JAZZ FUNK AFRO-FUTURISM
Cosmic Krewe is a satellite of Sun Ra Arkestra.
The stage comes to life with supersonic sound, glittering lights and cosmic pageantry as the musicians congregate and prepare for their leader, the Intergalactic Research Tone Scientist, Michael Ray, to lead them into the promised Cosmos.
Multi-percussion stations, synthesizers, keys of all sorts, drums, a front line of trumpets, saxophones and various other horns, with a sexy sassy funky classy bluesy jazzy cosmic vocalist all consecutively come into play. Each entering the musical fray with precision and unadulterated rapture.
Founded in the very early 1990s after trumpeter Michael Ray migrated from the Sun Ra house in Philadelphia to settle in New Orleans, Cosmic Krewe has slowly and steadily evolved through countless rehearsals and live performances into the hot, tight, fiercely experimental ensemble.
A quick look at Michael Ray's musical resume clearly reveals the roots of the unique fusion of experimental jazz and contemporary dance music that he calls cosmic funk. Since 1978 the trumpet star has functioned as the intergalactic tone specialist for the Sun Ra Arkestra while serving simultaneously as a key member of the horn section for the popular R&B group Kool & the Gang.
Splitting his work time between these two prominent ensembles, Ray came upon a way to fuse the disparate idioms into a Jazz Funk of the Future that could take the music straight down the middle of the rhythmic spectrum and all the way out the realm of free group improvisation.
Settled in New Orleans and convalescing from a serious knee injury sustained in a terrible fall from a slippery stage surface while performing an outdoor concert with the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1991, Ray began to develop the concept of the Cosmic Krewe as a means of realizing his musical ideas.
Ray meditated at length on the twin questions of repertoire and personnel, inviting a small cadre of carefully selected musicians to come over and rehearse some Sun Ra compositions and some of Michael's own original works. The neon sculptor Jerry Theriot was a frequent visitor, and he and Michael explored the possibility of incorporatng Theriot's imaginative creations into the Cosmic Krewe's presentations.
A short residency by Sun Ra & the Arkestra at a college in the Northeast opened the door to a second universe of adventurous players Ray could draft into the Cosmic Krewe. Percussionist Steve Ferrari was named Captain of the Krewe, and trombonist Don Glasgo soon proved one of the Krewe's steadiest members. Dave Grippo, Adam Klipple and Stacy Starkweather came in, and Ray formed a close musical friendship with the guys in Phish while performing with the Krewe in the jam band's home base of Burlington, VT.
Soon Ray started bringing his New England mob down to New Orleans for JazzFest performances and recording sessions and mixing them in with stellar Crescent City musicians like Eddie Dejan, guitarist Carl LeBlanc, saxophonists Tony Dagradi, Tim Green and Clarence Johnston III, and a bevy of percussionists including Kenyatta Simon and fellow Sun Ra alumnus Samurai Celestial.
The fully constituted Krewe soon established its reputation for brilliance, intelligence, excitement and daring by means of a series of legendary performances like the time they almost tore down the Jazz Tent at the Jazz & Heritage Festival when the capacity audience leaped to its feet and started dancing like crazy.
Michael Ray
Intergalactic Research Tone Scientist
A renowned international trumpeter Michael Ray is a seasoned jazz-funk musician who has had stellar runs with Patti LaBelle, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, Kool and the Gang, Sun Ra Arkestra, and many other legendary bands.
There's a lot of the late Sun Ra in Michael Ray & The Cosmic Krewe. Deeply based in the Sun Ra concept of Cosmo-Drama, or jazz as performance art with a message, the Cosmic Krewe has developed out of the broad musical experience of trumpet man, composer and producer Michael Ray to bring us what its leader calls "Jazz Funk From The Future―representing the other side of the boundary of the last possibility."
A professional musician for more than fifty years, this Trenton, New Jersey native has simultaneously mined every side of the of international music scene since the late 1970's playing his supersonic jazz/funk/future trumpet as the Intergalactic Research Tone Scientist with Sun Ra & His Arkestra, prancing around to the funky sounds of Kool & the Gang and many other world-wide phenomenons.
Considered a musician's musician, Michael Ray has performed live with Phish, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Zambiland Orchestra, Deep Banana Blackout, and even Porno for Pyros. He established his own management company Rhythm & Muse, with a second office in E. Thetford, Vermont. He was nominated "Best Contemporary Jazz" and performed at the 7th Annual Big Easy Entertainment Awards in 1994. His innovative multi-art collaborations focusing on sound and colour utilize avant garde jazz compositions, neon set installations, dance and poetry. The concept earned the group a regional arts award in 1993 funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller and Andy Warhol foundations. His "Jazz As Performance Art" theme productions include tribute shows to The Haitian Vibration, The Spoken Word, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Sun Ra. Highly regarded as a world class player in jazz circles, Ray's affiliation with Sun Ra's Intergalactic Arkestra began in 1978.
