#marvin smitty smith

[musicollage]

Dave Holland Quartet – Extensions. 1990 :  ECM 1410.

[jazzdailyblog]

Love Remains: An Unwavering Testament to Bobby Watson's Jazz Artistry

Introduction: In the realm of jazz, where the ephemeral meets the eternal, Bobby Watson’s album “Love Remains” stands as a profound testament to the resilience and evolution of hard bop. Released in 1987 and recorded on November 13, 1986, at the Manhattan Recording Company in New York City, this album is a remarkable entry in Watson’s discography. With a total length of 45:18, the album features…

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #311 - Emily Remler, East To Wes, 1988

Il filo che lega le storie di musica di Febbraio me lo ha dato la radio: qualche giorno fa in un programma mattutino di Virgin Radio, alla domanda della presentatrice "cosa vorresti fare per diventare famoso?" una ascoltatrice ha risposto "vorrei diventare una virtuosa della chitarra, perchè non ve ne sono di famose". La presentatrice ha ribattuto che non era affatto vero, ma l'unico nome che le venne in mente al momento è quello di Sister Rosetta Tharpe, cantante e chitarrista statunitense, pioniera della musica gospel e conosciuta anche con il nomignolo di Madrina del Rock'n'Roll: sulle qualità storiche e tecniche di Rosetta Tharpe niente da dire, ma non è tra i primi nomi che vengono in mente pensando alla chitarra rock in generale. Il mio spirito da piccolo filologo musicale tende a dire che l'ascoltatrice avesse ragione, cioè che vi sono pochissime chitarriste famose, che allo stesso tempo non vuol dire che non vi siano state straordinarie chitarriste nella storia della musica. Per questo, ricordando che in questa rubrica già si è parlato di chitarriste (la sublime Joni Mitchell, le Runaways di Joan Jett e Lita Ford tra le altre), le storie di musica di questo mese verteranno su grandiose chitarriste.

Per iniziare ho scelto una storia emblematica di uno dei problemi di essere musiciste in un mondo, quello della musica pop, che è sempre stato per lo più maschilista: "Così tanti leader di gruppi mi hanno detto in faccia che non potevano assumermi perché ero una donna", lo diceva, in una intervista al magazine People nel 1982 una grandiosa musicista, Emily Remler. Originaria del New Jersey, la sua vita cambia quando ha 10 anni: al fratello maggiore venne regalata una chitarra, una Gibson Es 330 rossa, che Emily ogni tanto strimpellava. Si capì subito che riusciva a memorizzare i suoni e le veniva naturale suonarla, tanto che anni dopo fu ammessa al prestigioso Berklee College of Music di Boston, che è la scuola di musica più grande del mondo, i cui illustri ex alunni hanno vinto oltre 300 Grammy Awards. Si diploma a 18 anni, si appassiona al jazz e inizia a suonare nei locali. Nel 1978 va a New Orleans, dà lezioni, suona in pubblico in ogni occasione che trova, si mette deliberatamente in situazioni che la spingono a dare il massimo e a migliorarsi. Fa di tutto per incontrare quanti più musicisti può. Tra questi, nel 1978, incrocia Herb Ellis, che diventerà il suo mentore (gli dedicherà un bellissimo brano, di chitarra solo, di cui parlerò tra poco). Grazie a lui inizia ad essere una richiestissima sessionista, pubblica il primo disco da solista, Firefly del 1981 (in copertina una sua splendida foto con la chitarra rossa del fratello, strumento che non abbandonerà mai), partecipa alle musiche di un grande musical, Sophisticated Ladies, con le musiche di Duke Ellington e tra le cose più belle che vive c'è la sua partecipazione ai tour di Astrud Gilberto che le aprono le porte delle musiche sudamericane e caraibiche. Nel 1981 sposa il pianista Monty Alexander, con il quale farà un favoloso tour insieme prima di divorziare nel 1984. Remler è una grandiosa musicista, con un senso innato del tempo e della ritmica, e ha un carattere forte e lucido: nella stessa intervista a People disse "Posso sembrare una ragazzina carina del New Jersey. Ma dentro sono un uomo nero ben piazzato di 50 anni con un gran pollice, come Wes Montgomery».

