Formed c. 2023

The Cosmic Tones Research Trio is a Portland, Oregon ensemble formed by alto saxophonist and composer Roman Norfleet, cellist and multi-instrumentalist Harlan Silverman, and pianist and wind multi-instrumentalist Kennedy Verrett. The group takes its name from Sun Ra's 1963 recording "Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy," released on his own Saturn label in 1967, and positions itself explicitly within the spiritual jazz tradition of Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra and Laraaji, understood as a practice of healing and meditative music rather than primarily as performance. Their approach draws on the trio's collective background in acoustic ecology, sound meditation and community practice. Norfleet is also a member of the Be Present Art Group, whose first Mississippi Records album appeared in 2023. The Cosmic Tones Research Trio released "All Is Sound" on Mississippi Records in November 2024, a percussion-free set of six pieces built from saxophone, cello, piano and flutes; the self-titled follow-up appeared in October 2025, adding percussion and expanding the compositional range. The group hosts "Music for a Healing Earth" on NTS Radio. They are based in Portland and remain active.