisation have improved over the years, it goes to a special place in Heart. Sabbagh‘s playing is quietly virtuosic, equal to Joshua Redman and other modern star players.

Jerome Sabbagh

[Side A]

1. Prelude to a Kiss (D. Ellington) 3:06

2. ESP (W. Shorter) 6:03

3. Heart (J. Sabbagh) 5:06

4. Gone with the Wind (A. Wrubel & H. Magidson) 5:16

[Side B]

1. Right the First Time (J. Sabbagh, J. Martin, A. Foster) 3:14

2. When Lights are Low (B. Carter) 6:25

3. Lead the Way (J. Sabbagh, J. Martin, A. Foster) 3:56

4. Body and Soul (J. Green & E. Heyman, R. Sour, F. Eyton) 5:47

Total Time: 38:56

Jerome Sabbagh (Tenor Saxophone),

Joe Martin (Bass),

Al Foster (Drums)

You’ll get the gist from the first three tracks. Ellington’s “Prelude to a Kiss” begins quietly, with a slow tempo, beautiful phrasing, a great bass line and gamelan-inspired cymbal and floor tom work.

Following is Wayne Shorter’s “ESP” played for all it’s worth by the trio. The up-tempo number features outstanding improvised solos worthy of Shorter. And when Sabbagh jumps to double time, the bass and drums add an enormous amount of style and energy (and completely in sync).

Brilliant improvisations fill each track and both Joe Martin on bass and Al Foster get their chances to shine. And Sabbagh adds his chart, “Heart”, a wistful tune played with a cool groove from bass and drums.

He opens the B side with another original, “Right the First Time”, a modern jazz, spiky gem with free-form styling from all three players. Audiophiles will return to the opening many times for the amount of musical information available from Sabbagh’s myriad of articulations and tonal variety. The recording misses nothing including the very interesting sounds from the co-writers, Joe Martin and Al Foster.

We are straight back into gentle swing with Benny Carter’s “When the Lights Are Low” which, like the rest of the tracks, highlights an almost perfect jazz trio playing.

The recording is superb. Dynamic, beautiful with incredibly lifelike timbral cues from all three instruments.

Sabbagh is definitely stage left with drums right, and bass slightly inside the drums. Not Van Gelder spread, but a jazz recording imaged the way I like them.

Sabbagh has produced three straight vinyl hits, whatever that means in jazz. But as a musician, I’m hearing constant musical growth both technically and musically.

Heart covers a lot of musical ground, much of it new to Sabbagh’s locker. He keeps pushing his boundaries and very successfully. Very highly recommended.

Available from Analog Tone Factory [no financial affiliation]. We reviewed a provided press copy.

Production Credits

Recorded by James Farber at Power Station C, New York, live to 1/2 inch two-track analog tape on a custom tube Ampex 351 at 30 ips (June 12-13, 2022).

Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood.
Assistant Engineers: Pete Rende, Aki Nishimura, Ben Miller

Vinyl Pressed by Gotta Groove Records.
Master lacquer cut by Bernie Grundman directly from the analog tape, using an all-tube system.

Produced by Jerome Sabbagh & Pete Rende.
Executive Producer: Stenheim, darTZeel

Graphic design: Element-s, Jérôme Witz
Photos by Michele Palazzo
Band Photo by Pete Rende