Phil Cohran

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Kelan Phil Cohran (born in Oxford, Mississippi on May 8, 1927) 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.

Biography

Cohran grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and played trumpet in bands led by Jay McShann in the early 1950s, and then in a U.S. Navy band.^[1]

He was introduced to the Sun Ra Arkestra by John Gilmore in 1959.^[2] His tenure in the Arkestra is documented on records such as Fate In A Pleasant Mood and Angels and Demons at Play.While most of Cohran's contributions were on trumpet, some also show his interest in stringed instruments such as zithers.

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.^[2] 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 brass ensemble consisting of 4 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 euphonium, a sousaphone and drums. Cohran is also a renowned astronomer^{[citation needed]} and presently teaches voice and music to inner city youth and adults at Northeastern Illinois University's Center for Inner City Studies.

Discography

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) ^[3]

As sideman

With Sun Ra

References

↑ Shapiro, Peter. "Blues and the abstract truth". The Wire (magazine). Retrieved 2009-12-17.
↑ 2.0 2.1 Szwed, John (1997). Space is the Place. Payback Press. pp. 249–250. ISBN 978-0-86241-722-2.
↑ Allmusic discography

External links

Excerpt from 2005 sound. at the Schindler House performance at SASSAS @ YouTube
Official Page

v t e Sun Ra

Discography

Arkestra Members	John Gilmore Julian Priester Pat Patrick Charles Davis Victor Sproles Marshall Allen Ronnie Boykins James Spaulding Phil Cohran Clifford Jarvis Lex Humphries June Tyson Ahmed Abdullah

Chicago Period studio albums	Jazz by Sun Ra Super-Sonic Jazz Sound of Joy Visits Planet Earth The Nubians of Plutonia Jazz in Silhouette Sound Sun Pleasure!! Interstellar Low Ways Fate in a Pleasant Mood Holiday for Soul Dance Angels and Demons at Play We Travel the Space Ways

New York Period studio albums	The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra Bad and Beautiful Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow Secrets of the Sun When Sun Comes Out Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy When Angels Speak of Love Other Planes of There The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume One The Magic City The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume Two Strange Strings Monorails and Satellites Atlantis

Philadelphia Period studio albums	Space Is The Place Space Is the Place (soundtrack) Deep Purple Visions Lanquidity Reflections in Blue Hours After Blue Delight Somewhere Else Purple Night Mayan Temples

Live albums	Featuring Pharoah Sanders & Black Harold Nothing Is Live in Egypt 1 Nidhamu Horizon Live In Montreux Sunrise in Different Dimensions

Persondata
Name	Cohran, Phil
Alternative names
Short description	American musician
Date of birth	May 8, 1927
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death

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