In addition to his work with the Keith Franklin, trumpet player and composer Rob Henke serves as musical director of The Spirit of Life Ensemble. Rob has worked with a wide array of bands and characters, including Nick Didkovsky's Doctor Nerve, The Tours Soundpainting Orchestra, Gary Lucas, Phillip Johnston, Ray Barretto, The Walter Thompson Orchestra, and Diane Moser's Composer's Big Band.

He also regularly performs in Europe with the trio Tricycle, joined by Jody Espina and Rolf Sturm. The group most recently played music to films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin at the Savannah Jazz Festival.

He has written and performed sketch comedy at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater in New York City, and with The Lunatic Fringe in Montclair, NJ.

His recording, Footnotes, was funded and cited by the Aaron Copland Foundation.