[sdiy] Sun Ra Synth Flute?

[ethan tripp]

this may be slightly OT, but i saw the sun ra arkestra last night, and 
one of the main players was using some kind of instrument that looked 
like a small black box, about 12x1.5x2 inches with knobs on the sides 
and a large knob that hung off the end. he played it by blowing into it 
and using 3 or so holes on the top and one on the bottom knob to play 
notes. the synth aspect of it is that it produced, not a flute sound, 
but a theremin like sound, with flute like flourishes. he never touched 
the knobs on the side, but when he twisted the one on the end it would 
pitch way down into sub-bass land, or way up into chirping bird sounds. 
it was amazing the range and versatility with which he used it. does 
anyone have any idea what this contraption is?

-et-