Phil Cohran
Encyclopedia
Kelan Phil Cohran is a jazz
musician. He is known most for his trumpet
contributions in the Sun Ra
Arkestra in Chicago
during 1959-1961 and for his involvement in the foundation of the AACM
.
and played trumpet
in bands led by Jay McShann
in the early 1950s, and then in a U.S. Navy band.
He was introduced to the Sun Ra Arkestra by John Gilmore
in 1959. His tenure in the Arkestra is documented on records such as Fate In A Pleasant Mood
and Angels and Demons at Play
. He also appears on the important rediscovered documentation of Chicago
Arkestra performances on Music for Tomorrow's World. While most of Cohran's contributions were on trumpet, some also show his interest in stringed instruments such as zither
s.
When the Arkestra moved from Chicago in 1961, Cohran declined to accompany them. In 1965 he participated in the formation of the AACM. Cohran formed the Artistic Heritage Ensemble with Pete Cosey
, future members of the Earth, Wind and Fire horn section and "Master" Henry Gibson (the Motown house percussionist) among others. By this time, he was playing the harp
as well as cornet
, as well as other brass instruments, such as the french horn, baritone saxophone
and percussion. On the Beach is an available recording which documents their music around 1967-68.
Early in his career he invented an instrument he calls the Frankiphone
, aka the Space Harp
heard on some of Sun Ra
's early albums. The instrument is actually an electrified mbira
or kalimba. This instrument inspired Maurice White
to use an electrified Kalimba in performance with Earth, Wind and Fire. Cohran states he taught Maurice and his brothers music in their youth, much like The Wailers were tutored by Joe Higgs
. On the Beach documents their work during those early years and features the Frankiphone
on the title track, as well as a piece called "New Frankiphone Blues".
Cohran's sons make up eight of the nine members of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
, a street ensemble consisting of brass and drums. Cohran is also a renowned astronomer and presently teaches voice and music to inner city youth and adults at Northeastern Illinois University
's Center for Inner City Studies.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician. He is known most for his trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
contributions in the Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
Arkestra in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
during 1959-1961 and for his involvement in the foundation of the AACM
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians is a non-profit organization, founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States, by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran....
.
Biography
Cohran grew up in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and played trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
in bands led by Jay McShann
Jay McShann
Jay McShann was an American Grammy Award-nominated jump blues, mainstream jazz, and swing bandleader, pianist and singer....
in the early 1950s, and then in a U.S. Navy band.
He was introduced to the Sun Ra Arkestra by John Gilmore
John Gilmore (musician)
John Gilmore was an American jazz tenor saxophone player best-known for his long tenure as a member of Sun Ra's Arkestra...
in 1959. His tenure in the Arkestra is documented on records such as Fate In A Pleasant Mood
Fate in a Pleasant Mood
Fate in a Pleasant Mood is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra recorded in Chicago, mid 1960 and originally released on his own Saturn label in 1965. The album was reissued by Impulse! in 1974, and by Evidence in 1993...
and Angels and Demons at Play
Angels and Demons at Play
Angels and Demons at Play is a jazz album by the American musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra.Side one was recorded in 1960, including two tracks taken from the mammoth session either at Hall Recording Company or at the RCA Studios , around 17 June 1960 whilst the tracks on side two were...
. He also appears on the important rediscovered documentation of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Arkestra performances on Music for Tomorrow's World. While most of Cohran's contributions were on trumpet, some also show his interest in stringed instruments such as zither
Zither
The zither is a musical string instrument, most commonly found in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary citera, northwestern Croatia, the southern regions of Germany, alpine Europe and East Asian cultures, including China...
s.
When the Arkestra moved from Chicago in 1961, Cohran declined to accompany them. In 1965 he participated in the formation of the AACM. Cohran formed the Artistic Heritage Ensemble with Pete Cosey
Pete Cosey
Pete Cosey is an African-American guitarist most famous for playing with Miles Davis' band between 1973 and 1975. His fiercely flanged and distorted guitar bore comparisons to Jimi Hendrix...
