Rainbow Gladiator
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Rainbow Gladiator
| type = Album
| artist = Billy Bang Quintet
| cover = Rainbow Gladiator.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1981
| recorded = June 10 & 11, 1981
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Jazz
| length = 37:11
| label = Soul Note
| producer =
| chronology = Billy Bang
| prev_title = Sweet Space
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Untitled Gift
| next_year = 1982
}}
Rainbow Gladiator is an album by the American jazz violinist Billy Bang, recorded in 1981 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.[http://jazzrealities.blogspot.com/2010/01/soulnote-label-discography-compiled-by.html Soul Note discography] accessed July 11, 2011
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev3 = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide
| rev3Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite book
|editor-last=Swenson |editor-first=J. |year=1985 |title=The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide |publisher=Random House/Rolling Stone |location=USA |isbn=0-394-72643-X |pages=18
}}
| rev2 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
| rev2score= {{Rating|4|4}}{{cite book|last = Cook|first = Richard|author-link = Richard Cook (journalist)|author2 = Brian Morton|author2-link = Brian Morton (Scottish writer)|title = The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings|edition = 9th|series = The Penguin Guide to Jazz|year = 2008|publisher = Penguin|location = London|isbn = 978-0-14-103401-0 | page = 74}}
| rev4 = Tom Hull – on the Web
}}
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".Yanow, S. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/rainbow-gladiator-r134936 AllMusic Review] accessed July 11, 2011
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."
Critic Tom Hull assigned the album a rating of "A−", commenting: "the interplay is exhilarating more often than not."
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."{{cite web |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/unsung-recordings-by-billy-bang-by-robert-spencer |title=Unsung Recordings By Billy Bang |first=Robert |last=Spencer |date=May 7, 2004 |website=All About Jazz |access-date=March 27, 2023}}
Track listing
:All compositions by Billy Bang
- "Rainbow Gladiator" - 14:19
- "Ebony Minstrel Man" - 4:16
- "New York After Dark" - 7:20
- "Broken Strings" - 2:44
- "Yaa - Woman Born on Thursday" - 5:09
- "Bang's Bounce" - 3:23
:*Recorded at Barigozzi Studio in Milano, Italy on June 10 & 11, 1981