Cruel but Fair

by Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Keith Tippett & Joe Gallivan

Cruel but Fair cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: April 1977
  • Label: Compendium
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 41:32
  • Community rating: 3.86/5 from 4 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Cruel but Fair' captures a dynamic meeting of prominent figures from the British jazz and Canterbury scenes alongside American drummer Joe Gallivan. Recorded in London, the session highlights highly improvisational interplay and avant-garde sensibilities. The collective pushes the boundaries of conventional fusion, emphasizing spontaneous composition over rigid structures.

Genres

Descriptors: Fusion, avant-garde, instrumental, complex, dissonant

Tracklist

  1. Seven Drones (8:30)
  2. Jannakota (4:36)
  3. Echoes (8:43)
  4. Square Enough Fire (9:23)
  5. Rocky Recluse (2:24)
  6. Bjorn Free (2:18)
  7. Soul Fate (5:38)

Credits

  • Hugh Hopper - primary artist, bass, written-by
  • Elton Dean - primary artist, alto saxophone, saxello, written-by
  • Keith Tippett - primary artist, piano, written-by
  • Joe Gallivan - primary artist, drums, percussion, synthesizer, written-by

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