E proprio il grande chitarrista di Indianapolis è il faro della musica di Emily. Gli dedica questo disco, del 1988, suonando insieme a tre colossi colossi, Hank Jones al piano (uno dei grandi pianisti del jazz, e passato alla storia anche perchè suonava lui il piano di accompagnamento quando Marylin Monroe cantò Happy Birthday Mr President nel 1962 a JFK), Buster Williams al contrabasso (che suonò nel gruppo di Herbie Hancock e nel gruppo Sphere specializzato nelle musiche di Thelonious Monk) e Marvin "Smitty" Smith, come lei allievo della Berklee e batterista per grandi musicisti, nonchè batterista della band dello show di Jay Leno per 14 anni. East To Wes è un tributo atipico, perchè Remler non riprende in toto brani famosi di Montgomery, ma ne sceglie alcuni che suona "come li avrebbe suonati lui", con la famosa maestria del suo pollice: leggenda vuole che Montgomery, che di giorno lavorava in fabbrica e la sera imparava a suonare la chitarra, per non disturbare moglie e vicini non suonava con il plettro, ma con il pollice, una delle caratteristiche che resero il suo suono unico e distinguibile per sempre.

Nel disco prodotto da Carl Jefferson, fondatore della Concord Records che era specializzata in famose chitarre jazz, Remler sceglie un repertorio memorabile, composto da standard e da tre sue composizioni. Tra gli standard, riprese spettacolari di Hot House di Tad Cameron (è stata la prima chitarrista a proporre il brano per chitarra jazz), uno dei picchi dell'era be-bop, Daahoud di Clifford Brown (una delle grandi promesse del jazz, morto nel 1956 in un incidente stradale a soli 25 anni), Snowfall, uno dei più grandi standard del jazz, scritta nel 1941 da Claude Thornhill e una ripresa di Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise dal musical New Moon di Sigmund Romberg (musiche) e Oscar Hammerstein II (testo). C'è anche una versione strumentale di Sweet Georgie Fame di Blossom Dearie, che nella sua versione originale aveva il testo scritto da Sandra Harris, e la canzone è una dedica alla cantante jazz inglese Georgie Fame, una canzone scritta da donne per una donna. Tra le proprie composizioni, tre gemme: Blues For Herb, dedicata all'amicizia con Herb Harris suo mentore, una Ballad For A Music Box e la canzone, delicato e sentito omaggio al suo mito, East To Wes. Il disco è un gioiello, consacrato anche dalla critica, uno degli apici creativi del talento di Remler.

Un talento che si è sempre scontrato con un grave problema: la sua dipendenza dall'eroina. Dipendenza che fu la causa, drammatica, di un attacco di cuore mentre era in tour in Australia nel 1990 che si porta via un talento della chitarra jazz a soli 32 anni. Una chitarrista fenomenale, che amava dire: Quando suono, non so se sono una ragazza, o un ragazzo, un cane, un gatto o altro. Sto solo suonando. Quando scendo dal palco, è lì che la gente mi ricorda che sono una donna.

[projazznet]

Steve Coleman And Five Elements – Black Science

Black Science is an album by saxophonist Steve Coleman and his band Five Elements, recorded in 1990 and released on the Novus label.

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states: “Altoist Steve Coleman’s CD is recommended as a good example of his music. The improvisations are dynamic, unpredictable, and quite original… Coleman, who wrote all but one of the originals, is the dominant force behind this often-disturbing but generally stimulating music”.

