62 Years Around The Sun For Dr. Marvin Smith's Birthday Performance

It was over 42 years ago that we met as friends. Englewood NJ is where it all started happening in the world of Dr. Marvin Smith. Marvin's life represents music as a rainbow with all colors being painted on his musical drum canvass. The feeling behind all the musical statement is always compassion,love and caring for everyone he knows and for those he's never had a contact with and haven't been fortunate enough to ever meet him. You see, Dr. Marvin Smith is a genius. One of those very few people that you'll ever have the chance to "rub shoulders" with. Recognizing the genius qualities is easy when you open your heart to the reality of the musical statements that are played in a composer's heart. You've heard them before. John William Coltrane was one of them, so was leonard Bernstein,Elvin Jones,Max Roach,Charles Mingus,Duke Ellington,Monk,Charles Parker,Jimmy Garrison,Reggie Golson,Abbey Lincoln,Michael Jackson,John Lennon and so many more that we could fill up hundreds of pages up just mentioning all their names. I remember first meeting Marvin. I knew he was unique. He was his own unique self, a voice of truth. He was spiritual in everyway and he had no ego inspite of the fact that he could play any music inside and out and in every direction at the same time. Marvin had that special ability to read hearts. He knew what you were thinking when you played music with him. He projected an aura that spread for miles. You could feel his presence in the center of any song and he was always swinging hard, harder than most people because he was always in the reality of the moment. His music always projected life,moment to moment,breat to breathmheart-beat to heart-beat. The early years were important. I remember us traveling down to NYC every Monday evening and play music with Walter Bishop,Jr,George Coleman, Haasan Dawkins,Rodney Jones,Juan Quinonez,Willie Mack,Becky Friend,Buster Williams,Thurber Attenboro,Claude Bartee,Art Blakey,Jr., Koko Jones,Dougie Wilson,Chet Lee Marcus,Stephen Daniel James,George Mello,Nat Dixon,Reuben Wilson,Cecil McBee, Dane Mygan,Mickie Roker,Mickie Bass,Roland Kirk,Arnie Lawrence,Tonny Purrone,Bernard Pretty Purdy,Sal Giorgianni,Archie Shepp,Monk, Kenny "Doctone" Kirkland,so,so many that at age 65, my brain has finally decided to go in and out moment to moment and it can be difficult to even remember the names of some songs. The interesting thing is that although I sometimes forget the name of a song, I can always remember a melody and the bridge of a particular piece of music. Dr. Marvin Smith can create lyrics and place them to music on the spot. Yeah, I and so many of the rest of us can't always do that but the geniuses can. They have lived the music every moment of their life and the music is a statement of their life experience. We try and document things but few of us can say that we have recorded or been captured on well over 1300 videos alone. In February 2011, Dr. Marvin Smith was written about in Modern Drummer Magazine. For many people, this was the first time that they ever read anything about him. He devotes much of his time teaching young college students about music and the traditions that help identify music as an art-form that we all play called Jazz. One of his statements is, Life Has No Color", a statement about harmony with the black keys and the white kets of a piano coming together in different ways to create harmony. I wrote a song about this and Marvin,Cecil McBee,Kirk Lightsey along with Kevin Lager and James Finn performed for a week at Visiones in NYC during 1992 performing some of this music. A few new pieces of music have been created that represent my feelings about Marvin. One of them is called "Naked In The Truth". We recorded it in 2001 in a project we called The Melting Pot Drum Group. Some of the tunes are on the Internet but many are still unreleased. The all drum group at that time was created to make strong lyrical statements about the state of the world during a period of war about Oil and that war still exists and we just sent our troops home from Iraq, 10 years later, amazing, few things change and it all seems to revert back to the beginings. Today, December 31st,2011 marks the transition from 2011 into 2012. Life today is more complicated than it was any other time during my 65 trips around The Sun. I remember Sun Ra and all the experiences Marvin had with him. I remember John Coltrane and the Long Island home in Huntington, Dix Hills during 1964. I remember The Cottage Inn across from Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Elvin,John,Jimmy,Reggie Golson, Stephen Daniel James and all of us would eat there after all night Coltrane sessions. Elvin and Jimmy Garrision had a session under both their names that included Charles Davis,Prince Lasha,McCoy Tyner and a song called Nuttin. I remember John Coltranes Live At Birdland and sitting next to McCoy on the piano bench and Afro Blue was the song. I remember going to 57th St. in NYC with Stephen Daliel James and Reggie Golson and Trane was recording an album with Duke Ellington. Elvin said we would be hanging out with Sam Woodyard and him all night after the session. We often went down to The HalfNote on Hudson Street with Elvin and his wife Shirley at that time. The place is now a deli in 2011. Typical, this has happened to many Jazz spots from the past. Jazz history is important and Dr. Marvin Smith recognizes this and trys to give the young players some of those important memories he has of his life from the days when we all had the opportunity to "rub shoulders" with the masters. Marvin has a state of the art 48 track recording studio that he owns, along with a record label,Bumar Records and jazzdrumlessons.com,his music school. He also has a radio television network. Marvin has become a successful human being because he has ultimate joy everyday by giving away all his knowledge to students. Marvin also lifts other professional players' spirits whenever they have the opportunity to perform with him. Coltrane also lifted players to another level. Geniuses can do that. I can sit in the center of the music and be playing with Marvin and O can attest to the fact that I play on a much higher level when I am in the music with him. He draws everything out of you so nothing is ever held back. Elvin used to always tell me to "get to the shit anyway you can". He played as hard as he could everytime he played. Marvin does that now. Everytime he sits at the drums, it's like a last chance to make a statement. He takes life seriously and so the music that he plays is Truth and as he says all the time, "better than holywood" and I intentionally leave out the capitalization of hollywood. Dr. Marvin Smith celebrated his 62nd Birthday Thursday, December 29th and we were all there to hear him perform with Dr. Ron Petrides and Robert Kopec. Many of the people that came to honor him brought gifts of friendship love and respect. The best gift for Marvin was just having friends show up. Anyone that personally knows Marvin can tell you how real and giving a person that he is. He gives his own heart away to all the people. He is a beautiful Cat that deserves International honor and this year coming, 2012, will be the year that all of you that don't know him or have not had the chance to witness one of his performances, will be able to see him perform in many locations in NYC,San Francisco,Boston,London,Roma,and at many of the major festivals in your own geographical areas. You will also listen to and view many interviews with many people in his life and see videos of him with master players and students sitting in at sessions with the master players. Many photographs have also been taken and recently, at the Bull & Buddha where he celebrated his 62 times around the Sun on Dec. 29th, over 14o photos were taken of that celebration and are posted on his facebook page, his Marbib Radio Television and Bumar Records page. The music was the magic all night long as Abbey Lincoln always said and sang, "The Music Is The Magic Of The Universe". One person that responded to all the photos that were posted on facebook said, "I feel The Love". That's how beautifully described the event was. For those that couldn't be there, the music will be available soon. I will be adding to this article about Dr. Marvin Smith's life and celebration shortly. Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year for 2012. I hope all days are filled with love and peace because that's what it's all about. Love Always and Always Love, HABIB

Abbey Lincoln "You And I" (1983)

Abbey Lincoln "You And I" (1983)

Abbey Lincoln "Nature Boy" (1995)

Abbey Lincoln: The World Is Falling Down

Abbey Lincoln - People on the Street

Abbey Lincoln - Caged Bird

Abbey Lincoln - Down Here Below

Interview Abbey Lincoln (1998)

ABBEY LINCOLN - Throw It Away- A Turtle`s Dream 1994

Abbey Lincoln "Throw It Away" (1980)

Abbey Lincoln - Being Me.

Throw It Away : Abbey Lincoln (1930-2010)

Abbey Lincoln, "All people have magic."

Abbey Lincoln: The Music is the Magic ... a film preview

Abbey - A beautiful soul

abbey lincoln 4tet in bern

abbey lincoln 4tet in bern

abbey lincoln in fes part 3

abbey lincoln in marciac part 1

"Lonnie's Lament" | Ravi Coltrane Quartet

elvin jones 4 tet jazzsession

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY FRIEND ELVIN'S STRONG SPIRIT!

