Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - African Skies (2025) [Hi-Res]

The Listening Position label has issued the first official reissue of African Skies, a cosmic masterpiece recorded by Kellen Cohran in 1993 for the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. This release is one of Cohran's few official works outside of his influential 1960s activity with The Sun Ra Arkestra and The Artistic Heritage Ensemble. The compositions, inspired by Cohran's research into the celestial, spiritual, and ancestral, feature a beguiling, gently psychedelic sound that addresses themes of transcendence and the magnitude of the universe. The unique instrumentation includes two double basses, two harps, a variety of percussion, cornet, voice, and the Frankiphone – an ethereal-sounding electrified kalimba hand-built by Cohran himself. This new edition was sourced from the original DAT recording, mastered by Josh Bonati with audio restoration by Michael Graves, and presented on 180g vinyl in a laminated gatefold jacket with restored artwork, new photos, and original notes from the Adler Planetarium.

Tracklist:
1-1 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - Theme [4:19]
1-2 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - White Nile [10:11]
1-3 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - Cohran Blues [6:43]
1-4 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - The Dogon [2:50]
1-5 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - Sahara [5:26]
1-6 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - Kalahari [1:47]
1-7 Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy - Kilimanjaro [6:17]