Steve Coleman – alto saxophone James Weidman – piano, keyboards David Gilmore – guitar Reggie Washington – bass guitar Marvin “Smitty” Smith – drums Cassandra Wilson – vocals Dave Holland – double bass Dave Mills – voice Najma Akhtar – vocals

[baglsasha]

The Marvin Smitty smith drum ritual (over foot pattern in 3) is my personal hell and if I don't have it down in the next month I fail a class

[darylelockhart]

The first time I heard this piece, I was 18 years old. It was 1988. I discovered Geri Allen through her work on Steve Coleman and FIve Elements (an incredible ensemble of musicians that, in addition to Allen and bandleader Steve Coleman (sax), featured DK Dyson, Cassandra Wilson, Kevin Bruce Harris, Graham Haynes, Marvin "Smitty" Smith and Greg Osby) and I quickly discovered that what she was doing was bigger than the M-Base ("macro-basic array of structured extemporization") sound that Coleman was doing, and that she was speaking my musical language.

This entire album opened my eyes in a very real way. I am obsessed with musical articulation. What is the musical piece saying, and is it saying it clearly?

Today would have been Geri Allen's 66th birthday. Maybe someone will hear her music today and have their world changed.

[sonicziggy]

"Moanin' - Radio version" by Arkadia Jazz All-Stars, Benny Golson, Nat Adderley, Monty Alexander, Ray Drummond, Marvin 'Smitty' Smith https://ift.tt/kDXaFVH

[theloniousbach]

COUCH TOUR: THE ORRIN EVANS ALL-STAR QUINTET (with Nicholas Payton, Gary Thomas, Robert Hurst, and Marvin Smitty Smith), SMOKE JAZZ CLUB, 10 DECEMBER 2022, 2nd Set

I got to know ORRIN EVANS through St Louis favorites The Bad Plus. Indeed, they debuted TBP 2.0 here. That’s a worthy starting place, but there’s much more to his playing, before, during, and since, and I’ve sought it out. He’s led his Captain Black’s Big Band (9ish pieces) at Smoke’s, accompanying at least one singer (Jazzmeia Horn), in a trio, and as a sideman.

I found this iteration particularly revelatory about Evans’ music. I suppose I’ve previously thought he was covered up by horns in CB’sBB, but here I thought they showed his arranging and underscored an oomph to his playing to communicate through them. And this is a robust band all around.

Now I was fully onboard when I recognized the first tune as The Red Door which has an infectious riff and some serious mischief in the breakdown in the TBP versions. There the riff comes back solely from Evans with Reid Anderson’s bass, but here it was all Evans with Robert Hurst’s low end help being insistent through the horns and Marvin Smitty Smith’s busyness from the kit. It’s a wonderful tune and this version opened up lots of possibilities, including the ways Nicholas Payton’s trumpet first than Gary Thomas’ tenor added to the melody and then played against it.

They also did Boffadem which he brought into TBP. Here it was a gentle closer with Evans in conversation with Thomas’ flute. It’s not quite as recognizable as The Red Door, but it too was appealing and more melodic.

The second tune was presumably also by Evans and it grew from low end figures from the piano which caught Hurst’s attention becoming a riffy groove on which the horns and Thomas’ solo took turned into an appealing melody. The rest of the middle of the set featured a Hurst tune with a rich low end of course and a gospel-ly Messenger in the Sky from Smith who was generally a dynamo behind the band. Active but tasteful.

There was a brashness to the Payton/Thomas section work that gave way to solos that were, by comparison, thoughtful and tasty without giving up any power. In many ways, they made the distinctive contribution to new insights into Evans’ music, the baby bear just right point (for today) between the big band and the trio.

Having seen Victor Gould the previous two nights, I had likened him to Evans, an important, intelligent musician who, Red Door not withstanding, worked more tersely. He’s a fine soloist and he can hold one’s attention in a trio, but I now think of him as a leader/composer/arranger like Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock (which, until this moment, I hadn’t thought of them in the same synapse, but maybe I should) whose expression includes horns.

To be able to hear an old favorite afresh is one of the delights of my musical process.

[elephantsndapark]

TICKETS FOR LIVE JAZZ STREAM AVAILABLE NOW!

TICKETS FOR LIVE JAZZ STREAM AVAILABLE NOW!

