Barry Altschul was on the tail end of a pioneering generation in jazz, becoming a go-to drummer for by the end of the ‘60s for Paul Bley, Anthony Braxton and others. Now at age 80, Altschul is still in that moment, hovering in the space cleared by John Coltrane. The rhythm is propulsive through most of the latest album by his trio, The 3dom Factor, as Altschul and bassist Joe Fonda keep pushing, pounding, while saxophonist Jon Irabagon leaves the outer edges of melody behind. Long Tall Sunshine is hot and in the moment with five pieces, their composition credited to Altschul, caught live in Europe during The 3dom Factor’s 2019 tour.