Ray performed and/or produced nearly two dozen albums internationally with the Jazz Hall of Fame keyboardist that led the #1 Big Band on the planet for more than a dozen years (Downbeat's International critics poll as recently as 1992). Sun Ra designated Ray his "Intergalactic Research Tone Scientist", featuring him on trumpet and vocals. Ray appears on Sun Ra albums on Saturn Records and on CDs released by Evidence, Enja, HatHut, Rounder, Black Saint, Horo, A&M, Philly Jazz and ESP labels. On tour with Sun Ra for, he performed for festivals, TV shows and artist residencies. Ray is also recognized as a member of the front line for Kool & The Gang, the top selling group of the 1980's. Ray danced, sang, played trumpet, and was a member of the award-winning writing and production team that produced seven platinum/gold albums and seven "Top Ten" hits for the group.
Ray won four American Music Awards, 5 Ampex Golden Reel Awards, the 1978 NARM Award and a Grammy nomination from 1979-1989. Leading his own Cosmic Krewe, Ray combines the best of both his influences, the amazing Cosmo-Drama and outer space presentations of Sun Ra, & the high energy, rock/funk shows of Kool & the Gang. He's received awards from Lila Wallace-Readers' Digest, Foundation National Jazz Network; The Louisiana Jazz Federation; and New Orleans' Contemporary Arts Center, and Music & Entertainment Commission, & WWOZ FM. In his home base city of New Orleans, he has been nominated Best Contemporary Jazz Artist and won the 1999 award for Best Funk Artist.
Laranah Phipps-Ray
SEXY SASSY FUNKY CLASSY BLUESY JAZZY COSMIC VOCALIST
Laranah Phipps-Ray embodies the spirit of jazz, funk, and Afrofuturism like few others on the planet. A singer, songwriter, Influencer, and producer, she has a prolific career in entertainment, fronting La Funkalicious, collaborating with A-list musicians, and performing. Having established herself as an impossible-to-ignore talent, Laranah is on a mission to share her gifts with an ever-growing audience.
Laranah's musical prowess is no surprise, considering she was born to jazz royalty, specifically the Phipps Family, Newark's First Family of Jazz. As the daughter of pioneering saxophonist Gene Phipps, Sr., she received an unparalleled education in jazz and entertainment from a young age. She later married the renowned trumpeter Michael Ray, known for Sun Ra Arkestra, Kool & The Gang, Cosmic Krewe, and others. The pair are affectionately known as 'The Cosmic Couple.' As a result, Laranah's high energy performances, regal stage presence, and mesmerizing vocal ability make her a favorite of fans worldwide.
Laranah brings her distinctive sound, phrasing, and storytelling to the table. Laranah's voice is laced with a certain ancient African richness. Her instrument soars with a distinct yet familiar soul and power. She is most noted for "her far from mainstream" scat-styling, five-octave range, her improvisational facility, and her volcanic grasp of groove.
Laranah has penned several powerhouse songs as a recording artist, including the singles 'I Rule the Night,' 'Love in Santiago,' 'Sudden Love,' and 'Save Me Now.' In addition, the Cosmic Couple consistently co-writes; They recently collaborated with famed saxophonist Marshall Allen of Sun Ra Arkestra on the 2019 single 'Mayan Temple,' Kym Miller of Instant Funk on 'Covid-19' and Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies on 'Hello Hello.' Laranah's latest album release, "Game Changer, showcases her band La Funkalicious. The album drops in 2022.
While Laranah is best known for her music, she is also a savvy media entrepreneur and a vital voice in the fight for racial justice. Her production credits include professional stage management, live events producer, Influencer with multimedia outlets, Rayborhood TV, Behind the Cosmic Grind, and Down the Rabbit Hole. In addition, she is Executive Producer for the series Tales from The Stage, in which A-list stars reveal the secrets of the entertainment industry, and Co-Producer & Co-Host of kNOw Justice kNOw Peace. This 12-hour live stream provides entertainment, education, and resources to fight for racial equality.
Laranah has an illustrious entertainment career, and she shows no sign of slowing down. She continues to find new avenues for her talents, bringing the same passion to every new project she tackles. With new projects scheduled for 2021 and beyond, fans of Laranah can expect her to continue to amaze for years to come.