JAZZ PANEL ~ MUSIC- FUN CHATS BILLY HIGGINS BIRTHDAY/FOUNDERS CELEBRATION NOVEMBER 29th 7:00pm The World Stage Los Angeles, California 90008 Music guests appearing Marvin “Smitty” Smith Sextet… Marvin Smith leader/drums, Chris Lowery Trumpet, Adam Ledbetter piano, Edwin Livingston Bass, Alto sax Dale Fielder, Ralph Moore tenor sax.. Jazz presenter /producer Todd Barkan. Join Robert “the…

[onett199x]

Emily Remler | East To Wes

This was the last album released by jazz guitarist Emily Remler, featuring pianist Hank Jones, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith, which is an absolutely killer lineup.  It’s my first experience with Emily Remler, but I was immediately impressed.  Her sound is classic 50s-60s guitar all the way (if you can’t tell from the name, her major influence was Wes Montgomery), but she brings an incredible energy and creativity to her arrangements that make them arresting and highly enjoyable to listen to.  I loved her original tune Blues For Herb, and her recording of Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise is in my top 3 versions of that tune (next to maybe Larry Young and Bobby Darin).  A fantastic album for jazz guitar fans, but also just for folks who like swinging, energetic jazz music.

[diyeipetea]

"Wights Waits For Weights" [Steve Coleman Group Motherland Pulse (JMT, 1985)] Por Pachi Tapiz. JazzX5 #499 [Minipodcast de jazz]

“Wights Waits For Weights” [Steve Coleman Group Motherland Pulse (JMT, 1985)] Por Pachi Tapiz. JazzX5 #499 [Minipodcast de jazz]

“Wights Waits For Weights”  Steve Coleman Group Motherland Pulse (JMT, 1985) Steve Coleman, Geri Allen, Lonnie Plaxico, Marvin “Smitty” Smith. El tema es composición de Steve Coleman. ¿Sabías que? En Motherland Pulse el grupo central fue el cuarteto formado por Steve Coleman, Geri Allen, Lonnie Plaxico y Marvin “Smitty” Smith, aunque puntualmente colaboraron Cassandra Wilson, Graham Haynes y…

[duke-span]

Marvin Smitty Smith & Duke Span

[freenewstoday]

New Post has been published on https://freenews.today/2021/01/05/alabama-receiver-smith-wins-heisman-trophy/

Alabama receiver Smith wins Heisman Trophy

For nearly three decades, wide receivers failed to win the Heisman Trophy. That ended on Tuesday night when Alabama senior DeVonta Smith was presented the award during a virtual ceremony on Tuesday night.

Smith became the third player from Alabama to claim college football’s most prestigious award, and the first receiver to win it since Michigan‘s Desmond Howard in 1991. Smith beat out three other finalists, all of whom were quarterbacks: Alabama’s Mac Jones, Clemson‘s Trevor Lawrence and Florida‘s Kyle Trask.

Smith won the award with 1,856 points. Lawrence was second (1,187), Jones was third (1,130) and Trask was fourth (737).

Smith called the award a blessing, thanking his parents, coaches and teammates during a short speech at Alabama’s football facility. Wearing a sharp burgundy blazer and bow tie, he spoke about the power of self-belief, reflecting on coming from the small town of Amite, Louisiana, and how he was doubted because of his size.

Player 1st Total DeVonta Smith, Alabama 447 1,856 Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 222 1,187 Mac Jones, Alabama 138 1,130 Kyle Trask, Florida 61 737

Despite standing a slight 6-foot-1 and weighing 175 pounds, Smith became the best wide receiver and the most accomplished player in college football. He leads the FBS in receptions (105), receiving yards (1,641) and receiving touchdowns (20). He’s dropped only two passes all season long.

And like the previous receiver to win the Heisman, Smith is more than just a pass-catcher. He rushed for one touchdown and returned a punt for another score this season. Along the way, he set an SEC record for career touchdowns and an Alabama record for career receiving yards.

Last week, Smith was named The Associated Press Player of the Year, becoming the first receiver to win the award.

Not bad for a skinny kid from Tangipahoa Parish, who in high school would drop to the floor and do pushups whenever he saw his reflection because he thought he was too small to play college football.

