Rainbow Gladiator

Rainbow Gladiator
Studio album by Billy Bang Quintet
Released	1981
Recorded	June 10 & 11, 1981
Genre	Jazz
Length	37:11
Label	Soul Note
Billy Bang chronology
Sweet Space (1979) Rainbow Gladiator (1981) Untitled Gift (1982)

Rainbow Gladiator is an album by the American jazz violinist Billy Bang, recorded in 1981 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[3]
Tom Hull – on the Web	A−[5]

The editors of AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars, and reviewer Scott Yanow called it "a good introduction to his music for those who have an open mind toward adventurous jazz".[2]

The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings awarded the album a full 4 stars, calling it "a terrific record, bright, percussive and packed with ideas."[4]

Critic Tom Hull assigned the album a rating of "A−", commenting: "the interplay is exhilarating more often than not."[5]

Robert Spencer of All About Jazz described the album as "expansive and warm," "one of Billy Bang's best recordings," and praised the title track, calling it "the brilliant, good-humored jewel of the disc."[6]

Track listing

All compositions by Billy Bang

1. "Rainbow Gladiator" - 14:19
2. "Ebony Minstrel Man" - 4:16
3. "New York After Dark" - 7:20
4. "Broken Strings" - 2:44
5. "Yaa - Woman Born on Thursday" - 5:09
6. "Bang's Bounce" - 3:23

• Recorded at Barigozzi Studio in Milano, Italy on June 10 & 11, 1981

Personnel

• Billy Bang - violin
• Charles Tyler - alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
• Michele Rosewoman – piano
• Wilber Morris – bass
• Dennis Charles – drums

References

1. Soul Note discography accessed July 11, 2011
2. Yanow, S. AllMusic Review accessed July 11, 2011
3. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 18. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
4. Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
5. Hull, Tom. "Billy Bang Is in the House". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
6. Spencer, Robert (May 7, 2004). "Unsung Recordings By Billy Bang". All About Jazz. Retrieved March 27, 2023.