You really have to hear this: Jerome Sabbagh’s ‘Heart’ from Analog Tone Factory

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Posted on March 7, 2025by Dave Denyer

Last summer I stumbled across an emerging New York-based tape label, Analog Tone Factory, run by saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh. Having checked it out and penned a brief introductory blog on what I discovered, a couple of months later I ordered one of their tapes, Vintage, and wrote a review. The review was glowing and the tape has had considerable play ever since.

So, it was with real anticipation that I waited for Sabbagh’s follow-up release Heart.

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A tough act to follow

Jerome Sabbagh’s Vintage

If you didn’t catch the earlier blogs, the albums in question are contemporary jazz. I like to think of myself as a dabbling jazz fan, but most of my jazz collection is pretty mainstream: Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and so on. But then Sabbagh’s Vintage came to my attention when it was showcased by audiophile heavyweights such as Michael Fremer, who gave the album an unbelievable score of 10/10 for the music and 11/10 for the sound! Clearly this was something I needed to check out.

When I later spoke with Jerome Sabbagh, what I found were some much higher-than-normal audiophile credentials. Over the course of a few conversations, I discovered that he’s passionate about championing a true vintage purist analogue approach – and the proof of the pudding was in Vintage. From the album’s original recording to the pressed LP, everything seemed to be done impeccably; the studio set-up with a live recording situation with everyone in the same room, the use of vintage microphones, amplifiers, desk, tape recorders; every detail was considered and only the best approach was employed. Once on tape, it didn’t stop there. Mastering and cutting was done by none other than Bernie Grundman, and the LPs were pressed at Gotta Groove, a pressing plant that was new to me, but the results seem impressive.

Anyway, above and beyond all this, in addition to the superb (and I really do mean superb) vinyl pressings, Vintage was also available on copy master tape – which was in another league still.

So, can he top that, or at least match it?

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Next up: Heart

‘Heart’ tape box

A short while ago, my next acquisition from Analog Tone Factory, Heart – Jerome Sabbagh’s latest album – was delivered. For comparison purposes, I opted for two formats: vinyl and tape.

Now, before I dive in, one more quick word about Vintage (bear with me, since this is an important detail…). Vintage was recorded during the pandemic lockdowns, which dictated several key aspects of its recording and production. For example, while Sabbagh prefers to record live to two-track – a process in which not only the whole band plays live, but the mixing is also done live at the same time, in this case because of the lockdown situation, Sabbagh’s usual engineer of choice, James Farber, wasn’t available. The recording was therefore made to a Studer 24-track 2” tape machine and then mixed through a Neve desk to 1/2” tape in order to get the final mix.

For Heart the band set up in the studio and played the whole set together live, as for Vintage. However this time, instead of going to 24-track tape, the mix was done ‘live’ with the stereo output of the desk being recorded straight to two-track tape. This not only saves a tape generation, but also halves the signal’s journey through the mixing desk, thus halving any colouration effects from the desk. In practice, this is the absolute purest way to record. There also were no edits or overdubs of any kind. Do the results justify the effort? Read on!

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The line-up​

Joining saxophonist Sabbagh on Heart is his regular bass player Joe Martin (who also played on Vintage) and drum legend Al Foster (who has played and recorded with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock and Joe Henderson – and many more!)

So what we have here are three top flight musicians, setting up to play live in a great acoustic, ready to be recorded using the cream of vintage microphones, mixing desk and tape recorders by engineer James Farber – and then for this stunning recording to be mastered by Bernie Grundman for release on tape or true ‘AAA’ vinyl. Let’s get to it!

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The process

I was lucky enough to be able to have another chat with Jerome, in order to drill down into the details of his recording and production processes. Here’s a summary of the key points.

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DD: Can you confirm that the workflow is purely microphones to desk to 1/2” 30ips tape?

JS: Yes. The mixing was done live, which saves one step. Often, if you wanted to stay on tape, you’d record to 2-inch multitrack tape, then mix to 1/2” 30ips tape, which is what we did for Vintage. Recording live to two track tape saves one step, as you record directly to the 1/2” 30ips tape. Also, the machine we recorded to, a custom tube Ampex 351 that was modified in several ways and made to work with ½-inch tape and 30ips, is particularly good sounding. We compared it to the studio’s Studer A827, which also sounded very good, and we preferred the Ampex. It was more natural, more faithful to the sound of the band, and more engaging.

Vinyl back cover notes

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DD: Was this same tape used to compile the ‘master’ and was the vinyl cut directly from this same tape?

JS: Yes. We actually assembled the tape elsewhere, meaning we cut the tunes out from the reels they were recorded on, to put them together on larger reels that could then be used by Bernie to cut the record as side A and side B. As a note, this was just assembly, as there are no edits on this record. So the tape was not copied. What you’re hearing on the vinyl is cut directly from the tape that we recorded on. There was no production master (ie. no copy of the tape). That’s one reason why it sounds so good!

