ALTAIR 3

As a duo featuring Alfredo G. Arcusa on drums and Isabel Muniente on keyboards and bass-synthesizer, Spanish band Altair made two albums in the Nineties: Altair from 1990 and Fantasias Y Danzas from 1999. In 2003 Italian progrock label Mellow Records released this live CD, recorded live in Barcelona (2000) after drummer Alfredo Arcusa re-founded Altair as a trio with Emilio Ruiz on keyboards and Albert Guitart on bas.

On this album simply entitled 3 (running time almost one hour) we can enjoy seven compositions delivering a modern, tasteful keyboard sound, dynamic drums and flowing bass play. The climates change from dreamy and compelling to fluent and propulsive including a varied colouring from the keyboards: flashy synthesizer flights, jazzy, swinging and swirling piano runs, fine organ waves, wonderful orchestrations and some spacy sounds. At some moments the keyboard driven progrock from Altair evokes ELP but not so obvious as on their two studio albums because the new keyboardist has more an own style and plays with more variety. Due to this Altair sounds more convincing and powerful so I would like to recommend this album to the keyboard aficionados, not really earthshaking but just a pleasant one.

A new name to me.

Altair from Spain released two album. Then took a break and reformed around the millenium. They did a Barcelona gig in 2000 and this live album is the result of that gig.

There is not much public interaction on this live album though. But the music on this album does not really call out for any public interactions too. The music dished up here is a more jazzy, eclectic version of ELP. This is sit still and listen type of music. The music is based on keyboards with the drumming also pretty central in the soundmix. There is a rumbling bass in the mix too. The sound is very good and the instruments are clear as water.

I have to admit an hour with this album or any Altair albums is not what I would call exciting. Altair has removed any soul from the music ELP did and injected technical prowesses. Altair is so skillful, but also so dull in their delivery of this music which is not the most interesting music by default either.

This is a nice album and a very desireable album if you happens to be a keyboardist yourself or you love keyboards in general. For the rest of us; an hour with this is sufficient. In my case; several hours to be able to write this review. Nice music and excellent musicianship. Enough.

3 stars