Henry Franklin, a jazz bassist, was born in 1940 to Sammy Franklin, a West Coast jazz trumpeter. Henry Franklin started his own career in high school playing in Roy Ayers’ Latin jazz quintet. This was the beginning of Franklin’s work with Willie Bobo, a Latin jazz percussionist and bandleader. Franklin also played with Archie Shepp while working with Bobo in New York. Franklin played later with Hugh Masekela. He appeared on the number one single “Grazing in the Grass” and the album Promise of a Future (1968). This was Franklin’s first official recording credit. It was also one of the best-selling jazz albums of 1968. His work with Masekela gave him more exposure. In June 1967, Franklin was part of the South African-born trumpeter’s band. Their appearance at the Monterey International Pop Festival was immortalized by the D.A. The documentary Monterey Pop was made by Pennebaker. Over the years, Franklin — also known as “the Skipper”, has recorded and played with Gene Harris.