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DD: Is the tape copy taken from this same 30ips tape, or from the ‘master’ created by Bernie?

JS: The tape copy you have was taken from the exact same tape. It was shipped from Bernie to Jason Smith, who made the tape copy, once Bernie was done. It’s pretty rare that you get tape copies made directly from the master, but that’s the case here, and that’s what we do for all our tape copies at Analog Tone Factory. Jason is able to run several at the same time.

In addition, since there’s no EQ on the record – Bernie ran it as a straight transfer, and so did Jason Smith – what you’re hearing is the difference in medium, and the difference in playback machine and playback chain. Bernie plays the tape back on a custom Studer with custom tube tape electronics. Jason played the tape on a Sony APR-5002 bypassing the stock electronics and going through a Doshi Audio tube tape preamp. Link for reel to reel taper here

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DD: What were the mics used to record?

Mics & Foster on drums

JS: A vintage Telefunken 251 on the saxophone, half of a vintage AKG C24 (a stereo microphone) on the bass, blended with a vintage RCA 77 ribbon microphone. Several mics on the drums, but mainly a pair of modern Schoeps as overheads. The room mic was an AEA R88 stereo ribbon microphone, but we didn’t use much of it. Mic preamps were all Neve 1073 clones.

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DD: Where was the vinyl pressed?

JS: The vinyl was pressed at Gotta Groove, as for Vintage. I’ve been working with them and aiming for best pressing quality and they’ve been great to work with. They’re also going to press our next two projects: a record by saxophonist Chris Cheek with Bill Frisell, Tony Scherr and Rudy Royston called Keepers of the Eastern Door, to be released in May, and my new record, an album of my original compositions, with Ben Monder, Joe Martin and Nasheet Waits, to be released in the Fall. These will also be available on tape. Like Heart, both of these albums were recorded live to two-track at Power Station C, by James Farber.

 

 

On which note, I’d like to add that James is an incredible engineer and one of the main reasons the album sounds the way it does! Most of what you hear is really the sound of us playing in the same room, with a great engineer capturing the sound. Mastering and cutting in this situation is about not losing quality after that, and making the music translate as best as possible to whatever medium we’re using. Bernie Grundman is, of course, absolutely world class at that.

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And finally – the listening

Are you sitting comfortably? Okay, let’s line it up and go track by track…

Foster in the groove on drums & percussion

Prelude to a Kiss (Duke Ellington)

On this slow, calm and achingly pensive track, the first thing that strikes you is the utterly holographic soundstage. It’s spookily precise. To some degree it reminds me of Patricia Barber’s Café Blue album. It’s so stunningly ‘etched’ but in a way that’s natural sounding – this is living, breathing organic jazz (as opposed to the manufactured ‘pyrotechnics’ of some so-called audiophile demo type recordings). What’s more, this is truly AAA and oh boy you can tell. The cymbals, drums and assorted percussion are viscerally solid, real and in-the-room present. What a start!

ESP (Wayne Shorter)

Martin enjoying himself on bass

The sax (hard left) is at first resinous, warm and filled with light. Then suddenly it’s searching, but gently so. The bass (centre rear) is full and detailed, shapely, without a hint of woolly fatness. The balance between the sax and percussion is perfectly judged, while the bass sits dead centre, providing the field on which the jousting pair play. The track itself often wanders close to what I’d call (rightly or wrongly) free jazz, which is not something I usually find particularly palatable, and yet here I feel like I’m being both pushed and educated. Once again, the space is holographic, but not remotely clinical or cold. It’s warm and the air is palpable and nurturing.  By the end of track 2, I’m a confirmed fan of recording engineer James Farber. From here on, I’ll look out for anything he’s worked on. The only other recording that comes to mind with this natural yet holographically chiselled soundstage is Louis Armstrong’s Satchmo Plays King Oliver, an LP recorded way back in 1960, but one that stands as testament to what’s actually possible from stereo.

Heart (Jerome Sabbagh)

The tape on my Studer

This Sabbagh composition opens with a beautifully soft and mellow sax meandering on the left of the stage, while the bass boogies softly behind and the drums shuffle along in contrast on the right. What ought be mentioned is the expression of the sax: when Sabbagh blows hard, his sound expands to fill the room, detailing and describing the studio’s dimensions and how the trio sit within. Yet there’s not the faintest hint of harshness, the sax sounds utterly beautiful and you can hear every tiniest expression and breath as Sabbagh plays. Similarly, each individual note of the bass is clearly delineated, not clipped or hard, and with all the texture, swing and rhythm you could wish for. And man, those drums! To hear this master playing so utterly vividly, honestly Foster could be sitting there right there in your room. Staggeringly real.

Gone with the Wind (Allie Wrubel & Herb Magidson)

I love this pic of Foster!

