Henry Grimes was one of greatest musicians in the last century – a bassist and deep listener who opened the door to his inner world every time he was on the bandstand.

He came out of the Philadelphia jazz scene that included a plethora of first generation bass players: Jimmy Garrison, Reggie Workman, Jymie Merritt, Percy Heath and Art Davis. Henry was right in the middle holding up his own, not missing a step with these giants. I was told by the drummer Sonny Murray that many bassists would come by Henry’s house in South Philly for lessons “because Henry Grimes knew his stuff”. He played with many of the more established musicians like Benny Goodman, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus and Thelonius Monk, to the new fire music of Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Frank Wright, Charles Tyler and Don Cherry, and to the looking-ahead-sounds of pianist Cecil Taylor. From what I heard on the recordings Henry could have been on all the Blue Note records that came out in the 1960s: he certainly had the credentials and creativity to do so. I personally feel there was something too real in his sound, the way he constructed bass lines always had a freedom that elevated the music into a different dimension. Perhaps a zone only the brave dare go.

Henry’s sound was thick – a resonant driving pulsating, pushing walking concept. Taking things to the edge, even in the beauty. Swinging and dancing a black sound. Always hearing differently, one could hear the earth, the soil, sweat and toil of the people in his sound. A sound laced in the blues and the purples: listen to Henry on the Archie Shepp album On This Night. The colours of the gospel of freedom, freedom of sound and speech, freedom of rhythm, freedom to dance inside and play textures; to drop one note and turn it into a sound. Sound of clouds, sound of thunder, singing out to write poems called bass lines and before the end of the day transforming back to space words and utterances walking in, filling the frame up with sound. Behind all of this is a love for music like no other. Deep intuition, listening, feeling and becoming one with a higher consciousness. Listen to Henry on the Don Cherry Record Where Is Brooklyn?, or just about anything that he recorded in the 1960s – it’s all brilliant. It all soars and roars, opening up the gates of heaven.

From the beginning to the end Henry Grimes loved music dearly. His story is huge. Some say he was missing in action between 1967–2003. I say he was not missing, we just didn’t know where he was. He was living his life as a human being. This is the other side music. When he returned on the scene in 2003 he came back with a different perspective. He was somehow able to tap directly into the source of music that was inside him. Henry was not hired to fill the role of a bass player; he was hired to be Henry. This is the ultimate accomplishment of a musician to be oneself and be respected for that. Henry returned and was able to travel around the world playing and living the musical life. This life, this was the blessing and gift to us all.

Thank God for the manifestation that was Henry Grimes.