A Little Bit About Master Dr. Marvin Smith & Max Roach

Steve Habib This was taken outside Max's dressing room at The Blue Note in NYC. Max didn't like the idea of Marvin hanging around and he asked me to wait for him till his set was done. He didn't want Marvin to sit in. Max loved Marvin but he knew that Marvin always wanted to play. I remember when Art Blakey was nervous about Marvin hanging around The Village Gate. Still, whenever Marvin appeared at a club that he was performing at, all the Masters were in the audience checking it out. I remember when we had the hit at Visiones in 1992, all the Cats who weren't working were there every night. The place was packed and Marvin was performing with Cecil McBee and Kirk Lightsey in his new group, THE EXPERIENCE. These are real stories that none of you would know about unless I told you, because I was there, just like I was there at most of John Coltranes hits from VanGelder Studios to The Half Note on Hudson St., to Birdland, to The Village Vanguard, to the session Trane did on 57th St. with Duke Ellington and Duke wrote a song about Stephen Daniel James, his nephew, called "STEVIE". Elvin was there with us and Steve's mother, Ruth Ellington, Duke's sister. Yeah, there are so many stories. Benny Golson's son, Reggie Golson(RIP) was with us at all these sessions and we were always around Elvin, his wife at the time, Shirley Jones and Jimmy Garrison. We used to annoy the shit out of PEE WEE, the door man and maitre d at Birdland. We were at the LIVE AT BIRDLAND SESSION with Afro Blue, Alabama, The Promise etc. We were only young tennagers at that time and Alvin Queen, who was a few years younger than us, always sat on Elvin's lap when he was playing between sets. I have some photos to post and I will make them available as I locate them, especially some at John's Huntington Long Island home where I used to go on many occasions with Elvin, Jimmy,Reggie and Johnny DeFranco an old friend of Elvin & Shirley's. The memories go on and on and THE HOLIDAY TIME helps to fuel them. I am BLESSED to have my long time friend Dr. Marvin Smith still here now during Christmas 2011 going into New Years 2012 and that fact that this LIVING LEGEND is available to the general public with his performances and over 1200 documented videos of his performances is so beautiful. Marvin will be performing at The Bull & Buddha in Poughkeepsie, NY Thursday Dec. 22nd and for his 62nd Birthday Celebration on Dec. 29th. His life story goes on "MOMENT TO MOMENT" and "BREATH TO BREATH" just like his music and his teachings. Witnessing the lives of so many Masters from John Coltrane,Elvin,Jimmy,Reggie Golson,Art Blakey,Max,Freddie,Archie Shepp and so many more, have all been such gifts for me. My efforts to present more of Dr. Marvin Smith to the younger players that never had the chance to meet and get to know other Masters, is one of the MOST IMPORTANT things that I'm doing today, in 2011 and hopefully through 2012 and beyond. I will make everyday a day to make people more aware of Marvin's contribution to The Art-Form and his efforts to bring educational TRUTH about The Music's Traditions to the general public. Love Always and Always Love...........HABIB

Elvin Jones/Jimmy Garrison Sextet - Half and Half

I was at that Session at VanGelder's with Reggie Golson,Elvin & his wife Shirley,Johnny DeFranco,Jimmy Garrison,Stephen Daniel James,Prince Lasha, and McCoy. This was a joint effort of Elvin and Jimmy as they shared the leadership on this and EJ wrote some of the music. There was a great Scottish type tune that I loved as they did about 5 or 6 takes on. After this session, Elvin,Steve,Reggie and I went to The Cottage Inn restaurant/dive across from the studio on rt 9W and had "dem greasy,dirty home fries" that the place was famous for. We always went there after Trane's sessions as well. Bob Thiel from ABC IMpulse was the producer of this session as he was for Coltranes sessions and he once told me that they took the opportunity to record Trane,Elvin,McCoy and Jimmy at all hours of the day or night as often as they could stretch the budget since ABC was one of those giant corporate things.George Benson had a home near VanGelder's in Englewood Cliffs and Marvin Smith and his brother Ear; "BUSTER" Smith lived down the hill. McCoy Tyner was living in Teaneck at the time where Thad Jones Family resided with Thad's son and my friend Bruce Jones. It was all happening in the Englewood/Teaneck NJ area."NUTTIN JONES" is a swinging tune. I always loved the way Elvin,McCoy and Jimmy grooved together. Shirley Jones, Elvin's wife, was a great person to hang around. Stephen Daniel James was Duke Ellington's neohew and Reggie Golson(RIP) was Benny Golson's son. I went to school and grew up with all these Cats!
LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE,
HABIB

Memories Of Times Past & Notes About Things Present

Memories Of My Earlier Life and Friends/ Notes About My Current Life And Friends by Steve Habib on Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10:48pm I am so happy to be a musician. I want to continue to try and help people through music, which I believe can unharness an individual's healing capabilities. I am grateful to be alive. I remember being at John Coltrane's home in the Dix Hills section of Huntington, Long Island and he was telling me about "THE FATHER, THE SON and THE HOLY GHOST" a song he was working on. He had just moved into his new home that year and several times a week, we talked and Johnny DeFranco who lived in Elmont, used to pick up Elvin in The City then drive to my house not far from Farmingdale, then we would all hang out in Trane's den/music room and listen to silence,sometimes for an hour or two and he would always enjoy smoking that cigar of his. Sometimes Jimmy Garrison was with us. He had a place in what is now SOHO in NYC. Elvin was married to Shirley Jones at the time and John was just becoming a father for the first time. I believe John, Jr. was born first, then came Ravi a year later and another child was born the same year he died in 1967. It all happened so quickly over a very short period of time but it was a time period I will never forget. My childhood friends, Reggie Golson(RIP), and Stephen Daniel James were also close friends of both Elvin and John. We all knew how special Trane,,Elvin,Jimmy and McCoy were at the time and how special McCoy is today as a living legend. I am grateful to have another friend who is alive and well today, in 2011/2012, Master Dr. Marvin Smith, a 42 year friend of mine and a LIVING LEGEND that I feel everyone should pay attention to and honor. His Birthday is December 29th,2011 and he will be 62. There will be a special perfomance at The Bull & Buddha on Main St. in Poughkeepsie, NY December 29th to honor this MASTER DRUMMER who played with Sun Ra, Archie Shepp and so many others. He has his own record label, Bumar Records and his own 48 track studio. This performance starts at 9pm and I hope that all the people that know him show up and that all of you that never met him also show up. Marvin has recorded on over 1200 videos and most of those videos will be available on his Bumar Label for folks that do not have a chance to come to his live performances because of geographics. Marvin is also appearing at The Bull & Buddha on December 22nd, a week before his Birthday Party Concert. I am over joyed to be a part of his life for 42 years and I still feel the presence og my other childhood friends that have passed: Elvin Jones, John Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, Reggie Golson,Kenny Kirkland and Michael James, Stephen Daniel James brother and the sons of Ruth Ellington,Ruth Ellington,Mercer and Duke, Willis Conover, and Walter Booker, Jr. DR. MARVIN SMITH also known as "BU GA LU" is here with us now. I ask that those of you who have access to the NYC to Hudson Valley New York area, come and enjoy this LIVING MUSICAL GENIUS and MASTER EDUCATOR. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

I Hope To Make A Difference In Your Life!

I HOPE THAT MY WORDS AND MUSIC TOUCH YOUR INSIDES DEEPLY, BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE WHO I TRULY CARE ABOUT, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS AND ALL THE MUSICAL ARTISTS OF THE WORLD, SPREADING, THE MESSAGE OF GIVING, NOT TAKING, AND RECEIVING JOY KNOWING YOU'VE MADE OTHERS HAPPY! LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF MY FRIENDS, HABIB

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part 2

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part 6

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part 3

Blues For Marvin & Steve "LIVE AT VISIONES"

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha with John Esposito,Malcom Cecil and special guest Derrick James.
College students packed the venue along with people from all over the NY,NJ and CT areas. It was "Standing Room Only" and the
crowd was lined up outside waiting to get in. What a great example of This Master Drummer's Special Flowing Motion and
his Giving,Compassionate Ways. People were so excited and joyful after the performance. Dr, Marvin Smith was writtem up in Modern Drummer Magazine(FEB. 2011).

Dr. Marvin Smith Live at Bull & Buddha 12/8/11

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha with John Esposito,Malcom Cecil and special guest Derrick James.
College students packed the venue along with people from all over the NY,NJ and CT areas. It was "Standing Room Only" and the
crowd was lined up outside waiting to get in. What a great example of This Master Drummer's Special Flowing Motion and
his Giving,Compassionate Ways. People were so excited and joyful after the performance. Dr, Marvin Smith was writtem up in Modern Drummer Magazine(FEB. 2011).

Dr. Marvin Smith Master Drummer

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha with John Esposito,Malcom Cecil and special guest Derrick James.
College students packed the venue along with people from all over the NY,NJ and CT areas. It was "Standing Room Only" and the
crowd was lined up outside waiting to get in. What a great example of This Master Drummer's Special Flowing Motion and
his Giving,Compassionate Ways. People were so excited and joyful after the performance. Dr, Marvin Smith was writtem up in Modern Drummer Magazine(FEB. 2011).

