Home » Jazz Musicians » Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). "It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin "Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house.

At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's drum set and would watch him practice, intensely. Whenever his father took a break, he would crawl over and press the foot pedals and attempt to emulate his dad. That experience, and banging on pots and pans, was the extent of his playing until he began formal training at the age of three.

Today, Marvin "Smitty" Smith is a young musician extraordinaire whose work has been described as a "comment on invention, firm and adventurous time and technical sufficiency." He has traveled extensively throughout the Orient, Europe, and the continental USA; and he has shared the stage with such greats as Sonny Rollins, Hank Jones, Frank Foster and Frank Wess, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, and Milt Jackson. He is a former member of the Ron Carter Quartet, The New York Jazz Quartet, and The Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet.

Featured on more than 45 albums, additional performances and recordings augmented with Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison, Ray Brown and Phineas Newborn, George Shearing, Bobby Watson, Hamiet Bluiett, Branford Marsalis, David Murray, Emily Remler, Peter Leicht, Kevin Eubanks, Donald Byrd, Monty Alexander, Diane Reeves, Michel Camilo, and Grover Washington Jr. Currently he's a member of Steve Coleman's Five Elements, and The Dave Holland Quartet. Smitty conducts seminars and clinics for students in jazz workshops, both in the United States and Europe; and is currently on staff of jazz program at the Banff Centre of Fine Arts, Canada, and Drummers Collective, New York City.

Smitty has been Downbeat Critics' Poll winner for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, 1985 through 1987, and 1989. Smitty performed on the Soundtrack of filmmaker Spike Lee's "School Daze", appeared in Sonny Rollins' music video "Saxophone Colossus", and a member of Sting's "Nothing Like the Sun" South American tour, 1987. Regarded as a well rounded musician with the ability to play all styles, Marvin "Smitty" Smith is a blossoming composer and arranger, and his success has earned him two albums as a bandleader. As a versatile drummer, there seems to be nothing be cannot do.

Read more

Tags

11
Album Review

Orrin Evans: The Red Door

Read "The Red Door" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


A most generous craftsman, composer and bandleader, pianist Orrin Evans never fails to bring out the best of whoever he chooses to create with. The Red Door is gratefully, and gracefully, no exception to that rule. Whatever musical setting Evans chooses to practice his sinewy, r'n'b inflected post-bop in--sideman, big band, trio, quartet, duo, whatever--a sweet animation propels his music and buoys the players gathered around him. In this case the two core units feature bass legend Buster Williams, ...

7
Album Review

Orrin Evans: The Red Door

Read "The Red Door" reviewed by Dave Linn


Orrin Evans released his debut album for quintet, “Justin Time," in 1996, at the age of 21. Over the next 25 years, Evans released over 20 albums in all shapes and sizes. From trio to standard ensembles to large bands and big bands, Evans' history included a ten-year stint as a member of the Mingus Big Band, leading to his formation of the Grammy-nominated Captain Black Big Band in 2009. Additionally, when pianist Ethan Iverson (who wrote the liner notes ...

34
Album Review

Delfeayo Marsalis Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Uptown on Mardi Gras Day

Read "Uptown on Mardi Gras Day" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Even though New Orleans' lively and colorful holiday festival is the focal point of trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis' Uptown Jazz Orchestra's latest recording, this is an album that can be heard and appreciated at any time of the year, as there is never a day when pleasure and happiness aren't in style. Delfeayo, a member of the multi-talented Marsalis family from New Orleans that includes brothers Branford (who is a guest artist on two tracks), trumpeter Wynton and ...

11
Album Review

Will Lyle: L.A. Source Codes

Read "L.A. Source Codes" reviewed by Kyle Simpler


For computer programmers, a source code is a piece of computer language, which they are able to read and transfer and put to use in a practical way. With his debut album, L.A. Source Codes, bassist Will Lyle makes a connection between this concept and jazz. As with computer programming, jazz has its own language, and learning the language of jazz can be somewhat challenging. A skilled player, however, can take musical “source codes," such as chords, scales and arpeggios, ...

8
Album Review

The Jazz All Stars: The Jazz All Stars Volume 1

Read "The Jazz All Stars Volume 1" reviewed by Jim Worsley


The gigless times of 2020--the year of the Covid-19 pandemic--could have brought musicians and the industry to their collective knees, gasping for air. Instead, it resulted in more new music than ever before. It filled our lungs with fresh air. It filled our hearts and souls, not to mention our ears. New businesses opening, defying the odds and pursuing their dreams, is a relevant factor. Le Coq Records, emerging in 2020, boldly presents an all-star ensemble—featuring many of ...

