Cruel Yet Fair
Add this album to your collection. The Hard Rubber Orchestra's first CD. All compositions by John Korsrud
"...John Korsrud's Hard Rubber Orchestra is a juggernaut. On Cruel Yet Fair, the 22-piece ensemble rips through Korsrud's erudite compositions, kicking up a dust storm of ideas that linger long after the disc is over. As a composer, Korsrud gives minimalism's interlocking figures and repeating motives big band brawn and palpable propulsion, while grafting material from funk, Latin and rock sources. He makes very arcane concepts swing hard... Incredibly, Cruel Yet Fair is Hard Rubber Orchestra's first recording; there hasn't been as impressive a debut by a composer and his orchestra in years."
- Bill Shoemaker, JazzTimes
"...a frenetic, rhythmically exciting big band tour de force. ...the whole recording has polish and flash."
- Walter Horn, Cadence
"...daunting, high-strung pieces full of surging rhythms, dissonant brasses, can't breathe effects, hot-wired, post-Hendrix guitar solos and fright-night crescendos. None of this gives his musicians any problems whatsoever; the level of skill and discipline of all the players on this debut CD is remarkable."
- Mark Miller, Globe & Mail
"Cruel Yet Fair is certainly not for the faint-hearted nor for those whose ears are immovably rooted in mainstream music. The CD combines New Music, groove rhythms, and high level improvisation into a high art musical presentation."
- Laurence Svirchev, 5/4 Magazine
1) Cruel Yet Fair (7:49)
2) #4 (0:15)
3) Scratching the Surface (7:00)
4) Duo (4:17)
5) Speck (5:14)
6) Iguana (6:33)
7) Fun for the Whole Family (2:57)
8) Danse Russe (12:17)
9) Irk (3:59)
TOTAL: 51:16
HARD RUBBER ORCHESTRA
Dave Robbins - Drums (1,3,6)
Stan Taylor - Drums (7,8,9)
Jack Duncan - Percussion
Brent Gubbels - Acoustic, electric bass
Ron Samworth - Guitar
Adrienne Park - Piano (1, 2)
Peggy Lee - Cello (4)
Sheila McDonald - Violin
Ross Gregory - Trumpet
Henry Christian - Trumpet
Brad Turner - Trumpet (1,3,6)
Bill Clark - Trumpet (7,8,9)
Dennis Esson - Trombone
Rob McKenzie - Trombone
Rod Murray - Trombone
Brad Muirhead - Bass Trombone
Graham Ord - Soprano sax
Monik Nordine - Soprano sax (8), alto sax (3, 6 m. 97 to fine)
Campbell Ryga - Alto Sax (1, 6 until m. 96)
Saul Berson - Alto Sax (7,8,9) Clarinet (9)
Ross Taggart - Tenor Sax
Chris Startup - Baritone Sax (1, 3, 6)
Daniel Miles Kane - Baritone Sax (3, 6, 7, 8, 9)
John Korsrud - all compositions, conductor
"...John Korsrud's Hard Rubber Orchestra is a juggernaut. On Cruel Yet Fair, the 22-piece ensemble rips through Korsrud's erudite compositions, kicking up a dust storm of ideas that linger long after the disc is over. As a composer, Korsrud gives minimalism's interlocking figures and repeating motives big band brawn and palpable propulsion, while grafting material from funk, Latin and rock sources. He makes very arcane concepts swing hard... Incredibly, Cruel Yet Fair is Hard Rubber Orchestra's first recording; there hasn't been as impressive a debut by a composer and his orchestra in years."
- Bill Shoemaker, JazzTimes
"...a frenetic, rhythmically exciting big band tour de force. ...the whole recording has polish and flash."
- Walter Horn, Cadence
"...daunting, high-strung pieces full of surging rhythms, dissonant brasses, can't breathe effects, hot-wired, post-Hendrix guitar solos and fright-night crescendos. None of this gives his musicians any problems whatsoever; the level of skill and discipline of all the players on this debut CD is remarkable."
- Mark Miller, Globe & Mail
"Cruel Yet Fair is certainly not for the faint-hearted nor for those whose ears are immovably rooted in mainstream music. The CD combines New Music, groove rhythms, and high level improvisation into a high art musical presentation."
- Laurence Svirchev, 5/4 Magazine
1) Cruel Yet Fair (7:49)2) #4 (0:15)
3) Scratching the Surface (7:00)
4) Duo (4:17)
5) Speck (5:14)
6) Iguana (6:33)
7) Fun for the Whole Family (2:57)
8) Danse Russe (12:17)
9) Irk (3:59)
TOTAL: 51:16
HARD RUBBER ORCHESTRA
Dave Robbins - Drums (1,3,6)
Stan Taylor - Drums (7,8,9)
Jack Duncan - Percussion
Brent Gubbels - Acoustic, electric bass
Ron Samworth - Guitar
Adrienne Park - Piano (1, 2)
Peggy Lee - Cello (4)
Sheila McDonald - Violin
Ross Gregory - Trumpet
Henry Christian - Trumpet
Brad Turner - Trumpet (1,3,6)
Bill Clark - Trumpet (7,8,9)
Dennis Esson - Trombone
Rob McKenzie - Trombone
Rod Murray - Trombone
Brad Muirhead - Bass Trombone
Graham Ord - Soprano sax
Monik Nordine - Soprano sax (8), alto sax (3, 6 m. 97 to fine)
Campbell Ryga - Alto Sax (1, 6 until m. 96)
Saul Berson - Alto Sax (7,8,9) Clarinet (9)
Ross Taggart - Tenor Sax
Chris Startup - Baritone Sax (1, 3, 6)
Daniel Miles Kane - Baritone Sax (3, 6, 7, 8, 9)
John Korsrud - all compositions, conductor