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At The Bull & Buddha

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha with John Esposito,Malcom Cecil and special guest Derrick James.
College students packed the venue along with people from all over the NY,NJ and CT areas. It was "Standing Room Only" and the
crowd was lined up outside waiting to get in. What a great example of This Master Drummer's Special Flowing Motion and
his Giving,Compassionate Ways. People were so excited and joyful after the performance. Dr, Marvin Smith was writtem up in Modern Drummer Magazine(FEB. 2011).

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At The Bull & Buddha

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha with John Esposito,Malcom Cecil and special guest Derrick James.
College students packed the venue along with people from all over the NY,NJ and CT areas. It was "Standing Room Only" and the
crowd was lined up outside waiting to get in. What a great example of This Master Drummer's Special Flowing Motion and
his Giving,Compassionate Ways. People were so excited and joyful after the performance. Dr, Marvin Smith was writtem up in Modern Drummer Magazine(FEB. 2011).

Dr. Marvin Smith Live at Bull & Buddha

Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Bull & Buddha with John Esposito,Malcom Cecil and special guest Derrick James.
College students packed the venue along with people from all over the NY,NJ and CT areas. It was "Standing Room Only" and the
crowd was lined up outside waiting to get in. What a great example of This Master Drummer's Special Flowing Motion and
his Giving,Compassionate Ways. People were so excited and joyful after the performance. Dr, Marvin Smith was writtem up in Modern Drummer Magazine(FEB. 2011).

How Music Works - Bass (full)

Johnny Asia - Bluegrass excerpt

Johnny Asia.... Woodstock, NY Aug 13, 2010

Himalayan Sunrise

Elvin Ray Jones - RARE FOOTAGE ONLY 20 VIEWS, MESSINA, IN HONOR OF COLTRANE WITH FREDDIE, SONNY,MCCOY AND REGGIE

VERY RARE OF ELVIN,MCCOY,SONNY,FREDDIE & REGGIE IN MESSINA. AGAIN, ONLY 20 VIEWS. BEFORE DOWNLOADING,CONTACT HABIB

McCoy Tyner & Elvin Jones - Naima

VERY,VERY RARE FOOTAGE OF JUST ELVIN & MCCOY HONORING JOHN IN MESSINA. ONLY 20 VIEWS OF THIS. CONTACT HABIB BEFORE DOWNLOADING!

Blues For Marvin & Steve "LIVE AT VISIONES"

We had such a great time the entire week. Reggie Workman and many,many others were helpful in making suggestions about the entire week of sessions. I was very sick and in and out of the hospital at Mt. Sinai all year during much of 1992 and 1993. Marvin and I contacted Buckey Nesbitt a friend of ours from Englewood, NJ and after the Visiones sessions, we went to The Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival and the group performed there for two days with Drew Gress on bass, John Esposito on piano, Jim Finn on Tenor Sax and Dr. Marvin Smith leading the group on Drums. We continued to call the group "THE EXPERIENCE" but it was the start of The Melting Pot Drum Group. Marvin and I wrote many of the songs including "Life Has No Color, Blues for Marvin and Steve, The Dance Of The BU GA LU and so many more. Terrence Blanchard and his group also performed at the Martha's Vinyard Jazz Festival as did Christian McBride and his group, Onaje Alan Gumbs and many more. I witnessed our group tearing up the bandstand each night. No stone was unturned as Marvin lead the way to help make that Festival knowm since it was the first year of its existence. Terrence Blanchard was very responsive to the tremendous audience response that Marvin and the Cats received. Much of the effort that was placed in all the music during that rough year for me was Marvin thinking about the music and the healing properties that it has. The music actually made me better and I continued on my journey as a drummer/percussionist/composer/producer/ broadcaster/journalist and multi-instrumentalist. I did join Bernard Purdie on many gigs along with Tony Purrone,Sal Giorgianni, Nat Dixon, Ruben Wilson, Marvin Horn, Joshua Breakstone, and on and on it went but I continued to fight diseases and medical situations. In 2008 I was run over by a car in Great Neck, Long Island, simply crossing the street with a cup of coffee in my hand. That tore me up and I was moving around with two canes and lots of prayers, listening to many songs. Yeah, the music is healing medicine and I can attest to it. I'm still learning about life and appreciate every moment of it. Hanging with Reggie Workman, Arnie Lawrence, Cecil McBee and Kirk Lightsey was enlightening and their contribution to the entire week's performance is well documented here. Just listen to Marvin screaming out with joy on all the songs that will be posted. This is the 2nd one we put up on you tube, the first was "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". "Life Has No Color" is a song that Marvin and I wrote. Kirk Lightsey wrote "HABIBA" and Cecil McBee wrote"The Man Of Peace(The Peacemaker)".
The spirit during the entire week at Visiones Jazz Club was so strong. Every night was packed with no seats available during the first two sets. Many perfomers that were "IN TOWN" that week who were not working, ended up in the club to witness Marvin's explosive energy and SWINGING PLAYING along with Kirk Lightsey's harmonics and deep touch. Cecil McBee had many folks coming into the club just to approach The Grammy Winner. Kevin Lager was playing so very hard all week long and Jim Finn expressed himself in the most spiritual way.
The music says it all and I am certain that it will move you into a very happy zone of PEACE.
LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE,
HABIB

The Cookers - The Core 2008 part2

The Cookers - The Core 2008 part1

Kirk Lightsey and Jakee

Cecil McBee discusses social history of jazz

Cecil McBee - Alternate Spaces 1/5 - Alternate Spaces

Cecil McBee discusses tonal language of jazz

Cecil McBee discusses bebop and his contribution to post-bop

Cecil McBee discusses the influence of John Coltrane

All About Cecil McBee

George Adams & Don Pullen Quartet play "Intentions".

For My Italian Musical Brothers & Sisters

Ero seduto al pianoforte di questa mattina solo godendo ogni momento della freschezza del nuovo giorno e ho pensato che sarebbe bello scrivere su carta ciò che non è ancora messo in canzone per le vostre orecchie musicali: Molte persone hanno una bella canzone in cuor loro che non è stato ascoltato da nessuno, ma se stessi. Quella canzone ha bisogno di essere scritto e suonato per le persone di ascoltare e deve essere espresso mentre sono in vita. Il problema è che così tanti non finire quella canzone ed è veramente proprio. Quando si arriva ad esso rifinitura si è completato. Non dovremmo mai avere paura di essere ciò che siamo, non importa quello che pensano gli altri. Portate tutta la bellezza del mondo in un canto così l'eredità che si lascia alle spalle avrà valore alle giovani generazioni di artisti e la musica possono continuare ad essere ascoltato nel modo più gioioso e rimanere Jazz, la musica americana e meraviglioso ART-FORM / TELA che è, a dipingere con colori così potenti. AMORE SEMPRE e SEMPRE AMORE, HABIB

Write That Song Now

I was sitting at the piano this morning just enjoying every moment of the crispness of the new day and I thought it would be great to write down on paper what is not yet put into song for your musical ears: Many folks have a beautiful song in their hearts that hasn't been listened to by anyone but themselves. That song needs to be written down and played for people to hear and it needs to be expressed while they're living. The problem is that so many never finish that song and it truly is their own. When you finally get to finishing it you're complete. We should Never be afraid to be who we are no matter what others think. Bring all the beauty of the world into song so the legacy that you leave behind will have value to the younger generation of creative artists and the music can continue to be heard in the most joyful way and remain Jazz, the American Music and wonderful ART-FORM/CANVASS that it is, to PAINT with such powerful colors. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Steve Habib Giving "Butchie" Parker His Drum Lesson

Steve Habib's Groove Bass and Drums

Steve Habib/Dr. Marvin Smith...NAKED IN THE TRUTH

Steve Habib Presents Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Visiones NYC

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part 6

Steve Habib Interviews Dr. Marvin Smith part 5

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part1

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part4

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part 3

Steve Habib Interview Dr. Marvin Smith part 2

Steve Habib/Dr. Marvin Smith

Marvin and I started a project during the time of the Afgan War when all the Oil Fires and Enron and all the other distortion was going on in America in 2000 and 2001. We named the project The Melting Pot Drum Group. Pn this particular cut, Naked In The Truth, we asked long time friend Koko Jones to come on into the studio and record with us. The three of us enjoyed this song so much. It was happiness. I hope it makes you happy. That's the idea.
Love Always and Always Love,
HABIB

Steve Habib's Groove Bass and Drums

Please listen to a short sample of a tune I'm working on called THE DANCE OF THE BU GA LU written for a dear friend of mine Dr. Marvin Smith This is only the drums and bass that I'm playing here but I will add the horn and piano at another time in the next few weeks. This song is to honor my genius drumming friend Marvin and I hope you enjoy this. Love Always and Always Love...HABIB

Steve Habib Presents Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Visiones NYC