286
Album Review

Benny Golson Quintet: That's Funky

Read "That's Funky" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Looking back past the rule of Parliament to the age of Horace Silver, Benny Golson’s That's Funky pays tribute to Louis Armstrong through two renditions of his popular favorite “Mack the Knife." While the opening “funky version" starts off a bit sluggish and includes some pinched soloing by Nat Adderley, Monty Alexander’s firm comps make it swing and Golson’s smooth lines give it at least three pennies worth of class. On the “modern bebop version," Adderley’s lines are much more ...

378
Album Review

Benny Golson Funky Quintet: That​’​s Funky

Read "That​’​s Funky" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Part 1: Way Back When. I had a colleague that always insisted that the Creedence Clearwater Revival’s recording Green River sounded better on vinyl than remastered for compact disc. I compared the two and I found this to be true, but probably not for any sonic reasons. Analog recordings are almost always warmer and rounder than their digital counterparts. There is something about that slightly “muddy” sound (and if you are wondering what I mean by that, listen to the ...

Read more articles
1

Recording

Perfection: Jimmy Smith - 'Too Old to Dream'

Perfection: Jimmy Smith - 'Too Old to Dream'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

In April 1960, organist Jimmy Smith joined forces with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and recorded Back at the Chicken Shack for Blue Note. One of the tracks was “When I Grow Too Old to Dream," by Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg. The song was introduced in The Night Is Young (1935) and was given a gospel-soul shove on the 1963 album by Smith, Turrentine and Donald Bailey on drums. (Guitarist Kenny Burrell appears on two tracks but not this one.) ...

TV / Film

Doc: The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith

Doc: The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

From 1957 to 1965, photographer W Eugene Smith lived in loft space at 821 Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. Smith had already established himself as a pioneer of the journalistic photo essay—a collection of images that told a story in magazines, most notably Life. Before the rise of the documentary in the early 1960s with the advent of the portable shoulder camera, Smith's photo montages served the same purpose in still images. In 1957, Smith left his wife and four children ...

Video / DVD

Paul Smith: Swinging Elegance

Paul Smith: Swinging Elegance

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

In the late 1940s and 1950s, few pianists moved as effortlessly and deftly between jazz and pop as pianist Paul Smith. Instrumental pop, as a genre, came into its own after 1948, with the advent of the 10-inch LP. Pop back then still had plenty of swing but was really jazz-light—easy-going music that had a bit of a kick but didn't venture too far off a familiar song's melody.  Pop as a lucrative record-company division emerged then when record buyers ...

3

Performance / Tour

Legendary Trumpeter/Composer Wadada Leo Smith To Premiere His Monumental New Work, America Transformed, At Brooklyn College From Sept. 8–11

Legendary Trumpeter/Composer Wadada Leo Smith To Premiere His Monumental New Work, America Transformed, At Brooklyn College From Sept. 8–11

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

At 81 years of age, Wadada Leo Smith is deep in the midst of the most creative and prolific period of an already formidable career. On the heels of a yearlong 80th birthday celebration that featured a number of dazzling performances along with several large-scale releases, the visionary composer and trumpeter will premiere his most monumental work to date. From September 8 to 11 at Brooklyn College’s Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts, Smith will present the ...

1

Recording

Sun Ra Arkestra Veteran Drummer Wayne Smith, Jr. Releases 'Be Still,' A Powerful Venture In Emotion And Tranquility

Sun Ra Arkestra Veteran Drummer Wayne Smith, Jr. Releases 'Be Still,' A Powerful Venture In Emotion And Tranquility

Source: Outside in Music

Wayne Smith Jr. is a drummer, composer, and educator with a multifaceted palette of soundscapes and genres at his disposal. Having toured across three continents, performed throughout the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. music scenes, and currently working as a staple member of the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra, Smith’s accolades rightly herald his abilities as a master craftsman of the drum set. Described as an “inventive drummer who displays an in-depth musical consciousness,” and who is “willing to embrace ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!

Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!

Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!

Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!

Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!

Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father\'s ...

"As important as his versatility, swing, and ability to interpret and interact, is the actual sound or timbre of his drums— Smitty has a true, resonant, musical quality that continues the lineage of Dodds, Catlett, Clarke, Roach and the Joneses (Elvin and Philly Joe)." —Peter Leitch

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Uptown on Mardi Gras...

Troubadour Jass
2023

buy

The Red Door

Smoke Sessions Records
2023

buy

The Stars of Jazz #2

Arkadia Records
2022

buy

The Jazz All Stars...

Le Coq Records
2021

buy

L.A. Source Codes

Self Produced
2021

buy

That's Funky

Arkadia Records
2021

buy

Weezy

From: The Red Door
By Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Uptown on Mardi Gras Day

From: Uptown on Mardi Gras Day
By Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Forasteira

From: L.A. Source Codes
By Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Videos

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.