El 6 de enero de 2013 Barry Altschul cumplió 70 años. Coincidiendo con dicho aniversario, se publica The 3Dom Factor en el sello finlandés TUM Records.
En primer lugar hay que señalar a los compañeros del baterista en este trío, dos músicos pertenecientes a dos generaciones distintas. Joe Fonda (integrante del mítico cuarteto de Anthony Braxton en los 80) al contrabajo, y el saxofonista Jon Irabagon (integrante de Mostly Other People Do The Killing). Dos músicos que van más allá de ser unos invitados de postín para esta grabación. Altschul, Fonda e Irabagon habían tocado en directo poco antes de la grabación del CD. El baterista no perdió la oportunidad de grabar con ellos.
En segundo lugar el repertorio es muy peculiar. Como alternativa a publicar un disco recopilatorio, The 3Dom Factor sirve para que Barry Altschul retome composiciones de toda su carrera junto a temas recientes. Las únicas excepciones son la improvisación a batería sola “A Drummer’s Song” (magnífico broche final para el disco), y una espectacular versión de “Ictus” de Carla Bley: una composición que aunque ajena, era un tema habitual en el repertorio del Paul Bley Trio durante la estancia de Altschul como integrante de este grupo.
Inquieto baterista, The 3Dom Factor muestra multitud de facetas. La simplicidad de la balada “Just A Simple Song” (cuyo título, en efecto, es toda una declaración de intenciones). La inspiración monkiana de “Be Out S’Cool”. La inspiración en la música de Mali de “Oops”. Los ritmos funkies de “Papa’s Funkish Dance” (relectura de “For Papa Jo, Klook and Philly Too”). La exigente escritura post-bop de “The 3Dom Factor”. La belleza de la balada “Irina”. El dinamismo de “Martin’s Stew” (dedicado al baterista Stu Martin).
Los tres músicos están en un nivel excelente, tanto en el trabajo individual como en el conjunto. No obstante, es Joe Fonda quien sobresale de entre los tres, tanto por su labor como acompañante, como especialmente por los grandes solos que protagoniza.
The 3 Dom Factor resulta ser todo un acierto como celebración de tan significado aniversario. - Pachi Tapiz / tomajazz.com
3Dom Factor starts with a big slide down a bass string, a couple clashes of percussion, and then the sax kicks in with an infectiously upbeat theme. The strong syncopations and vivacious melody are the work of free jazz drum legend Barry Altschul on his first outing as a leader in a long while.
The song, 'The 3Dom Factor' quickly leaves the composed head behind and ventures outwards. The melody is never lost though as snippets re-emerge and the pulse stays strong and engaging, showcasing the musicianship involved. Saxophonist Jon Irabagon, whose own 2010 recording with Altschul, Foxy, was a highlight of the year, lends his considerable talent here too, as does the excellent bassist Joe Fonda.
While the first two songs are upbeat, 'Irina', previously recorded in 1983 with John Surman and Enrico Rava on an album of the same name, is given a forlorn treatment, its melody melancholic and rhythm understated. The percussionist's statements and accents are as important as Irabagon's melodies and Fonda's solo is melodic and stately. I'm not a fan of the occasional accents from the small percussion handhelds and chimes in some of the tunes, but that is really a minor quibble. Altschul's playing is direct, driving and sets a new expectation of how percussionist can interact with the players mediating between pulse, melody and texture. I cannot get the driving tempo and short but effective drum solo in Carla Bley's 'Ictus' out of my head.
Altschul's CV is replete with seminal groups, from his work with Circle in the early 1970s to his association with Sam Rivers and Dave Holland over the course of many years (the recently released Reunion: Live in New York stands as recent testimony to that group's importance) to his own albums as leader. After a self described slow down in activity (See Harris Eisentstad's interview in Destination Out) it seems that Altschul is quite active again, and 3Dom Factor is a joyful statement and a nice entry in his discography. - Paul Acquaro
Barry Altschul's 3Dom Factor closed out the 2016 Krakow Jazz Autumn in fine style with this set. Recorded at the fabled Alchemia Club in the city's Jewish ghetto, the drummer leads his tightly knit combo through four originals and a Monk cover. It's a familiar program, as three of the pieces have been in Altschul's band book since the 1980s and all have appeared somewhere on the outfit's first two dates: The 3Dom Factor (TUM Records, 2013) and Tales Of The Unforeseen (TUM Records, 2015). But in the concert setting the group makes the most of the opportunity to stretch out and strut their stuff.
Over the four years since their inception, The 3Dom Factor has grown into a real unit, knowing who's capable of what, when and how. It helps that Altschul and bassist Joe Fonda previously worked together in FAB with the late lamented violinist Billy Bang for over five years from 2003. Both share a similar approach in terms of creating structure on the fly, as well as possessing an irrepressible sense of swing. A strong affinity has also developed with the third member of the trio, saxophonist Jon Irabagon. Altschul was part of the reedman's trio which cut Foxy (Hot Cup, 2010) and It Takes All Kinds (Irabbagast, 2013) confirming a mutual trust.
It's apparent right from the start that Altschul remains one of the most musical of drummers, as well as being a master of propulsive thrust. His solo introduction to "Martin's Stew" assembles rolls, thwacks, shakes and shuffles into a coherent whole, suffused by sensitive use of space. As the beat becomes more emphatic, Fonda leaps on it with a driving vamp, and Irabagon slots in the rapidfire free-bop theme. Thereafter the saxophonist demonstrates the almost ridiculous fluency which won him the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, as he flits seamlessly between modern mainstream and free languages.
Monk's "Ask Me Now" receives a blues twist and spiky drum outbursts which belie the rubato balladry, while Altschul's portrait of an old flame "Irina" opens into a feature for Fonda's woody elasticity and melodic sensibility before Irabagon takes the tune elsewhere with his piping vibrato-laden sopranino. Altschul and Fonda seem to rejoice in playing with time, negotiating gear shifts impeccably, like the switch into the bluesy speeded up swagger of the second part of "For Papa Joe, Klook, and Philly Too," or the alternating burning and relaxed sections of "The 3Dom Factor." Whatever the pace, Irabagon reacts instantaneously, whether echoing Fonda's slurred notes or locking into Altschul's reiterated accents. It's all done with an unselfconscious joy which brings a smile to the face. - John Sharpe
Tracks
01. The 3dom Factor
02. Martin´s Stew
03. Irina
04. Papa´s Funkish Dance
05. Be Out S´Cool
06. Oops
07. Just A Simple Song
08. Ictus (Carla Bley)
09. Natal Chart
10. A Drummer´s Song
BARRY ALTSCHUL drums
JOE FONDA bass
JON IRABAGON tenor saxophone
All music composed by Barry Altschul, except "Ictus" by Carla Bley
Recorded June 15, 2012 at the Sear Sound Studios, New York City
TUM Records - TUM CD 032 Finland
https://tumrecords.com/new-music