Skipper and Crew

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WE CALL HIM..."THE SKIPPER" - Henry Franklin - Bassist

"THE SKIPPER" and I go back much further than I care to remember...a small coffee house in Los Angeles called The Black Orchid. A time when Jazz was indeed a music of the day!

Henry Franklin began his career with high school contemporary Roy Ayers Latin Jazz Qnt. This led to working with bandleader Willie Bobo. Later he worked with trumpeter, Hugh Masekela. Their album "Promise Of A Future" was one of the biggest selling albums of the late sixties. In other decades since, Franklin worked and recorded with Gene Harris & the Three Sounds, Freddie Hubbard, Bobbi Humphrey, Hampton Haws, Dexter gordon, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, Harold Land, Sonny Stitt, Count Basie et.al., as well as releasing a brace of albums by his own band right into the 21st Century.

His latest release on Resurgant Music - "3 Card Molly" which has some stella cuts, include "One for LeRoy" dedicated to Leroy Vinegar..."3 Four CB" in recognition of his ex-wife...the mother of his four children...and..."Kamau" a tribute to Eric Cravette, a great drummer who played with McCoy Tyner. The complete project in itself lends accolades to the late, great Elvin Jones.

"All God's Children" - Skipper & Crew on SP Records is due to be released this month. A combination of Spiritual..Avant Garde & BeBop Jazz.

If you consider yourself a Jazz aficionado...Do yourself a "flavor"...and check out the Skipper!!!

Paula DeSuzia

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