Phil Ranelin – Part 1: New releases and return to Indianapolis

May 11, 2025

On May 25th, the legendary Indianapolis jazz trombonist Phil Ranelin will turn 86 years old. For the next three weeks on Echoes of Indiana, we’ll celebrate the anniversary of Ranelin’s birthday by exploring his work in music. Listen to a recent interview Ranelin recorded with WFYI’s Kyle Long, along with classic recordings from his discography. 

Phil Ranelin was born in Indianapolis in 1939. He grew up on the city’s east side in the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood and attended Arsenal Tech High School, where jazz icon Freddie Hubbard was also a student. Nearly two decades later they would record three albums together. During the 1960s, Ranelin was active on the local jazz scene, performing with Indianapolis jazz greats like Wes Montgomery, Pookie Johnson, David Young, and Freddie Hubbard. 

Around 1968, Ranelin left Indianapolis for Detroit, becoming deeply involved in the city’s dynamic music scene. While in Detroit he worked as a session musician and touring performer for Motown Records, appearing with artists including Stevie Wonder and The Temptations. But it was his work with Tribe jazz collective that elevated his legacy in music. 

Ranelin co-founded Tribe in the early 1970s with saxophonist Wendell Harrison. Tribe started as a musical ensemble, but soon expanded into a record label, magazine and artist collective. Their work was explicitly political, advocating for Black empowerment and self-determination. Ranelin’s tenure with Tribe Records produced a number of seminal albums including “The Time Is Now” and “Vibes from the Tribe.” These recordings blended traditional jazz with funk, and avant-garde techniques, helping to redefine the boundaries of the genre.

Ranelin spent much of the last 40 years, living in Los Angeles, California.  But he recently returned to his hometown Indianapolis after suffering a severe stroke in 2021. 

On this week’s episode, hear music from Ranelin’s most recent releases, including "The Found Tapes: Live in Los Angeles,” and “Tribe 2000.”