“Tay-Tay,” as he’s known back home, got stronger but remained a relative featherweight compared to other big-bodied receivers. Because of his slight build, strong hands and skill as a route runner, he’d draw comparisons to former Indianapolis Colts great Marvin Harrison.

At Alabama, coaches and players would call him simply “Smitty.” But he also picked up the nickname of the “Slim Reaper” along the way.

During his Heisman acceptance speech, Smith took a moment to address kids like him.

“To all the young kids out there that’s not the biggest, not the strongest, just keep pushing because I’m not the biggest,” he said. “I’ve been doubted a lot just because of my size. Really, it just comes down to you put your mind to it, you can do it. No job is too big.”

As a freshman, Smith achieved national recognition when he caught the game-winning pass in overtime of the 2018 College Football Playoff title game against Georgia. The iconic play — known forever as “2nd-and-26” — could have defined his career, but the reserved Smith shied away from reliving it whenever it was brought up. As he’d say later, “I don’t too much care about the catch no more. It’s a new year. We’re moving on.”

DeVonta Smith leads the FBS in receptions (105), receiving yards (1,641) and receiving touchdowns (20). He’s dropped only two passes all season long. UA Athletics/Collegiate Images/Getty Images

However, as a sophomore, injuries would hamper his development and he was largely overshadowed by the emergence of teammates and fellow star receivers Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle. Even after scoring 14 touchdowns as a junior, Smith managed to fly under the radar.

But this season changed all that. Jeudy and Ruggs departed for the NFL, and Waddle, who was one of the most dynamic playmakers in college football, was lost to an ankle injury four games into the season.

Smith wasn’t even on the Heisman odds board at Caesars Sportsbook until after Waddle was injured in late October, where he was posted at 60-1. But with Waddle sidelined, Smith became the focal point of the passing game, and excelled in the spotlight.

A week after Waddle’s injury, Smith scored four touchdowns in a win over Mississippi State. He’d score a pair of touchdowns in each of the next two games against Kentucky and Auburn, before returning home to Louisiana and scoring three times against LSU.

Smith has excelled in postseason play, finding the end zone twice against Florida in the SEC championship game and three more times against Notre Dame during the CFP semifinal at The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One.

After the top-ranked Crimson Tide beating the Fighting Irish to advance to the CFP title game, Alabama coach Nick Saban called Smith a “talented guy” and a “hard worker.”

“He does everything exactly right,” Saban said. “He has a great understanding of what he needs to do to make plays, and he makes them every chance he gets. So we’re very fortunate to have him.”

2 Related

Saban, who is not prone to make comparisons, said that Smith has done “as much this year for our team as any player that we’ve ever had.”

Jones, who threw for 4,036 yards and 36 touchdowns this season, called Smith “the most electric player in college football.”

ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. lists Smith as the fourth-best player on his Big Board, and the No. 1-rated wide receiver.

“He means the most to us here at Alabama,” Jones said. “You can watch the games and see that, what type of person he is with how he plays. I’ve been real excited just to be able to get him the ball this year. He came back to try and win a national championship and improve his draft [stock], and I feel like he’s done exactly that because he’s just gotten open and made explosive plays.”

A reserved and often shy speaker, Smith said he never imagined that he’d win the Heisman. Friends and teammates would bring it up and he’d brush it off as a possibility. If anything, he said he felt relieved that it was over.

Smith’s acceptance speech was just under two minutes, and he spent much of it thanking others, whether it was his parents; mentor Vince Sanders; Saban; his position coach, Holmon Wiggins; or athletic trainer Jeff Allen. He even thanked athletic director Greg Byrne and Alabama president Stuart Bell.

“Thank my teammates,” Smith said. “With team success comes individual success. So without y’all, I wouldn’t be where I am today, winning this award.”

Heisman Trophy in hand, the only thing left to do now is for Smith to end his career the way it began: by competing for a national championship.

Smith is 1-1 in championship games in his career, and on Monday he’ll look to break that tie with a victory against Ohio State in the CFP title game.

“The two main reasons I came back was to get my degree and win a national championship,” he said. “I checked one box and I’m trying to check the other now.”