Series 125 Dr. Marvin Smith with Master Rob Scheps

I enjoyed this playing so much because as a DUO both of these MASTERS showed how much knowledge they have about the music as they made a DUO sound like an orchestra. This is straight forward teaching and young players and old alike, will benefit from this great documentation, one of over 1250 videos that Dr. Smith has created, more than any other drummer. This beautiful teaching example by Master Rob Scheps and Master Dr. Marvin Smith will go down in the archives as one of the greatest videos in Jazz Education because of the clear, down to earth musical statements of what each player was talking about when they answered student questions. One of the most important things that young folks have to learn how to do is put their antennas up and leave them up. If you're in your own way and NOT LISTENING, then you're BULLSHITTING. First, knowing the core-center is important and Masters like MONK always said that the drummer should know the song and be able to sing it and the horn player should know the drums. "If you can't sing it, you can't swing it". Monk always said that he was a supporting player, not a stand out solo cat. Monk danced around the bandstand because he was joyful. Rob Scheps has a wonderful way of communicating truth to these young players and he does it in his own, unique way talking just as he does playing the Tenor Sax or any instrument. His clear cut approach is very understandable but you MUST LISTEN. Dr. Marvin Smith is always telling the students to listen and learn. Before you put the instrument in your hands you must have the ability to say something with it. It's not going to do the work for you. Listening to how Marvin and Rob respect each other in every song they performed is apparent in the BREATH and SPACE they give each other. They're talking and having MUSICAL CONVERSATION like breaking bread at the dinner table. I loved how both of them simplified things so that even an idiot like me can understand what they're saying. It is very important to learn by example and the example of making music as a DUO is so very great. Rob talked about playing on the streets of Boston as a solo player with nobody else and he had to play all the parts of a band through his horn. This is very important to learn. If a player can play with the chords in mind and the drummer in mind, all the harmonics developed through the song will represent the entire band or orchestra. Giving HONOR is also so very important and both Dr. Marvin Smith and Master Rob Scheps do that everytime they talk about this music and I hope that students can learn how to do this and honor them for being so nonegotistical and right TO THE POINT! The tones that both Marvin and Rob get out of their instruments are clear and deep. They both have a way of USING THE INSTRUMENT AS THE TOOL THAT IT IS. They are the music and they are placing their feelings through that tool and you are receiving those feelings by HAVING YOUR ANTENNAS RAISED UP FULL LENGTH. KEEP LISTENING AND LEARN BY LISTENING TO MASTERS. FORGET TRYING TO BE A BAD ASS MOTHER F_C_ER because there are lessons of daily life that contribute to that and along the way, your playing will change as you change because your story becomes thicker from life's experiences. Don't turn growth off because you think you have all the answers. Learning is for everyone and only your ego can get in the way, so "CHECK IT" before you open your mouth. DON'T PUT your fingers or feet in it and NEVER PUT YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH. It would be very hard to talk and communicate if you do that! LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Steve Habib Presents Dr. Marvin Smith Live At Visiones NYC

In 1992 my lifetime friend Dr. Marvin Smith and I talked to Reggie Workman about ideas we had to produce and present publically an amazing session that would last for one week and do it at Visiones Jazz Club which at the time was right down the street a few hundred feet from The Blue Note. Yeah, Elvin was there and Max Roach, all the Cats but what are we doing about my main man Marvin, who we all knew deserved to be placed in the center of it all. We contacted Kirk Lightsey and Cecil McBee to form a kick ass section and then we had Kevin Lager and Jim Finn join in for the week. The session was amazing and the music says it all... SWINGIN TO THE MAX!
Marvin and I wrote Life Has No Color, The Dance Of The BUGALU, The Black Keys and The White Keys, What, Wait For Him To Get Into Office while Kirk Lightsey wrote HABIBA and Cecil McBee wrote The Man Of Peace(The Peacemaker). Steve Habib and Marvin Smith arranged the music for the entire week and everything was performed "MPMENT TO MOMENT", "IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE" and unrehearsed. The Holy Ghost was all over the place inside and ourside. This music was OFF THE HOOK and so, so healing. People in the audience were dancing all over the place and screaming out with joy. Folks were lined up all the way down the street to get in. Everyone in Jazz was around the VILLAGE every night to try and get a seat, the place was continuously packed. I will write more on this as I remix all the rest of the music from this "LIVE AT VISIONES" SESSION.

Love Always and Always Love,
HABIB Marvin and I have been together as close friends for over 42 years. In the early 1990's we were going down to The New School and Marvin was doing some adjunct professoring there. We saw Reggie Workman quite a bit in those days and after spending much time in and out of NYC as we always did, especially in the early 1970's, we decided to put together a great week of recording and do it at Visiones, just a few hundred feet from The Blue Note and a few blocks from Sweet Basils and The Village Vanguard. Marvin performed in all these venues with Archie Shepp, Sun Ra and so many others, too numerous to mention here. The point is that we were both close friends of Elvin Jones, Max Roach and all the Cats but everyone was always busy doing their own thing. We said let's get busy and it took all these years between the 1992 Visiones sessions and now to get Marvin written up in magazines like Modern Drummer(Feb. 2011) and some others. It is still a work in progress as this genius drummer/educator friend of mine trys and trys to cut through much of the BULLSHIT that exists out there but his music is so powerful and truthful that it has finally started to show some public fruit. I can remember every Monday night at The Focus 2 on 73rd St and Amsterdam Ave. where we played with George Coleman, Rodney Jones, Walter Bishop Jr., Buster Williams, Art Blakey Jr., Evelyn Blakey, Willie Mack, Haasan Dawkins, Mickey Roker, Mickey Bass, Terbur Attenboro, Buster Williams and so,so many others. Marvin was always swinging hard and so hard that he actually pissed many people off. Marvin's nature was to always be of help and have compassion for everyone. One day, I was walking near Lincoln Center and I ran into Monk, he asked me how BuGaLu was doing and I said you know, he's still trying to make everyone happy. Monk said "yeah, I'm always telling Cats that I'm there to accompany them and make them sound better and not to concentrate on myself and how I sound. I always expect the drummer to know the song and the horn players to know the drums". Wow! This made sense to me since my friend Marvin was always telling me this. Monk was always concerned about the other guy, so was Marvin, so was Trane and so was Elvin. Art Blakey had his own way of communicating with the young players as they would go down to his LOFT and jam as Jazz Messengers. Everybody was hitting it hard, playing like there will never be another day to do it. The years that Marvin and I have spent together have been so well appreciated and I owe Jazz much and I am determined to make sure that Dr. Marvin Smith and all his lifetime efforts of teaching on the bandstand are going to be recognized forever. The Martha's Vinyard Jazz Festival was started by a friend of ours who is from Englewood, NJ named Buckey Nesbitt. Buckey helped us get in front of the large audience that year in 1992 and on that festival were Terence Blanchard and his band, Alan Onaje Gumbs, Christian McBride and our group, The Experience with Marvin Smith, John Esposito, Drew Gress and Jim Finn. Yeah, the band tore it up and left the fire burning all these years as the festival still goes on but we haven't been back. That same year, we talked with Reggie Workman and Arnie Lawrence, Joe Chambers, Billy Harper, Charlie Persip, Barry Harris and so many others. We decided to have Kirk Lightsey and Cecil McBee join The Experience and added both Jim Finn and Kevin Lager to the band. We were at Visiones Jazz Club for a week. The place was BURNIN every night. People were dancing in the streets outside of The Blue Note and all around McDougal and 3rd. It was hard to get a seat as everyone was taken for all sets Tuesday through Sunday and all the Cats who were in town were there every night checking out Dr. Marvin Smith and of course Grammy winning Cecil McBee and Master Kirk Lightsey, still one of the most under rated piano players of the century. Cecil wrote a great song called "The Man Of Peace(The Peacemaker)' and Kirk wrote "Habiba". Marvin and I wrote, "Life Has No Color", The Dance Of The BUGALU, The White Keys and The Black Keys, What? Wait For Him To Get Into Office and many others. Some like Naked In The Truth which was recorded in an all drum group called Melting Pot, are not on this series of Live At Visiones but we will cover them at another time. Right now, This first part 1 has Softly As In A Morning Sunrise. It's so swinging with Cecil coming in strongly at the start and Kirk's great groove. Marvin's solo is so deep and when the band is swinging, you can hear Marvin screaming out with joy. Listen to how well mixed the music is for a live session and notice the mix on the drums. It captures the great, unique sound that only Marvin can make. In other video/sound captures of this series, you will hear Marvin play on glass surfaces and the floor and make beautiful harmonic sounds like a horn or a person's voice. The music is healing. During that entire year, I was very ill medically and Marvin was always there for me while I spent months in Mt. Sinai Hospital. Yeah Dr. Marvin Smith is a true friend and a talent that is to be recognized and those that haven't been exposed to him because they are young, will be and those that forgot what a "BAD ASS MOTHER FU__ER HE IS will be reminded through this series posting Live At Visiones, and all the other music that we dig up and/or create now. Marvin Smith has well over 1250 videos of his performances and we will certainly have them available to the general public. More will be written on each evening's performance with notes on each song and arrangement of this well documented archive of a Jazz Living Legend. Yes, he is alive and well and you will catch him once again LIVE at a major venue during the coming 2012 year. Things are in motion and will NEVER SLOW DOWN because It's In The Moment always! LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Conga Basics Review

