Henry Franklin
- Born:
- , Los Angeles, California, USA
- Instrument:
- Bass
- Genres:
- Jazz, Funk / Soul, Latin, Blues, Hip Hop, Pop
- Styles:
- Soul-Jazz, Post Bop, Jazz-Funk, Contemporary Jazz, Free Jazz, Modal, Avant-garde Jazz, Fusion, Funk, Latin Jazz
Henry Franklin, affectionately nicknamed “The Skipper,” is a pivotal figure in West Coast jazz bass, known for his versatility across Post Bop, Soul-Jazz, and Jazz-Funk. His discography features over 90 releases, demonstrating his ability to anchor both traditional and avant-garde groups. His career shows a clear focus on the independent Soul-Jazz sound of the 1970s, releasing seminal leader albums like “The Skipper” and “The Skipper At Home”. His expansive collaboration list includes jazz giants like Freddie Hubbard and Cal Tjader, and he was a key figure in the Black Jazz Records roster, notably appearing on albums by Doug Carn, while also releasing his own work on Catalyst Records.
Essential Henry Franklin Albums
The Skipper
Henry Franklin
1972
Funk
The Skipper At Home
Henry Franklin
1974
Soul-Jazz
Tribal Dance
Henry Franklin
1977
Soul-Jazz
Jazz Is Dead 14
Henry Franklin, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
2022
Avant-garde Jazz
Showers Of Blessings
Henry Franklin
2021
We Came To Play (The Skipper .... And Crew)
Henry Franklin
1985
Post Bop
Prayer For My Ancestors
Azar Lawrence, Nate Morgan, Henry Franklin, Alphonse Mouzon
2008
Free Jazz
Daggerboard & The Skipper
Daggerboard, Henry Franklin
2022
Perseverance
Phil Ranelin, Henry Franklin, Big Black
2011
Home Cookin'
Henry Franklin
2009
Post Bop
Similar Artists
Top Labels
| Label | Releases |
|---|---|
| Black Jazz Records | 12 |
| Blue Note | 11 |
| Skipper Productions | 9 |
| Wide Hive Records | 7 |
| Jazz Is Dead | 4 |
| Resurgent Music | 4 |
| Beezwax Records | 4 |
| P-Vine Records | 4 |
| Prestige | 3 |
| Ovation Records | 3 |
Henry Franklin Collaborations
As Leader
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Marc Seales | Piano | 5 |
| Theo Saunders | Piano | 4 |
| Steve Clover | Drums | 4 |
| Michael Carvin | Drums | 2 |
| Willie Jones III | Drums | 2 |
| Mark Waggoner | Guitar | 2 |
| Gilbert Castellanos | Trumpet | 2 |
| Tony Austin | Drums | 2 |
| William Henderson | Electric Piano | 1 |
| Kenny Climax | Guitar, Performer [Electric Tub] | 1 |
As Sideman
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Carl Burnett | Drums | 9 |
| Leon Ndugu Chancler | Drums | 8 |
| Michael Carvin | Drums | 5 |
| Hampton Hawes | Piano | 4 |
| Donald Dean | Drums | 4 |
| William Henderson | Piano | 3 |
| Nolan Shaheed | Trumpet | 3 |
| Chuck Carter | Drums | 2 |
| Freddie Robinson | Guitar | 2 |
| Gene Harris | Piano | 2 |
Key Personnel
| Person | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Berglund | Lacquer Cut By | 5 |
| Nolan Shaheed | Engineer | 4 |
| Various | Leader | 4 |
| Grafica, Chicago | Graphics | 3 |
| Nolan Shaheed | Recorded By | 3 |
| Andrew Lojero | Executive-Producer | 3 |
| Julian Montague | Graphic Design | 3 |
| Dave Cooley | Mastered By | 3 |
| Hugh Masekela | Leader | 3 |
| Hampton Hawes | Leader | 3 |
Discography
Total: 96 releases
| Artist | Album | Label | Leader/Sideman | Style | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Clark | Itai Doshin | Wide Hive Records | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2025 |
| Muro | Jazz Is Dead Series 2 | Jazz Is Dead | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 2024 |
| Various | Jazz Is Dead 20 Remixes | Jazz Is Dead | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2024 |
| Daggerboard | Escapement | Wide Hive Records | Sideman | 2024 | |
| Clifford Lamb | Lamb Chops | Weberworks Entertainment Group | Sideman | 2023 | |
| Mike Clark | Kosen Rufu | Wide Hive Records | Sideman | Jazz-Funk | 2023 |
| Henry Franklin, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad | Jazz Is Dead 14 | Jazz Is Dead | Leader | Avant-garde Jazz | 2022 |
| Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge | Jazz is Dead 11 | Jazz Is Dead | Sideman | 2022 | |
| Daggerboard, Henry Franklin | Daggerboard & The Skipper | Wide Hive Records | Leader | 2022 | |
| Donald Byrd | Cookin' With Blue Note At Montreux | Blue Note | Sideman | Jazz-Funk | 2022 |
| Calvin Keys | Blue Keys | Wide Hive Records | Sideman | 2022 | |
| Henry Franklin | Showers Of Blessings | Skipper Productions | Leader | 2021 | |
| Bobby Bradford & Friends | Jackie Robinson: Stealin' Home | The Baseball Reliquary | Sideman | 2021 | |
| Creative Arts Ensemble With B.J. Crowley | One Step Out | - | Sideman | 2018 | |
| Luigi Butera | Maiden Voyage | musiques modernes | Sideman | 2017 | |
| 3 More Sounds | The Happiness Of Pursuit | Skipper Productions | Sideman | 2015 | |
| Theo Saunders Sextet | Jassemblage | Not On Label (Theo Saunders Self-released) | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2015 |
| Thisbe Vos | A Jazzy Christmas | Prime Productions | Sideman | 2015 | |
| Henry Franklin | Two Views | SP Records | Leader | 2014 | |
| Thisbe Vos | Under Your Spell | Prime Productions | Sideman | 2013 |
Styles & Genres Distribution
Styles
| Style | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Soul-Jazz | 16 | 12.4% |
| Post Bop | 14 | 10.9% |
| Jazz-Funk | 11 | 8.5% |
| Contemporary Jazz | 9 | 7% |
| Free Jazz | 7 | 5.4% |
| Modal | 4 | 3.1% |
| Avant-garde Jazz | 4 | 3.1% |
| Fusion | 4 | 3.1% |
| Funk | 3 | 2.3% |
| Latin Jazz | 3 | 2.3% |
Genres
| Genre | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | 93 | 72.1% |
| Funk / Soul | 14 | 10.9% |
| Latin | 3 | 2.3% |
| Blues | 2 | 1.6% |
| Hip Hop | 1 | 0.8% |
| Pop | 1 | 0.8% |