Saxophonist born in New York, moved to Baltimore at an early age where he attended Jr. High and Douglass High School. During WWII he performed with the Army Band. In the 1940s he was instrumental in the early formation of Morgan State University’s Music Department. It was at Morgan where he formed the “be-bop” jazz group the Mo-Bops. Henry also played for Paul Bley and was a member of Tracy McCleary’s Royal Men of Rhythm – the house band at the Royal Theater. The group also played Carr’s Beach and Sparrow’s Beach.
Henry’s Aristocrats of Jazz performed nightly at Dowell’s on Pennsylvania Avenue in the early ‘50s. He also formed a Quartet in the mid-’50s featuring, Owen Pinkney (drums), Sam Dailey (piano), and Jeff Jefferson (bass). Pinkney went on to the All-Star Jazz Group. This line-up later played as the Owen Pinkney Quartet.
In the late ‘50s Henry had an opportunity with a traveling band that took him to Alaska and tours of the western states. By 1961 he returned to Baltimore and resumed playing local clubs while also appearing at concerts sponsored by the Left Bank Jazz Society. In order to supplement his income, Henry took a position as a salesman at Wigworld. Eventually with his wife they bought a beauty salon that was to become the first of the Mr. Baker’s chain. Henry later bought the Peyton Place Jazz Club on Pennsylvania Avenue. The club was destroyed during the riots of 1968.
The Jazz Five group was formed in the ‘70s with Baker (sax), Mack Rucks (trumpet ex-Soul Brothers), Hugh Walker (drums), Freddie Thaxton (piano), and Will Wilson.
Baker owned the jazz club called The Closet on West Franklin Street in the ‘80s.