The Cookers - The Core 2008 part1

Cecil McBee discusses the influence of John Coltrane

McCoy Tyner Quartet - Moment's Notice (2002)

Kenny Kirkland Giant Steps solo

Kenny Kirkland Giant Steps in montreux 1997

Eldar Djangirov Trio at Riga Ritmi Jazz Festival "Exposition"

Michel Camilo Trio - Giant Steps(The Fastest Version Ever !).mp4

Michel Camilo Mano a mano Trio Umbria Jazz 2011

Dado Moroni Trio feat. Alvin Queen @ Umbria Jazz 2011

Sun Ra Arkestra video - Lugano 1990_I Want To Be Happy

Earl "BUSTER" Smith, Dr. Marvin Smith's brother is on drums here

Duke Ellington: Take The "A" Train

DUKE WAS THE MASTER COMPOSER/ARRANGER. THERE WAS ONLY ONE "DUKE". I had the opportunity to grow up in Ruth Ellington's house on West 58th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue in the 1960's because she was my adapted mother. I was like a brother to her sons, Steven Daniel James and Michael James(RIP). I was also close to Reggie Golson(RIP). What a great childhood hanging with the Ellington's, John William Coltrane,Elvin Jones,Jimmy Garrison and Willis Conover who was a great friend of Duke's. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Sun Ra - A Joyful Noise

BBC Documentary: Sun Ra, Brother From Another Planet

Sun Ra Research Buster Smith Oakland, Ca. November 1, 1991

Sun Ra - A Joyful Noise

The Beautiful Compassionate Master Drummer Educator

Many events in this person's life are to be documented as time moves on but for today, this is the very first article to be presented in this educational series. Interviews, photos and many more articles will appear in this blog and also on Marbib Radio Television in the future. Today marks that day of continued change and continuous movement as Jazz Music needs to have documentation to go along with the living legends that are here now at the end of 2011 and the start of the New Year, 2012. The person that I'm reviewing and telling the story about, is one of the greatest musicians of all time, unique in all his ways and one of the most swinging drummers that I've ever heard play the drums and I grew up with all of them and sat along side of many of them including Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Art Blakey and now this CAT that I'm telling you about! Once upon a time in Englewood New Jersey there lived a happy family named Smith. The daddy worked hard and built his own house for his family, wife, three sons and a daughter. The oldest son played drums, while the middle son worked as a salesman and the daughter went to college receiving a doctorate degree in theology. The baby boy of the family liked the sounds that came out of his older brother's drum set so he decided at the age of 2 to sit under the high hat while his brother waiied away, swinging and singin all the bop jazz tunes you could ever imagine. Practically everyday, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Art Blakey or any of the drummers during that little boy's day, came over to the house to hang out with the older brother. So the story went. Music, music music and happiness all the time. The parents built a wonderful den(practice room) and the older brother noticed that the little boy had more talent than any of the well known master drummers that were coming over to the house. The little boy used to climb up on the drum throne but his feet couldn't reach the bass drum pedal. He started to figure out how things worked because the older brother's foot was so large and powerful but yet he feathered or lightly touched the pedal and drew out the most magical sounds down there. It was almost like you coudn't hear the bass drum but you could feel it driving the groove on each beat. The little boy decided that everything moves like the wind with a gentle but powerful presence. This interested the little guy so he started going to school at the age of 5 and everyone laughed at him. Things seemed backwards to him and the parents realized that the little boy had dyslexia. Kids in school always made fun of him and he reached a point of turning everything around by spending hours on end practicing and working hard every hour that he was home from school. His brothers and parents continued to try and motivate him to go out and play with the other little kids but, no, no, no, he was persistent in practicing those drums and by passing his older brother's playing and also by passing all the brother's drumming buddies. Years went by and the little guy was no longer a little guy even though he was thin and appeared fragile. What started coming out of the drums was a sound that nobody could duplicate. It was the sound of a genius and the sound of the wind and all the elements. The little guy started performing in venues where typically you had to be over 18 but it didn't matter because he would sneak in, sit in and blow the doors off of the bandstand to the point where all the master drummers were embarressed and self conscience refusing to appear after the little boy swung so hard on the drums. Yeah, it was amazing and ever since that happened, nothing much has changed. Now in 2011, many, many years since that time at Birdland, The Village Gate and so many other venues, the little guy still blows the doors off of every bandstand and venue but he has produced well over 1200 videos of his performances, more than any performing artist in the world, including all the other major jazz drummers in the world. combined. The story did go from Englewood, NJ to Europe and he played in Sun Ra's Arkestra, so did his older brother who also played with Eric Dolphy. He also played with Archie Shepp and practically everyone you might have heard of in the jazz world. He moved to Italy and practiced Buddhism. His spititually grew and he became enlightened. He discovered that the reason he was able to play the drums so fluently and naturally is that his chanting brought him closer to his Buddha Nature and he discovered that it was important to be understanding of others and project goodness. He helped everyone and the more people that he turned on to his spiritual reality and discovery, the stronger his drum communications became. He had this unique hollow but yet full, light but yet powerful sound that came out of the drums when he touched them. Folks started to notice his aura. Around him, especially when he was playing the drums, a light formed around him and it felt warm and glowed as if you could see the motion, the constant motion that was always present whenever he moved. Sometimes, you would be drawn into that presence that he represented but only if you pushed your own desires and your ego over to the side. He taught in Italy and he taught many. He became known as a drum sage. The drum was simply his tool for communicating compassion, the real truth about love. He evolved and evolved and yet everybody was jealous. The beautiful person lost mom, dad, both brothers and still has a sister living in NJ. He now is the head of his own music company which includes a 48 track state of the art recording studio, a music publishing company, a media broadcasting company a record label of his own,a production company, a music marketing company and the main event of his life, his music school where he does all his drum teaching and involves all master players of all instruments to come into his studio every week to be recorded on his master sessions, "better than hollywood" for the benefit of his students so that they can intereact on the bandstand and learn just the way he did as a little boy and the way things were done in traditional jazz years ago when the other masters were alive. Today there are fewer and fewer of the great masters around but he is available and yet you would think that serious drummers and other musicians would be breaking his door down to get in! Well little has changed and while such a great genius master drummer/educator is here on earth now, few are taking the moment to even reflect on the importance of "rubbing shoulders" with the living legend. Most simply want to go to college, read a bunch of books about the dead masters and go out and play gigs that they don't even understand the music and how to execute it because they haven't learned the traditional secrets that can only be taught through direct exposure. They spend too much time trying to become labeled as a "bad mo-th-r fu-ck-r" when the should become more concerned about learning how to lose their egos and become humble through their acts of compassion and doing something for others. A simply gesture of giving to others before giving to self will start to make a difference and make a player more soulful/spiritual and a more joyful person to be around. Yeah, a good "old fashioned kick in the ass" is what Elvin used to say, along with Blakey, Max and all the rest. Today, that individual that were talking about here is Dr. Marvin Smith. He has been written up in a two page spread , Modern Drummer Magazine, February, 2011 issue but what good is having the media recognize him if the young players don't respond because they all think they can out play him. The ones that do study with him stay with him because they are seeing results. The ones that have ego problems can't stay with him because he won't tolerate anyone who thinks they're a better person than someone else. To him, everyone has equal value and people either become the Buddha inside and achieve a balance in their life or they can't play because they're afraid of looking at and/or facing the bullshit and truth that exists in their own life! Dr. Marvin Smith is who we're talking about in this article and I've been a close friend of his for most of my life. This long term friendship has taught me much and I believe that others should do everything they can possibly do to spend time around him while he is alive. If it's learning more about music and studying some of the lessons of life that others have discovered, then Dr. Marvin Smith and the masters that he performs with every week in his studio, are available to you and you will be recorded and documented playing on a higher level. One thing is certain, if you are driven by players that are stronger than you, eventually it will rub off after they kick your ass enough. Yeah, old school, no substutute for it in the jazz world. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Series # 124 Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith Part 1 Koko Jones and Dr. Marvin Smith with Koko Jones Interview and drum performance

