Billy Bang Quintet Rainbow Gladiator LP 1981 Italy Near Mint Vinyl

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Billy Bang Quintet

Rainbow Gladiator

Soul Note Records SN 1016 12" 33rpm LP 1981 (Italy)

This is great recording. Soul Note seems to be the label that kind of saved "real" jazz from almost certain doom in the 70's-90's. I've loved everything I've heard from Soul Note, but I digress.
This is one of Billy Bang's early efforts, but you wouldn't know it from even a casual listen. The compositions are intelligent, mature and just plain great. The musicians on this recording are all on top of their game, and the whole thing just works. Billy Bang's music seems to have it's own internal logic, and I would imagine there have been times where he has had difficulty finding other musicians who were sympathetic to his way of thinking and playing. The outfit here sounds like they've been working these tunes on tour. The songs are all tight. Billy Bang's whole gestalt is in full bloom here, and he sounds fully developed. I think that for some people his tone kind of puts them off, but he uses it just like other improvisers use phrasing and rhythm, so in a sense, he kind of thinks outside the box when it comes to soloing.
I also feel compelled to point out Michele Rosewoman as an incredibly stunning pianist. Her solos practically leap out of the monitors. Like listening to a water fountain lit up at night. Her playing is simply outstanding on this record. Her intro to "New York After Dark" is practically a primer on jazz piano technique, with these little lightning fast turns of phrase and runs that go from Avant Garde, Cecil Taylor like runs to stride piano, and everything in between. why she is not more recognized will forever remain a mystery to me.
I don't know how else to comment on this fine entry into the Bang catalog. I listen to this album pretty regularly, and I think that's the best endorsement one could give a record.
If you like Billy Bang, and you don't know this recording, go get it and listen to it over and over again. I love this. Highly recommended.

Tracklist
A1   Rainbow Gladiator  14:19  
A2   Ebony Minstrel Man  4:16  
B1   New York After Dark  7:20  
B2   Broken Strings (For Clarence Muse)  2:44  
B3   Yaa - Woman Born On Thursday (For Miss Laurel Van Horn)  5:09  
B4   Bang's Bounce  3:23  

    Bass – Wilber Morris
    Drums – Dennis Charles
    Engineer [Recording] – Giancarlo Barigozzi
    Piano – Michele Rosewoman
    Producer – Giovanni Bonandrini
    Saxophone [Alto, Baritone] – Charles Tyler
    Violin, Composed By – Billy Bang

Recorded on 10, 11 June 1981 at Barigozzi Studios, Milano, Italy.

Condition:  LP is Near Mint, in a plastic-lined paper inner sleeve in a picture sleeve cover in Excellentcondition, comes with plastic outer protector.

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