Daggerboard

In the nautical realm, the daggerboard is an essential tool that provides a sailboat with stability and navigability. In world of jazz, Daggerboard refers to the prolific collaboration between Erik Jekabson, the Berkeley-bred trumpeter, composer, and arranger who’s been at the center of the Bay Area jazz scene for the past two decades, and Gregory Howe, the composer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder/owner of Wide Hive Records.

Daggerboard: The Skipper and Mike Clark adds a fiercely grooving, orchestrationally lush new chapter to the ongoing partnership by showcasing the dynamic rhythm section tandem of bassist Henry “The Skipper” Franklin and drummer Mike Clark, two musicians who’ve etched their names in history.

While Clark’s beats on Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters albums Thrustand Flood changed the course of funk, he is at heart a post-bop swinger, an idiom he elevated on 2025’s Itai Doshin and 2023’s Koshin Ruso, critically hailed Wide Hive albums that both feature Franklin. The Skipper is a jazz giant whose stature has sometimes been obscured by his West Coast residence. He’s best known for long stints with two legendary trumpeters, Freddie Hubbard and Hugh Masakela (including the South African bandleader’s 1968 chart-topping hit “Grazing in the Grass”), and his contributions to several seminal albums on the Black Jazz label.

Franklin made his Wide Hive debut on 2022’s Daggerboard & The Skipper. Clark and Franklin forged a close connection back in the 1990s when the drummer divided his time between New York and Los Angeles for several years to deal with family affairs. They connected through pianist Theo Saunders, and immediately struck up a tight bond. “We always could right away play together without saying anything,” Clark says. “I love Skipper. He’s a very close friend and a deep musician. His time is so strong.”

For Howe, who has made it a mission to record veteran jazz masters, the sixth Daggerboard project fits snugly into his overall concept, which involves designing alluring material with Jekabson for a specific cast of artists. He notes that the daggerboard “is part of the boat that lets you fight against the current, go upstream,” and these players generate a powerful wake. The session also features percussionist Babatunde Lea, known for his work with Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, and Mark Murphy, guitarist Dave Mac Nab, and pianist Matt Clark. Dillon Vado contributes vibes on two tracks and saxophonist Dave Ellis plays on three pieces. The Daggerboard charts often draw on the ingenious orchestral palette of Gil Evans.

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