Henry Franklin
- Instrument:
- Bass
- Styles:
- Soul-Jazz, Post Bop, Jazz-Funk, Contemporary Jazz, Free Jazz, Avant-garde Jazz, Fusion, Latin Jazz, Ballad, Instrumental
Best Henry Franklin Albums
Leader albums ranked by reissues and demand.
Tribal Dance
Henry Franklin
1977
Catalyst Records
Jazz Is Dead 14
Henry Franklin, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad
2022
Jazz Is Dead
We Came To Play (The Skipper .... And Crew)
Henry Franklin
1985
Daagnim Records
Prayer For My Ancestors
Azar Lawrence, Nate Morgan, Henry Franklin, Alphonse Mouzon
2008
furthermore recordings
Showers Of Blessings
Henry Franklin
2021
Skipper Productions
Home Cookin'
Henry Franklin
2009
Skipper Productions
Bio
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.
Timeline
Key Henry Franklin studio albums by decade, with the labels and styles that define each period.
| Decade | Key albums | Labels | Styles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s |
| Black Jazz Records, Catalyst Records | Jazz-Funk, Soul-Jazz, Funk, Modal |
| 1980s |
| Daagnim Records | Post Bop, Latin Jazz |
| 1990s |
| Resurgent Music | — |
| 2000s |
| Beezwax Records, furthermore recordings, Skipper Productions | Post Bop, Free Jazz |
| 2010s |
| Wide Hive Records, Skipper Productions, S.P. Records | Post Bop |
| 2020s |
| Jazz Is Dead | Avant-garde Jazz |
Albums by Style
Top albums grouped by style.
Post Bop
We Came To Play (The Skipper .... And Crew)
Henry Franklin
1985
Daagnim Records
Home Cookin'
Henry Franklin
2009
Skipper Productions
All God's Children
Henry Franklin
2005
Skipper Productions
If We Should Meet Again
Henry Franklin
2007
Skipper Productions
Jazz-Funk
Soul-Jazz
Tribal Dance
Henry Franklin
1977
Catalyst Records
Similar Artists
Artists with similar styles and catalogs.
Henry Franklin Discography
Henry Franklin studio albums as leader and sideman.
Total: 70 releases
| Artist | Album | Label | Leader/Sideman | Style | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Masekela | Is Alive And Well At The Whisky | UNI Records | Sideman | Monolog | 1967 |
| Hugh Masekela | The Promise Of A Future | UNI Records | Sideman | Instrumental | 1968 |
| The Three Sounds | Soul Symphony | Blue Note | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1969 |
| Freddie Robinson | Hot Fun In The Summertime | Liberty | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1970 |
| John Carter, Bobby Bradford | Self Determination Music | Flying Dutchman | Sideman | Avant-garde Jazz | 1970 |
| Doug Carn | Infant Eyes | Black Jazz Records | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1971 |
| Gene Russell | New Direction | Black Jazz Records | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1971 |
| Henry Franklin | The Skipper | Black Jazz Records | Leader | Funk | 1972 |
| Hampton Hawes | Blues For Walls | Prestige | Sideman | 1973 | |
| Michael Howell | Looking Glass | Milestone | Sideman | 1973 | |
| John Carter, Bobby Bradford | Secrets | Revelation Records | Sideman | Free Jazz | 1973 |
| Woody Shaw | Song Of Songs | Contemporary Records | Sideman | Post Bop | 1973 |
| Gene Russell | Talk To My Lady | Black Jazz Records | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1973 |
| Johnny Hammond | Gambler's Life | Salvation | Sideman | Fusion | 1974 |
| Michael Howell | In The Silence | Milestone | Sideman | 1974 | |
| Julian Priester | Love, Love | ECM Records | Sideman | Fusion | 1974 |
| The Phil Woods Quartet | New Music By The New Phil Woods Quartet | Testament Records | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 1974 |
| Calvin Keys | Proceed With Caution! | Black Jazz Records | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1974 |
| Henry Franklin | The Skipper At Home | Black Jazz Records | Leader | Soul-Jazz | 1974 |
| Roland Haynes | 2nd Wave | Black Jazz Records | Sideman | Soul-Jazz | 1975 |
Henry Franklin Collaborations
Players they worked with most often, as leader and as sideman.
As Leader
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Theo Saunders | Piano | 5 |
| Charles Owens | Tenor Saxophone | 4 |
| Steve Clover | Drums | 4 |
| Marc Seales | Piano | 4 |
| Tony Austin | Drums | 3 |
| Michael Carvin | Drums | 2 |
| Kenny Climax | Guitar | 2 |
| Charles Owens | Soprano Saxophone | 2 |
| Charles Owens | Flute | 2 |
| Oscar Brashear | Trumpet | 2 |
As Sideman
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Carl Burnett | Drums | 9 |
| Leon Ndugu Chancler | Drums | 8 |
| Hampton Hawes | Piano | 6 |
| Michael Carvin | Drums | 5 |
| Donald Dean | Drums | 4 |
| William Henderson | Piano | 3 |
| George Harper | Tenor Saxophone | 3 |
| Al Hall | Trombone | 3 |
| Calvin Keys | Guitar | 3 |
| George Cables | Electric Piano | 3 |
Styles & Genres Distribution
Style and genre mix across their releases.
Styles
| Style | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Soul-Jazz | 12 | 17.1% |
| Post Bop | 12 | 17.1% |
| Jazz-Funk | 8 | 11.4% |
| Contemporary Jazz | 6 | 8.6% |
| Free Jazz | 5 | 7.1% |
| Avant-garde Jazz | 4 | 5.7% |
| Fusion | 4 | 5.7% |
| Latin Jazz | 3 | 4.3% |
| Ballad | 2 | 2.9% |
| Instrumental | 2 | 2.9% |
Genres
| Genre | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | 70 | 100% |
| Funk / Soul | 9 | 12.9% |
| Blues | 2 | 2.9% |
| Latin | 2 | 2.9% |
| Pop | 1 | 1.4% |
Top Labels
Labels with the most releases in their catalog.
| Label | Releases |
|---|---|
| Black Jazz Records | 7 |
| Skipper Productions | 6 |
| Resurgent Music | 4 |
| Beezwax Records | 4 |
| Wide Hive Records | 4 |
| Prime Productions | 3 |
| UNI Records | 2 |
| Milestone | 2 |
| Catalyst Records | 2 |
| Daagnim Records | 2 |
Key Personnel
Frequent producers, engineers, and studio credits.
| 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 |
| Alan Bates | Producer | 3 |
| Bruce Wilson | Photography By [Cover] | 2 |