Label: Blue Note Records, 2020

Personnel - Ron Miles: cornet; Jason Moran: piano; Bill Frisell: guitar; Thomas Morgan: bass; Brian Blade: drums.

The most recent chapter in the career of cornetist/composer Ron Miles is highly influenced by his father’s passing in the summer of 2018. Each landscape of sound comprising Rainbow Sign exposes feelings, memories and emotions. For his debut on the Blue Note imprint as a leader, Miles employs exactly the same four brilliant musicians that helped him build his previous album, I Am a Man (Yellowbird, 2017). They are guitarist Bill Frisell, pianist Jason Moran, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Brian Blade.

The 16-minute opener, “Like Those Who Dream”, is the irresistible jewel of this recording. There’s an illuminated dissonance in the way it is set in motion, with piano minimalism and a jagged, multiphonic cornet note. Subsequently, we are presented with guitar harmonics and chiming details, thoughtful and unhurried bass lines, and the relaxed brushing skills of Blade. Moments later, Moran secures a quite charming groove while Frisell’s guitar work deserves the epithet ‘glorious’ in all its subtlety. Miles’ devoted melodicism draws emotion and his sudden tweaks are expressed with meaning measures and incredibly good taste. The song, growing in bluesier depth and having cool and modern jazz touches coloring the setting, is elevated by staggering solos.

Despite taking Ethiopian pop music as its main inspiration, “Queen of the South” reveals a satisfying country-jazz feel with an exquisite melody at the center and a popish rhythm. Denoting similar pastoral intonations, “The Rumor” fans a light breeze from its American folk devised with lots of space for the magical rhythm section.

The clever textures and forms provided in this recording include graceful swinging flows, which can be heard on the reassuring title track and “Binder”. On the former, the melody comes full of hope, pierced by rays of sunshine, while the latter implodes with boppish lines that encourage powerful, freewheeling solos from piano, bass, cornet and drums.

Distinct frames of mind define “Custodian of the New”, a light-footed post-bop number with rhythmic complexity, and the closer, “A Kind Word”, a languidly peaceful, lyrical poem whose texture gets thicker as it moves forward.

The music is at turns mournful, sweet, hopeful, and affecting. Miles conveys them clearly as he plays his own blues.