Vibes from the Tribe

Phil Ranelin: Vibes from the Tribe
From Vibes From the Tribe [Tribe, 1976]

Phil Ranelin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana where he met and played with guitarist Wes Montgomery at a local club called the Hub Bub. Here, Ranelin had the opportunity to play with other jazz greats like Eddie Harris and Grant Green, until he relocated to Detroit in search of session work. It was here that Ranelin met Wendell Harrison, and together the two formed Tribe, the label where he would record the bulk of his music.

Out of his three Tribe records, there is one that remains ever elusive, Vibes From the Tribe, which is his funkiest album. I remember the first song of his I ever heard was the title track, and I remember going nuts when the meaty drum break kicked in. Originals go for three or four hundred I think, fortunately Hefty Records re-released it as well as its predecessor, The Time is Now. They also put together a Phil Ranelin remix album, featuring contemporary artists like Prefuse 73 and El-P as a way to reach younger audiences. Tracks from that album will be posted next week.