Series # 124 shows the magic as Koko Jones joins Dr. Marvin Smith and the rest is history going down. When these two get together, FIRE is HOT and the explosions of DRUM LOVE are apparent. Listen carefully to a great session and read my notes about Dr. Marvin Smith who taught Koko Jones how to play. Dr. Marvin Smith Master Sessions, His Dedication To Teaching...Masters And Young Students Over 40 years ago, I met this genius drummer musician and have been friends ever since. He was not only a gifted,talented musician, but he developed into a wonderful talented educator. Marvin's ability to give everything to others includes helping people learn how to have more confidence in themselves by learning how to be prepared. He's a stickler for demanding that a student practice and become familiar with songs. Every week Marvin has a master session in his personal 48 track recording studio. It is there, that all the magic takes place as students have a chance to play with the masters and learn from their experiences playing music on the highest level by rubbing shoulders with these players. The documentation that results in over 1200 videos, has placed Marvin in a position way beyond most major recording artists and well known performers. Few have ever done what he does and also documented to that extent. The videos are placed on vimeo and the students have a chance to see their own accomplishments. Marvin Smith is also known as Dr. Marvin Smith and has achieved this title from his peers as they admire the unique gifts that he has acquired. Education in the music field has advanced by many using some of his "down home" educational techniques. Marvin brings forward the tradition of Jazz as he honors what the masters of the past have done to build the art-form to what it is today. Recently, long time friend and student of his, Koko Jones came to the new 48 track studio to play and talk about her new book that she is writing. The book talks about TRUE LIFE EVENTS and experiences, many shared with her teacher of 35 years, Dr. Marvin Smith. Koko Jones' life is so very interesting and the documented Series # 124 is a valuable archive along with the other over 1200 videos that Dr. Marvin Smith has produced. In this Series # 124, the spirit that is inside of both Marvin and Koko are blended and draw a vivid picture to the listener of all the events that have taken place in each of their creative lives. Koko Jones has performed with Whitney Houston, Archie Shepp, The Isley Brothers and so many well known artists that it would take up this entire page to list them all. She has experienced valuable lessons that can be communicated through her music. She went to The University Of Massechusetts Amherst and has an interesting story to tell about college life for music students and how the emphasis in the music department at the time, was mostly on classical music, not jazz. The story of Koko Jones, Master Percussionist is a story that every young student should read about. In listening to both Dr. Marvin Smith and Koko Jones talk to each other through their drums is an adventure and journey into compassion and understanding that musicians need for each other to be able to create TRUTHFUL MUSICAL STATEMENTS. It is the first key to raising music up as high as it can go and become truly, HEALING MEDICINE, the cure all for all that hurts both emotionally and physically. Giving credit where credit is due is what it's all about. I have been in an orchestra, front row seat, in this Dr, Marvin Smith's life and I have also known Koko Jones almost as long as I've known Marvin.I'm loving it because I'm seeing results and I'm witnessing the compassion that Marvin has for his students and for other master players. Koko Jones came to the studio and was interviewed and this took place through drum beats and musical conversation. Koko Jones book includes things that she learned from Marvin. She has been a student of Marvin's for over 35 years and friends with him for longer than that.I will be writing more about Dr. Marvin Smith and Koko Jones because I believe that there is more to come from these valuable moments that are beyong one video clip in this series 124. It's all about experiences of masters how Dr. Marvin Smith brings them together to teach them as well as the younger students. I will listen to this Series #124 over and over again because there are mountains of truthful experiences to explore when these two friends come together to broadcast and teach drumming by example. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Series # 124 Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith Part 2 with Koko Jones, Andrew Greeney and Jan Jurgielewicz

This second part of Series # 124 is so joyful as I listen to Andrew Greeney and Koko Jones open up with Dr. Marvin Smith playing BELL. The music moves without effort as it represents strong communication between the players. I loved the great playing that both Andrew and Jan Jurgielewicz did along with Masters Smith and Jones. Wow! The teaching aspects of this bandstand experience can't be beat and the beat moves on and on into rainbows of beautiful sound. It's all recorded so well and mixed so perfectly. Nobody is talking on top of each other. These Cats are listening carefully and answering and responding so well to each other. It's like a conversation at the dinner table with everyone talking about their life's experiences. The journey that Dr. Marvin Smith points everyone toward is a journey of people's own individual experiences. Each player is able to add unique personality to the main drum line which Dr. Smith acts as a tour guide on a vacation into another land and world. Dr. Marvin Smith promotes healing as he allows a state of "KOO" to be realized within each person. As the players become unaware of everything but joy and happiness, their level of compassion increases and they want to help each other more and more to achieve that FLOWING wind that is AURA of Master Marvin Smith, the TRUE DOCTOR OF TRUTHFUL DIRECTION. Listen carefully to the storyline that develops as Dr. Marvin Smith's student Jan Jurgielewicz plays so beautifully with Koko Jones and how great this teaching example is. Any student can enter into this groove and serve it well if they can develop listening skills as well as Jan has. I am so moved emotionally with MAX JOY to be able to sit here and react so intensely to Jan's great playing. I loved all the emotional vocalizations that I heard from all the players as they became totally taken over by each others peaceful flow of real awareness representing their own enlightenment. Dr. Marvin Smith has the unique ability of driving players into high levels of SPIRITUAL REALITY. Once a player has tasted this he enters a new level of playing. That's what is being done here on Series # 124 in both parts 1 and 2. This example is one of over 1200 video examples that Dr. Marvin Smith and his recordings represent of great traditional teachings of Jazz Music Roots and the old fashioned way of drawing students into professional reality. The bandstand is where it's and goes along with hard practicing and no fooling around.You are actually preparing your hands to flow freely with little physical effort. Just listen to it and amaze yourself at the "REAL DEAL" Music that's coming out of those drums. There's a lifetime of experience that Dr. Marvin Smith is giving away to these students and all of them will tell you about it if you get a chance to hang with them in Marvin Smith's sound lab and brand new 48 track state of the art studio. Every week this stuff is going down and it's always a new journey being documented freshly and with great sonic representation. The sound and video capture is so great that musicians from all over the world are inquiring about recording at the facility and also having the exposure to the great Master Drummer/Educator/Teacher, the one and only Master of it all, Dr. Marvin Smith who was written up in February 2011 in Modern Drummer Magazine with a 2 page feature article about being such a unique person, THE MAN OF ULTIMATE COMPASSION. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Dr. Marvin Smith Master Sessions, His Dedication To Teaching...Masters And Young Students

Over 40 years ago, I met this genius drummer musician and have been friends ever since. He was not only a gifted,talented musician, but he developed into a wonderful talented educator. Marvin's ability to give everything to others includes helping people learn how to have more confidence in themselves by learning how to be prepared. He's a stickler for demanding that a student practice and become familiar with songs. Every week Marvin has a master session in his personal 48 track recording studio. It is there, that all the magic takes place as students have a chance to play with the masters and learn from their experiences playing music on the highest level by rubbing shoulders with these players. The documentation that results in over 1200 videos, has placed Marvin in a position way beyond most major recording artists and well known performers. Few have ever done what he does and also documented to that extent. The videos are placed on vimeo and the students have a chance to see their own accomplishments. Marvin Smith is also known as Dr. Marvin Smith and has achieved this title from his peers as they admire the unique gifts that he has acquired. Education in the music field has advanced by many using some of his "down home" educational techniques. Marvin brings forward the tradition of Jazz as he honors what the masters of the past have done to build the art-form to what it is today. Recently, long time friend and student of his, Koko Jones came to the new 48 track studio to play and talk about her new book that she is writing. The book talks about TRUE LIFE EVENTS and experiences, many shared with her teacher of 35 years, Dr. Marvin Smith. Koko Jones' life is so very interesting and the documented Series # 124 is a valuable archive along with the other over 1200 videos that Dr. Marvin Smith has produced. In this Series # 124, the spirit that is inside of both Marvin and Koko are blended and draw a vivid picture to the listener of all the events that have taken place in each of their creative lives. Koko Jones has performed with Whitney Houston, Archie Shepp, The Isley Brothers and so many well known artists that it would take up this entire page to list them all. She has experienced valuable lessons that can be communicated through her music. She went to The University Of Massechusetts Amherst and has an interesting story to tell about college life for music students and how the emphasis in the music department at the time, was mostly on classical music, not jazz. The story of Koko Jones, Master Percussionist is a story that every young student should read about. In listening to both Dr. Marvin Smith and Koko Jones talk to each other through their drums is an adventure and journey into compassion and understanding that musicians need for each other to be able to create TRUTHFUL MUSICAL STATEMENTS. It is the first key to raising music up as high as it can go and become truly, HEALING MEDICINE, the cure all for all that hurts both emotionally and physically. Giving credit where credit is due is what it's all about. I have been in an orchestra, front row seat, in this Dr, Marvin Smith's life and I have also known Koko Jones almost as long as I've known Marvin.I'm loving it because I'm seeing results and I'm witnessing the compassion that Marvin has for his students and for other master players. Koko Jones came to the studio and was interviewed and this took place through drum beats and musical conversation. Koko Jones book includes things that she learned from Marvin. She has been a student of Marvin's for over 35 years and friends with him for longer than that.I will be writing more about Dr. Marvin Smith and Koko Jones because I believe that there is more to come from these valuable moments that are beyong one video clip in this series 124. It's all about experiences of masters how Dr. Marvin Smith brings them together to teach them as well as the younger students. I will listen to this Series #124 over and over again because there are mountains of truthful experiences to explore when these two friends come together to broadcast and teach drumming by example.

