Henry Franklin

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Black Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Splatter Vinyl: Real Gone Music

Bassist Henry Franklin has an enviable musical resume, from playing with Hugh Masekela at Monterey Pop and on the chart-topping "Grazing in the Grass" to recording and performing with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, The Three Sounds, Woody Shaw, O.C. Smith, and Al Jarreau.  Franklin made his debut as a leader with 1972's The Skipper, next up in Real Gone's Black Jazz series.  Franklin was joined on the album by a horn section consisting of trumpeter/flugelhornist Oscar Brashear (Count Basie, Earth Wind & Fire, Quincy Jones) and tenor and soprano saxophonist Charles Owens (Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, John Mayall) plus electric pianist Bill Henderson of the Masekela band and drummer Michael Carvin (Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Hartman).  Franklin penned most of the album, with Henderson contributing the title track.  With a sound veering from pop-inflected to funk-infused and a number of epic-length tunes, The Skipper is one of Black Jazz's strongest entries.  It arrives from Real Gone on CD, standard black vinyl available everywhere, and clear with black splatter vinyl available exclusively through the label and limited to 200 copies.  Features remastering by Mike Milchner and liner notes by Pat Thomas.