Jerome Sabbagh Vintage

In 1988, the then 15-year-old saxophone student Jérôme Sabbagh had the pleasure of being a spectator at a Stan Getz concert in Paris. On stage: jazz pianist Kenny Barron. Deeply impressed by the interplay of these two masters, the concert had a lasting influence on Sabbagh's musical development and career. 32 years later, the saxophonist has now made his dream come true – his own recording with Barron on piano. The result is the album "Vintage", a tribute to the "good old" jazz heroes, as the Frenchman is a friend of traditional, straightforward jazz. The quartet is greatly complemented by Joe Martin on bass and Barron's regular drummer Jonathan Blake.
At the beginning there is an original composition by Sabbagh, the melodic title song "Vintage", which forms a successful prelude with a Latin-peppered finale and fiery saxophone and piano improvisations. Other tracks that show his flair for harmonious compositions are "Slay The Giant" and the cheerful, Brazilian-inspired "Elson's Energy". With Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lonesome Thing" and Monk's "Ask Me Now", the listener can expect two wonderful ballads played in duo, while Tadd Dameron's "On a Misty Night" (a joint favorite of Sabbagh and Barron) flows incredibly casually and brings a magnificent piano solo. Another Monk track is the groovy "We See".
The recordings took place in 2020 at Oktaven Audio on analog multitrack tape by Ryan Streber, the mixing by Pete Rende on an Ampex 351 tube tape recorder on 1/2-inch tape. The remastering was done by legend Bernie Grundman.
This unique, informal encounter shows how beautifully music can flow - "Vintage" invites you to enjoy.

Musicians:

• Kenny Barron, piano
• Joe Martin, bass
• Jerome Sabbagh, tenor
• Johnathan Blake, drums

Selections:

Side A
1. Vintage
2. On a Misty Night
3. A Flower is a Lovesome Thing
Side B
1. Elson's Energy
2. Slay the Giant
3. We See
4. Ask Me Now