Love Always and Always Love, Habib

habib's drum and bass escape

habib's drum and bass escape by habibsteve I am laying down my deep inner feelings after practicing during a storm power outage. I am playing my drums and bass and recording on a zoom h4n with batteries. Hope this joy I have is transmitted to your heart. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

03. HABIB'S GROOVE #1

03. HABIB'S GROOVE #1 by habibsteve

Series# 123 Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood with Harvey Kaiser and Lew Scott

Steve Habib 3 minutes ago Series # 123 Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith,The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood with Harvey Kaiser and Lew Scott Let's listen carefully and feel the HEALING ENERGY INSIDE Dr. MARVIN SMITH'S MUSIC and THE POWER COMING OUT OF HIS MEDICINAL DRUMS! Almost everything we touch and see around us has a living pulse inside of it. We need to look no further than the planet we live on to take advantage of its natural vibrational remedies to help us balance the chi energies within our own bodies. Our world is comprised four basic elements. These are air, earth, fire, and water. Understanding what each element represents helps us evaluate where our individual strengths and weaknesses are. Dr. Marvin Smith TAPS INTO THE ELEMENTS AND ALLOWS THEM TO DO THEIR MAGIC. YOU CAN FEEL THIS IN HIS DRUMMING AND THE MUSICIANS HE PERFORMS WITH PLAY ON A HIGHER LEVEL BY TAPPING INTO HIS ABILITY TO TRANSMIT THE ELEMENTS TO OTHERS AS MEDICINE FOR THEIR HEALING. HE DOES THIS THROUGH GIVING AND HAVING DEEP COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. HE USES MUSIC AS HIS CANVASS TO DRAW ON AND PAINT SOUND COLORS REPRESENTING HIS JOYFUL EMOTIONS AND HIS LOVE OF ALL PEOPLE. In this Series # 123, we hear Harvey Kaiser on Sax along with Master bassist Lew Scott. The two instrumentalists interact with Dr. Marvin Smith on many different levels as the music is constantly changing just as The Earth is constantly rotating. Motion NEVER STOPS and Marvin and his musicians are continuously aware of this. EVERYTHING IS BEING PLAYED AND REACTED TO "IN THE MOMENT" WITHOUT REHEARSAL OR A THOUGHT PROCESS. ALL THE ELEMENTS ARE PRESENT IN EACH NOTE OF EVERY BAR. THE BREATH(AIR) IS BEING FED INTO THE MUSIC EVEN WHEN SILENCE BETWEEN THE NOTES EXISTS. FLOW IS CONSTANT AND MARVIN ORCHESTRATES THIS THROUGH EACH OF HIS DRUM SOLOS. Harvey Kaiser's sound is beautiful and rich. He has such a traditional way of playing and yet THE BLUES is always present in his delivery. I have always respected Lew Scott's playing. Lew has a soft but powerful approach to laying down the deep colors underneath Dr. Marvin Smith's GROOVE. The music always makes you want to dance right out of your clothes,go to the ocean and float or lay in The Sun and absorb heath energy and warmth. The Music changes shape constantly just like Water, moving from a liquid to a gas and back to liquid. The FIRE DEVELOPED IN THE MUSIC OF THIS SERIES # 123 is apparent. Just sit back and allow it to HEAT YOUR HEART! MAGNIFICENT, is how I describe this session. The sound of babbling brooks,trees blowing in the wind,vibrational healing is what I call everything. Dr. Marvin Smith is A SOUND THERAPIST and A MASTER OF UNDERSTANDING HUMAN NATURE! Just take a moment as you're listening to Series 123 and allow yourself to ESCAPE EVERYTHING ELSE. Almost as readily available as our breath are the sounds of the natural world. From rain to wind to the ocean and birds, meditating on these aural manifestations brings us not only a sense of peace, but also an experience of connection to the physical world. It is easy to get stuck inside our own heads and our individual lives. We get caught up in our goals and plans and almost forget that we live in a world that is always there, humming away in the background. There is an internal shift that occurs when we tune into that background and really give it our attention. It’s as if we are discovering a more expansive world, because we are. We are also experiencing ourselves in relation to something larger. This discovery makes us feel rejuvenated and more expansive. Think about each cell in our body and how it is representative of THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. OUR BODY IS A COMPLETE MINIATURIZATION OF EVERYTHING AND IT ALSO IS IN CONSTANT MOTION. SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS, "COMPASSIONATE SOUND AND MOTION", THE VERY NAME OF DR. MARVIN SMITH'S LIFETIME PROJECT AND ONE OF HIS ENTERPRISES, THE NEW 48 TRACK STUDIO THAT THIS AND EVERY ONE OF HIS 1200+ VIDEOS ARE RECORDED IN! IT ALL HAPPENS AND IS DOCUMENTED DO THAT OTHERS, BOTH STUDENTS AND MASTER MUSICIANS CAN LEARN AND EXPERIENCE ROOTS AND TRADITIONS IN JAZZ MUSIC AND ALL MUSIC. IT IS ARCHIVED FOR NOW AND THE FUTURE SO THAT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND USE IT AS A PURE DEMONSTRATION OF HOW JAZZ ITSELF WAS TAUGHT "RIGHT ON THE BANDSTAND" WITH ALL THE MASTERS AVAILABLE TO THE EAGER YOUNG PLAYERS WHO WERE PUT ON THE BANDSTAND TO LEARN BY DOING, AND GROWING FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. JAZZ IS SERIOUS AS AN ART-FORM BECAUSE IT PIRELY REPRESENTS CULTURE AND TRADITION AND WITHOUT THAT, EVERYTHING SOUNDS MECHANICAL AND PLANNED. LIFE IS MYSTERIOUS AND LITTLE CAN BE PLANNED BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO QUICKLY, "IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE" THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE IN A NEW DIMENSION. Dr. Marvin Smith is ALWAYS CHANGING AND NEVER RESTING. HE APPRECIATES EVERY MOMENT OF HIS LIFE AND THAT'S WHAT HIS MUSIC IS ALL ABOUT. You can listen to him here in 2011/2012 and you can go back to 1983 and listen to him with The Sun Ra Arkestra in Germany, with Archie Shepp and so many others and one thing is for certain, DR. MARVIN SMITH HAS ALWAYS and STILL IS TAKING THE FRONT LINE IN THE ORCHESTRA OF GIVING AND COMPASSION AS THE CONDUCTOR, SUPREME EDUCATOR-TEACHER AND FRIEND OF ALL PEOPLE. HIS MUSIC SAYS, "I DO IT BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT EVERYONE". He cares so much that he let his student Andrew Greeney play drums on the first two cuts. Andrew has continued to evolve in his drumming and sounds better and better overtime you listen to him. Andrew is also a MASTER AUDIO ENGINEER AND VIDEOGRAPHER AT COMPASSIONATE SOUND AND MOTION. Jan Jurgielewicz is also a student of Marvin Smith's and he continues to grow each time I hear him perform. Marvin Smith's ability to teach drums is successful because he takes a personal interest in each of his student's lives. "RUBBING SHOULDERS" WITH A MASTER MAKES A DIFFERENCE." THAT'S THE REAL WAY TO TEACH JAZZ AND IT'S THE WAY THAT IT WAS ALWAYS DONE IN THE PAST. THINK ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS, JAZZ MOBILE WITH DR. BILLY TAYLOR,THINK, ART TATUM, THINK CHARLIE PARKER, DIZZY GILLESPIE, ASK ARTURO SANDOVAL, ASK GARY BARTZ,ASK DAVE LIEBMAN,ASK ANYONE WHO'S AROUND TODAY THAT WAS EXPOSED TO THE GREAT MASTERS! LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Sun Ra - Night Music 1989

Marvin Smith's brother Earl "BUSTER" Smith on drums here

Sun Ra Arkestra - Aurex Jazz Festival (1988)

