Rainbow Sign

For the Berkeley-based cultural center, see The Rainbow Sign.

Rainbow Sign is a studio album containing original compositions by American jazz musician Ron Miles on the label Blue Note Records. Released on October 9, 2020 to positive critical reviews, it is Miles' final studio album, coming two years prior to his death in March 2022.

Rainbow Sign
Studio album by Ron Miles
Released	October 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
Recorded	2019
Studio	Mighty Fine, Denver, Colorado, US Sear Sound, New York City, New York, US
Genre	Modal jazz[1] pop jazz[2]
Length	69:50
Language	Instrumental
Label	Blue Note
Producer	Colin Bricker Ron Miles
Ron Miles chronology
I Am a Man (2017) Rainbow Sign (2020)

Recording

The album was recorded in mid-2018 during a period when Miles was caring for his dying father. The sessions reunited him with the musicians who played on his previous album I Am a Man, including longtime collaborator Bill Frisell on guitar and drummer Brian Blade.^[1][2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
All About Jazz	[3]
AllMusic	[1]
DownBeat	[4]
Financial Times	[5]
Jazz Journal	[6]
Jazzwise	[7]
PopMatters	8⁄10[8]
The Times	[9]

The editorial staff of AllMusic Guide gave the album four out of five stars, with reviewer Thom Jurek noting how Miles blends "polytonal modal music, blues, gospel, post-bop, and pop".^[1] The site also included it in the best jazz albums of 2020.^[10] Kevin Whitehead of Fresh Air praises the dream-like quality of the musicians and their ability to work together to realize Miles' music and he notes the influence of pop music.^[2] In The Times, Chris Pearson gave the album four out of five stars, also pointing out the interplay of the musicians.^[9] Writing in Financial Times, Mike Hobart also scored Rainbow Sign four out of five stars for the "clean lines, close-knit interplay and an understated pulse" on the album.^[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Ron Miles

1. "Like Those Who Dream" – 15:56
2. "Queen of the South" – 4:20
3. "Average" – 11:12
4. "Rainbow Sign" – 7:08
5. "The Rumor" – 4:30
6. "Custodian of the New" – 7:49
7. "This Old Man" – 6:57
8. "Binder" – 6:01
9. "A Kind Word" – 5:57

Personnel

• Ron Miles – cornet, band leader, production
• Brian Blade – drums
• Bill Frisell – guitar
• Jason Moran – piano, photography
• Thomas Morgan – double bass

Technical personnel

• Lurah Blade – photography
• Colin Bricker – engineering, mixing, production
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Monica Frisell – photography
• Todd Gallopo – art direction, design
• Thomas Krebs – photography
• Kevin Lee – assistance
• Owen Mulholland – assistance
• Hans Wendl – project management

See also

• 2020 in American music
• 2020 in jazz
• List of 2020 albums