Phil Ranelin is a jazz trombonist, composer, and bandleader. He and Wendell Harrison co-founded the Tribe, a band, record label, and artist collective in Detroit. 1972's influential Message from the Tribe wed spiritual jazz, funk, and soul, and followed by 1974's The Time Is Now! and 1976's Vibes from the Tribe. After moving to Los Angeles, he played with Freddie Hubbard for three years. Ranelin issued A Close Encounter of the Very Best Kind in 1996. In 2009 Carl Craig and Tribe released Rebirth. 2011's Perseverance appeared on Wide Hive. In 2021 Ranelin released Infinite Expressions, and in January 2023 Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison JID016 appeared.