Phil Ranelin
Trombonist, Composer, Arranger, Band Leader, Producer, Educator
Phillip Arthur Ranelin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana where he grew up under the influence of Jimmy Coe, Earmon Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Pookie Johnson, Willis Kirk, Wes Montgomery, Melvin Rhyne, Russell Webster and David Young. Ranelin is loved and respected around the globe as a veteran trombonist of the J.J. Johnson tradition, former Freddie Hubbard sideman and as co-founder of Detroit’s famed TRIBE Records. Ranelin has studied and played with some of the most highly respected Jazz and classical educators in the business, including professors David N. Baker, Nathan Davis, Bunky Green, Larry Ridley, Dr. Louis Smith and Donald Byrd (with whom in 1976 he received the key to the city of Detroit). Ranelin’s performance credits include: Ella Fitzgerald, Wes Montgomery , Art Pepper, Freddie Redd, Vi Redd, Sarah Vaughan, Gerald Wilson and Freddie Hubbard with whom in 1980 he appeared on MISTRAL, Japan’s #1 Jazz record of the year.
From 1969 through 1974, Ranelin worked at Detroit’s Motown Records both as a tour musician and studio musician, touring and recording with,The Four Tops, The Temptations, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and Stevie Wonder.
As a leader, Ranelin has shared the bill with Stanley Clarke, Christian McBride, Les McCann, Sonny Rollins, Pharoah Sanders, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Smith, O.C. Smith, Leon Thomas ,Benny Golson and McCoy Tyner. Ranelin has appeared at many Jazz festivals around the world including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Vera Cruz Muestra International Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Atlantic City Jazz Festival, Montreux Detroit, Kool Jazz, Indiana Black Expo, the Newport Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Jazz At Drew, USC Spectrum LA Jazz, UCLA Jazz & Reggae Festival, The Indy Jazz Fest ,the Dakar-Goree Jazz Festival, and the Panama Jazz Festival
A Los Angeles resident since 1977, Ranelin has been designated by official resolutions as a “Rare and Valuable Cultural Treasure” and as a “Cultural Ambassador throughout the Nation and to the world audience”
Ranelin’s CD’s include, “A Close Encounter Of The Very Best Kind”,’’Inspiration”, “Living In A New Day”, “Reminiscence”,”Perseverance & “Portrait In Blue”
Phil will have Rod Williams coming in from New York on Piano; Jaribu Shahid- Bass; Djallo Djakate- Drums.