What I Do

 

Mastering

I master music across genres and eras using a combination of analog and digital gear.

I’ve worked on new music for indie guitarist Kurt Vile, reggae multi-instrumentalist Pachyman, Afro-futurist Lollise, and bluegrass icon Michael Daves. I’ve remastered historic recordings by Erroll Garner, Margo Guryan, Norma Tanega, and every release from Awesome Tapes From Africa.

Check out my select discography or my credits on muso.ai.

Restoration

I digitize analog tape, cassettes, LPs, 78s, CDs and DATs using:

  • ATR102 tape machine (1/2” and 1/4”)

  • Nakamichi & Tascam Cassette Decks

  • Technics 1200 turntable (KAB modded) with Ortofon 2M Black stylus and several 78rpm styli

  • Sony & Panasonic DAT Decks

  • Prism & Metric Halo conversion

  • ATC SCM50 Monitors

Preservation

I can help you sort through your historic audio collection, from initial consultation through inventory, preservation planning, digitization, grant writing, and partnering with institutions. Examples and inspiration:

Who I Am

Jessica Thompson is a mastering and restoration engineer, audio preservationist, and studio owner.

She has remastered, restored and revived historic recordings from the archives of Louis & Bebe Barron, Erroll Garner, Barbara Dane, Lookout Records, and the Arhoolie Foundation. She has cleaned, digitized and restored rare vinyl and cassette recordings for Awesome Tapes from Africa, Smithsonian Folkways, RVNG Intl, and Numero Group. And she has mastered new records for Kurt Vile, Joana Serrat, Pachyman, Hailu Mergia, and more.

Jessica serves on the Board of Trustees for the Recording Academy, as a member of the AES Diversity and Inclusion Committee and on the technical committee of the Association For Recorded Sound Collections.

Her work on Erroll Garner’s iconic live performance The Complete Concert By the Sea (Sony/Legacy) was nominated for Best Historical Album GRAMMY, 2015. Her restoration of Ata Kak's Obaa Sima was FACT Magazine's Reissue of the Year, 2015, and her remaster of Mickey Newbury’s seminal albums for the box set An American Trilogy (Drag City/Cargo UK) was Mojo Magazine’s Reissue of the Year, 2011.

In her previous career as a radio producer and announcer, she interviewed jazz drummer Max Roach and the organ player at Fenway Park for WGBH and spun records and CDs on the airwaves of WGBH, WFMU, WZBC and WESU.

Some press and interviews:

If you really want to know more, here’s my rarely updated blog.

What I’ve Done ~ Select Discography

 
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Contact Me

For more info about mastering, restoration, large or small-scale digitization projects, speaking or teaching engagements, or just to connect, please reach out.

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