Home » Jazz Articles » Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Jazz Articles about Marvin "Smitty" Smith
About Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Jacques Lesure: Jacques Lesure Live At Lavender Blue
by Jacob Sylvester
The release of Jacques Lesure Live At Lavender Blue CD stands as a vibrant testament to the artistry of jazz guitarist Jacques Lesure. This live recording captures the magic of his performances, showcasing his ability to lead an ensemble with both precision and soul. The album is a collection of ten tracks that highlight Lesure's technical skill and his deep connection to the jazz tradition. Throughout the project, he is joined by a stellar cast of musicians who bring their ...
Continue ReadingOrrin Evans: The Red Door
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, ...
Continue ReadingOrrin Evans: The Red Door
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 ...
Continue ReadingDelfeayo Marsalis Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Uptown on Mardi Gras Day
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 ...
Continue ReadingWill Lyle: L.A. Source Codes
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, ...
Continue ReadingThe Jazz All Stars: The Jazz All Stars Volume 1
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 ...
Continue ReadingBenny Golson Quintet: That's Funky
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 ...
Continue ReadingAlbum Showcase
Trending
Interview
Lou Marini: A Solo Career Starting At The Age Of 80
History of Jazz
John Coltrane in Detroit: A Brief History
Live Review
The Tension Is Where the Music Lives: Miles Davis at 100,...
Chats with Cats
Michael Ricci: Still Building a Home for Jazz
Radio & Podcasts
Sullivan Fortner, Jim Rotondi & Dena DeRose, Ardeshir,...
Reanimating Conversations Past
Charlie Haden: Anatomy of a Jazz Classic
Radio & Podcasts
Miki Yamanaka, Stefon Harris, Paul Yonemura, Amber Weeks...
Premium
VOTE!
