Barry Altschul: The 3dom Factor

Barry Altschul
The 3dom Factor
TUM
2013-02-19

The 3dom Factor is the work of a drummer-led jazz trio. The final track is even a 3:22 drum solo named “A Drummer’s Song”. But with the exception of a Carla Bley cover, these are all songs from the drummer. Barry Altschul has had a long and storied career, playing with the best of the best and inking a few tunes of his own along the way.

The 3dom Factor, the release of which coincides with Altschul’s 70th birthday, is a combination of his past and present. The new tunes are brand new and the old ones get young treatment thanks to the presence of saxophonist Jon Irabagon, who plays his horn like he wants the notes to splatter on everything and everybody at all once. If mostly other people do the innovating, Altschul, Irabagon and bassist Joe Fonda keep the train going full steam ahead.

RATING 7 / 10