Henry Franklin Tribal Dance LP

We at Real Gone Music were so knocked out by The Skipper and The Skipper at Home, the two Black Jazz-label releases we put out from Henry Franklin, that we hunted down the rights to his next record, Tribal Dance, recorded in 1977 for the little-known Catalyst label. You will find many of the same players that made Franklin's two Black Jazz albums so intense and enjoyable, including saxophonist Charles Owens, trombonist Al Hall, Jr., and guitarist Kenneth Climax, along with West Coast jazz stalwarts like percussionist Sonship and pianist Dwight Dickerson. As the title indicates, Tribal Dance leans a little more spiritual, but without losing the pulsing drive of its predecessors (and how could it, with The Skipper at the helm on bass!). Never before reissued on vinyl, with original gatefold artwork intact and pressed at Gotta Groove Records where we made the Black Jazz reissues!

As the name and chest on the cover of the album reminds us, this is Franklin's show, and it's his bass that runs hot through all six tracks on this album. His playing has a subtle power as it finds ways in and between the rest of the players to push them all to reach beyond their abilities. That comes across in the squalling solos on 'Eric's Tune' by trumpeter Jerry Rush and saxophonist Charles Owens. Using Franklin's rubbery rhythm as a springboard, they leap above and beyond.