Source

[ernest-engelmann]

Marvin "Smitty" Smith & The Buddy Rich Big Band: Drum Solo - Good News

[projazznet]

Emily Remler ‎– Retrospective Volume One: Standards

“This is the first of two CDs issued by Concord Jazz compiling some of the best tracks from Emily Remler’s sessions for that label. Cut short at a far too early age by a heart condition while touring in Australia, Remler had all the talent necessary to carve herself a niche in the jazz world as a premier jazz guitar interpreter and performer. Retrospective, Vol. 1 is probably the superior of the two volumes, as it includes, among other gems, an enticing unaccompanied rendition of “Afro Blue.” Remler had the ability to be expressively warm with a romantic ballad, as on “In a Sentimental Mood,” but she excelled on tunes that allowed her to bring out her hard bop credentials, especially in the company of similarly tough-minded rhythm sections. She displays those credentials on several tracks, such as “Hot House” and “Daahoud,” where she is joined by the inestimable Hank Jones on piano and Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums. “Del Sasser” is the sole representative from that intriguing album she made with trumpet player John D’earth. On this cut, D’earth plays muted trumpet under a clean, straight-lined Remler guitar with a rather unusual scrimpy, but pleasing, sound as the result. Indeed an appropriate testimonial to a fine guitarist, this album is recommended for those who want an overview of the work by Remler without having to buy all the albums from whence the selections came.” – Dave Nathan/AllMusic

[trevorbarre]

Ronnie Scott’s Club on Film, Part One

I intended to watch the premiere of the new film by director Oliver Murray, just called Ronnie’s, last Friday, but postponed it because my wife wanted to get out of the house to the pub for a bit, after a week of working at home. So I’m going to the Kings Cross Everyman the day after tomorrow to see what sounds like a trip down memory land, back to the Soho of 1959 and beyond, and the time when the area was relatively cheap for musicians to play and live in, and still had a sense of decadence and risk for the average punter, whether from the London suburbs or their provincial equivalents. As we slowly move towards winter lockdown measures, it’s become a real treat to go to the cinema, even more so when this can be combined with access to music outside of the home environment, even if its only on celluloid.

I read John Fordham’s biography of Scott, entitled Jazz Man, many years ago (it was originally called Let’s Join Hands and Join the Living, one of his favourite taunts, designed to galvanise a torpid audience.) He can be said to have lived a proper ‘jazz life’, with plenty of sex and drugs, as well as bouts of depression and mental health issues. His death at the age of 69 was caused by an accidental overdose of barbiturates, but his life had already been shattered by botched dentistry which ruined his embouchure and prematurely ended his playing career. For a devoted player and a man prone to low moods, this was a mortal blow. He left, however, a world famous jazz club, one that he had created to stand alongside such New York immortals as The Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil’s and Birdland. To step into it is almost to step into a bygone era.

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club is notoriously expensive, and I have only been there (I think) on four occasions over the years. Even 30 years ago, one was lucky to get away with less than 50 quid a head, as, apart from the entrance fee and drinks, one was obliged to consume the very average food that the club served up. Still and all, it was a ‘special night out’ type of place, propped up in many ways by tourists and businessmen out to impress clients and/or mistresses. Money was always an issue, and the club needed a non-specialist audience in order to survive.

The gigs that I managed to attend were mostly in the early 1990s. The first was a Cedar Walton quartet, with tenor saxophonist Jean Toussaint, then just out of one of the latter day iterations of Art Blakey Jazz Messengers; I’m not sure why I stumped up to see Walton, as I was never particularly a fan, but I seem to remember that there were a lot of us there that night, so I can only assume that we were under some degree of peer pressure. I did take to the place immediately though - it did feel like being in the center of things somehow. After that, there was a Dave Holland quartet, with Steve Coleman (then at the height of his M-Base hipness), Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith and guitarist Kevin Eubanks (they had just released Extensions on ECM Records.)  My time-eroded memories now only recall my being impressed with Eubanks and Smith, but much less with Coleman (everyone is entitled to an off night!). But the very best was to just around the corner.

To be continued.