, future members of the Earth, Wind and Fire horn section and "Master" Henry Gibson (the Motown house percussionist) among others. By this time, he was playing the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
as well as cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
, as well as other brass instruments, such as the french horn, baritone saxophone
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
and percussion. On the Beach is an available recording which documents their music around 1967-68.
Early in his career he invented an instrument he calls the Frankiphone
Space Harp
The Space Harp, also known as a Frankiphone, is an electrified lamellophone invented by Phil Cohran as part of a musicological experiment exploring his African roots. He named it after his mother, Frankie...
, aka the Space Harp
Space Harp
The Space Harp, also known as a Frankiphone, is an electrified lamellophone invented by Phil Cohran as part of a musicological experiment exploring his African roots. He named it after his mother, Frankie...
heard on some of Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
's early albums. The instrument is actually an electrified mbira
Mbira
In African music, the mbira is a musical instrument that consists of a wooden board to which staggered metal keys have been attached. It is often fitted into a resonator...
or kalimba. This instrument inspired Maurice White
Maurice White
Maurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...
to use an electrified Kalimba in performance with Earth, Wind and Fire. Cohran states he taught Maurice and his brothers music in their youth, much like The Wailers were tutored by Joe Higgs
Joe Higgs
Joe Higgs was a reggae musician from Jamaica. In the late 1950s and 1960s he was part of the duo Higgs and Wilson together with Roy Wilson...
. On the Beach documents their work during those early years and features the Frankiphone
Space Harp
The Space Harp, also known as a Frankiphone, is an electrified lamellophone invented by Phil Cohran as part of a musicological experiment exploring his African roots. He named it after his mother, Frankie...
on the title track, as well as a piece called "New Frankiphone Blues".
Cohran's sons make up eight of the nine members of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is a 9-piece, Chicago-based brass group featuring 8 sons of Phil Cohran on horns.Originally from Chicago, the brothers started as a street ensemble before recording in 2004. They have performed with Mos Def, Aquilla Sadalla, Phil Cohran, The Recipe, Nomadic Massive, Tony...
, a street ensemble consisting of brass and drums. Cohran is also a renowned astronomer and presently teaches voice and music to inner city youth and adults at Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
's Center for Inner City Studies.
As leader
- On the Beach (1968)
- Spanish Suite (1968) Katalyst / Tizona
- Armageddon (Conceived in1958 and written down in 1963 performed in 1968) Katalyst / Tizona
- The Malcolm X Memorial (1968)
- African Skies (1993, Captcha Records) as 'Kelan Phil Cohran And Legacy'
- Single (2007)
As sideman
With Sun RaSun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
- Interstellar Low WaysInterstellar Low WaysInterstellar Low Ways is an album recorded by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra, mostly recorded in Chicago, 1960, and probably released in 1966 on his own Saturn label. Originally titled Rocket Number Nine, the album had acquired its present name, and the red-on-white...
(1959) - Holiday for Soul DanceHoliday for Soul DanceHoliday For Soul Dance is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra recorded in Chicago, mid 1960 and originally released on his own Saturn label in 1970. The album was reissued by Evidence on Compact disc in 1992...
(1960) - Fate in a Pleasant MoodFate in a Pleasant MoodFate in a Pleasant Mood is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra recorded in Chicago, mid 1960 and originally released on his own Saturn label in 1965. The album was reissued by Impulse! in 1974, and by Evidence in 1993...
(1960) - Angels and Demons at PlayAngels and Demons at PlayAngels and Demons at Play is a jazz album by the American musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra.Side one was recorded in 1960, including two tracks taken from the mammoth session either at Hall Recording Company or at the RCA Studios , around 17 June 1960 whilst the tracks on side two were...
(1965)
External links
- Excerpt from 2005 sound. at the Schindler House performance at SASSAS @ YouTube
- Official Page