[Release Date: July 3rd, 2026] Bassist Henry Franklin's 1972 release for Black Jazz, The Skipper, is one of the highlights in a label catalog full of many, and his 1974 follow-up, The Skipper at Home ("The Skipper" is Franklin's nickname), lives up to it's predecessor's high standard and might even surpass it. Which is no surprise given that a lot of the same players are on it, including trumpeter/flugelhornist Oscar Brashear, tenor/soprano saxophonist Charles Owens, and pianist Bill Henderson (here billed as Kemang Sunduza). But The Skipper at Home also boasts ace talents like keyboardist Kirk Lightsey (memorably featured on the Roland Haynes Black Jazz release 2nd Wave), trombonist Al Hall, Jr. (who appeared on Black Jazz releases from Doug Carn, Chester Thompson, and Calvin Keys), and drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, who's played with everyone from Miles Davis to Joe Henderson.