This track feels soft and joyful – and it really swings.  Again we’re presented with a laid-back pensive sax, a gently swinging bass line and drums like you’ve honestly never heard. The way those cymbals shimmer and ring reminds me of why we never abandoned – and never should abandon – analogue. There’s nothing that shimmers like this in the digital realm

Right the First Time (Jerome Sabbagh, Joe Martin, Al Foster)

Side two / tape 2 opens with a searching, tentative saxophone followed in time by the bass and drums, each adding layers to the scene. The track kind of reminds me of a thriller movie soundtrack. It’s very cinematographic and to my ears edges towards free jazz – which as I said earlier isn’t usually my bag but here it’s captivating and it draws me in. The sounds made by each instrument – in space, in the studio – are staggering. Mind-blowing.

When the Lights are Low (Benny Carter)

A wonderful swaggeringly cool groove from the sax is echoed by the bass and the drums, providing a delicate and precisely-timed structure within which this composition unfolds. It reminds me of a Pink Panther cartoon – playful and slightly sinister way, a bit tongue-in-cheek. The groove is in a similar vein to Mingus’ Fables of Faubus. The timbres of the sax, the bass and each and every drum are stunningly superb.

Lead The Way (Jerome Sabbagh, Joe Martin, Al Foster)

The drums open hard right with a swinging afro-style beat, joined (from the dead centre) by the bass which brings a swaggering, swinging, latin-esque feel to the party before, finally, on the left, the saxophone joins in with a kinda middle-eastern feel. The whole is hypnotic, mystical, captivating. The kick-drum weight is exceptional. This is the second band (Sabbagh / Martin / Foster) improvisation on this album and both of them absolutely live up to the classic standards. The whole album flows beautifully, in fact, as each song unfurls and blossoms into its own space and moment.

Body and Soul (Johnny Green, Edward Hayman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton)

Wrapping up the album is this slow, smoky drawl. The sax feels almost sleepy, the bass tuneful (exceptionally so, as on all tracks on this album) and the drums once again shimmer with a startlingly vivid yet shimmeringly soft and subtle realism. A gorgeous finish to an outstanding album.

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Final words (and these may surprise you!)

Listening on vinyl

Everything that you just read above was written BEFORE I listened to the master tape copy!! Yep, folks, these are my listening notes from the vinyl LP – it’s THAT good. In fact, I suspect it’s one of the best sounding LPs I’ve ever heard. Whether my memory serves me correctly or not, this is without doubt a masterclass and a masterpiece.

I’m not sure if I can recall hearing a band quite so vividly, showcasing three superbly skilled instrumentalists, right here in my living room. Though I question whether ‘vivid’ is an appropriate descriptor. This album seems to take ‘audiophile’ recording to a whole new level, albeit one that was first introduced way back in 1960 with the aforementioned Satchmo Plays King Oliver. This doesn’t feel ‘produced’, it feels more like something born naturally that’s grown to become what it is: a living, breathing record of a musical happening.

At just $40 the vinyl release of Heart is an absolute no-brainer. Even those of you who aren’t into jazz ought to check this out, not just for its wonderful sound quality but for what it could do to your mental health: the perfect panacea for the anxious audio upgrader, a bit of peace!

Listening on my Studer deck

As for the tape – well I found myself thinking that if the vinyl LP sounds this good, is there any need for the tape and can the considerable extra expense be justified? (Yeah, you read that right – me, mister tape-junkie who spends his life (and life savings!) insisting that ‘nothing comes close to tape’!!).

Don’t worry folks, that tape is still (of course, what did you expect!) an upgrade and a half. It’s more vivid (though that’s still not quite the right word). Right from the first notes you’re aware that you can hear the echo of each and every single note on the other side of the room, and the timbre is even more explicitly realised. The dynamism is let 150% free, in no way curtailed.

As each song progresses on tape, the enhanced dynamic range and the utter rock-solid stability of the music is obvious. While the vinyl LP remains one of the absolute best, the tape is noticeably better, very clearly so. The bass has more weight and depth, everything is more real, more visceral, more reach out and touchable. There’s no way it makes the LP sound ‘second best’ as such, and if you never heard the tape you could quite justifiably think the LP was pretty much perfect (which, for an LP, it absolutely IS virtually). But the tape betters it.

Look, I know this is a tape blog, but if you happen to find yourself here as a general audiophile and aren’t in the market for tape (or you are, but you’re running out of funds and need to rein your spending in!), then this recording is going to blow you away in any format. Two words: hear it. If you can stretch to the tape (or find a friend who has one), then hear that. Either way, find a way. This is jaw-on-floor territory folks, and no matter how lyrical I manage to wax, my words can’t do justice to the experience. You have to hear this for yourself. Seriously, do it! And invite all your friends over – this is an experience you’ll want to share.

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There also a streaming link at https://orcd.co/streamheart