Marvin Smith's brother Ear "BUSTER" Smith on drums here

Sun Ra - Berlin - 1986

Sun Ra Arkestra "Shadow World" West Berlin

Four Miles Davis.mov

A night in tunisia

Bob King Plays Stella By Starlight

Sun Ra Arkestra in Berlin 1986, pt.2

Dr. Marvin Smith DRUMS

Sun Ra Arkestra in Berlin 1986, pt.1

Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith, Dr. Marvin Smith Drums

Jazz Surveys: Vote in the Annual JT Readers Poll! — By JazzTimes — Jazz Articles

Jazz Surveys: Vote in the Annual JT Readers Poll! — By JazzTimes — Jazz Articles

Patrizia Scascitelli Quintet - Solar (Live in Rome 1980)

This is a "MUST SEE" clip of Dr. Marvin Smith in 1980 performing with his ex wife Patrizia Scascitelli in Italy. Here he's taking one of his "MONSTER SOLOS as a young man of 30.
I captured a few comments about this"
In listening to Dr. Marvin Smith in the above clip from 1980, I am brought back to the early days when he was in Italy and married to Patrizia Scascitelli, the piano player here. Listen carefully to his ENORMOUS DRUM SOLO on this tune Solar. It's mind blowing. Marvin has always been an amazing gifted drummer no matter how far back you go, even when I first met him when we were both in our 20's. WOW! This clip blows my mind!
"HABIB"

"Basheer Muhammad Baba Bugalu's execution is exqusite. It's as if Baba is born with sticks and drums. One does not communicate without the other…."
"Basheer Muhammad I've seen Elvin Jones and Art Blakey peform. I have never seen them perform like this…."
"Steve Habib Basheer, my musical drumming brother and friend, when I tell folks truth I am also telling them the same thing that you just said. I was a close friend of both Art Blakey, Evelyn Blakey his daughter and Art, Jr, his son, they all knew Marvin and I always hung around Elvin since I was 13 years old back in the 60's and Elvin always said that Bu Ga Lu was special. Marvin has always had that same uniqueness and gifts like all the others but now, 2011, HE MUST BE HONORED. Thank you for honoring my friend Marvin. His time is now and has been LONG OVER DUE. All of us have a duty to the music for him to be recognized properly."
"Steve Habib RECOGNIZING TRUTH AND HONORING A PERSON'S NATURAL UNIVERSAL GIFTS ARE IMPORTANT. WHEN WE DO THIS, WE ARE FACING REALITY AND ARE NOT BULLSHITTING OURSELVES OR ANYONE ELSE. Then, and only then, are we able to reach new heights in our own performance as a human!"

Series # 122 Part 1 Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith, The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood featuring Chris Pasin,Joel Newton and Robert Kopec

Series 122 part1,The Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith, The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood has Master Players Chris Pasin,Joel Newton and Robert Kopec joining Dr. Marvin Smith and it all comes together, unrehearsed, in the moment and FLOWING nonstop for the next 34 minutes of PURE JOY. It all starts out with Chris Pasin blowing hard and full of sparkling colors during the first 5 minutes then Master Joel Newton takes over and blends beautiful chords and wonderful phrasing on top of that GREAT SWINGING GROOVE THAT Dr. Marvin Smith puts down with Robert Kopec taking a magnificent bass solo. I was over joyed listening to the entire 34 minutes and it went by quickly so I had to jump into it again and I suggest that everyone give it two listens because it's that deep. When hearing for a second time, you might experience a totally new journey because this music is poetic as well as telling a complete story about MUSICAL LOVE. These guys are "IN IT" with no hesitations and holding no emotions back. They simply move forward and FLOW just like the leader, DR. MARVIN SMITH. Marvin has that special way of exciting all the players around him and driving their emotional levels up so high that they end up playing in a musical zone that they've never experienced before and that's because Marvin Smith is so UNIQUE and individualistic. This is what makes him such a great leader and Master Drummer. Nobody sounds like him now and he has always had that unique voice of "BU GA LU". I loved the way this session was captured. The sound of the trumpet was so full and the bass was so great sounding. Joel Newton's guitar had a special colorful sparkle of happiness coming out of it. Marvin had a beautiful deep expressive drum solo and I loved every moment of this entire clip. The last song had that special time of 6, and I was moved into a slow West African Bell vision of sitting on "THE IVORY COAST". I almost ripped my Djembe out of its case but it didn't matter because I'd rather listen to these cats then have my dogs get upset with my shitty playing. I feel so great just listening to the healing, peaceful,loving sounds of these four cats communicating and having such a great time together. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

Series #121 Liner Notes of Dr. Marvin Smith Master Sessions "THE TRUTH BE TOLD BETTER THAN HOLLYWOOD", with Mala Waldron and Christopher Dean Sullivan

I am so happy to have been asked to write my feelings and reactions to this MASTERFUL SESSION: Mal Waldron's was an unsung hero in the hard bop and post-bop genres of the New York club scene of the 1950s and 60's. He is known for his distinctive playing style, which was originally inspired by Thelonious Monk. After obtaining a B.A. in music from Queen's College, New York, he worked in New York City in the early 1950s with Ike Quebec, "Big Nick" Nicholas, and rhythm and blues groups. He performed  with Charles Mingus from 1954 to 1956 and was Billie Holiday's regular accompanist from 1957 until her death in 1959. He also supervised recording sessions for Prestige Records, for which he provided arrangements and compositions.One of his most famous tunes, "Soul Eyes", became a widely recorded jazz standard. "Soul Eyes" was written about John Coltrane's beautiful, expressive eyes. Listening to John Coltrane's music you feel such DEEP SPIRIT, beyond written expression. Waldron felt something special about John Coltrane. Waldron was unique just like Colltrane. He honored the bass tones of the piano and like  Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, his dissonant voicings and emphasis on weight and texture were so important. Frequently, repetition of a single and simple motif existed in his playing as opposed to linear and melodic improvisation. This approach gave a powerful heavy but yet sensitive, "WIND-LIKE" melancholic color to his sound. Waldron was a legend. The following artists were part of his life: John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Booker Little, Steve Lacy, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd, Embryo and Archie Shepp and of course, Billy Holiday. Besides performing, he composed for films (The Cool World, Three Bedrooms in Manhattan and Sweet Love Bitter), theater, and ballet. In 1963 he had a major nervous breakdown, and had to re-learn his skills. Waldron's playing style re-emerged more brooding, starker and percussive, combining bebop and avant-garde melodies, and at times weaving repetitive melodic motifs using just a few notes over a drone-like accompaniment figure. Today, October of 2011, his beautiful daughter Mala appears with Master Drummer Genius DR. MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH and Master Christopher Dean Sullivan. Mala Waldron is special and has that "SOUL EYES" projection of DEEP SPIRIT that was represented in John Coltrane and certainly, DR. MARVIN SMITH, who in my opinion, is one of the most unique, spiritual and gifted musicians of 2011 in the present moment of time. Along with Mala Waldron and Christopher Dean Sullivan, there are NEW AVENUES OF MUSIC presented on Series 121 Master Sessions Of Dr. Marvin Smith, "The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood. You'll have to listen and react to this yourself as the words are only one dimensional compared to the MULTI DIMENSIONAL SOUND COLORS explored in this beautiful documented work of "MOMENT TO MOMENT" TRUTH!. While Mala's dad was involved with all the greats mentioned above, Marvin's brother Earl "BUSTER" SMITH,was also involved with Eric Dolphy and many others. "Buster" taught Marvin how to play the drums and Marvin worked with Archie Shepp for years and with Sun Ra and so,so many more, too numerous to mention here. One thing is certain, THE SPIRIT moved from the past to the present and is now here within the center of this music as Mal Waldron's inners are felt through Mala, and John Coltrane's SPIRIT is felt through Dr. Marvin Smith. Christopher Dean Sullivan's unique personality comes through the bass and he himself is one of the innovators of new sounds and techniques on his instrument. Chris is like a bass player/drummer combined along with being a MASTER of communication. It is apparent that this Session came to be as a direct result of UNIVERSAL TIME, THE MASTER OF MUSIC AND LIFE!  The session "PRESTIGE ALL STARS" shows how Mal Waldron Produced,arranged and composed his music. That song "SOUL EYES" says it all and Master Dr. Marvin Smith has SOUL EYES along with Mala Waldron and Christopher Dean Sullivan. If you listen carefully you will close your SOUL EYES and see the SOUL EYES of others. Mala Waldron's voice demonstrates the uniqueness of her beautiful self and the fondness she has of this music handed down from her father Mal Waldron, John Coltrane, Billy Holiday and so many other greats. Dr. Marvin Smith, Mala Waldron and Christopher Dean Sullivan have brought together the tradition of Jazz by performing together and honoring all those that were before them and bringing back to you and I all those great influences that have made Jazz Music the American Art Form that it is today. It is so very important to rub shoulders with a Master Like Dr. Marvin Smith. If you listen to his influence on all musicians that perform with him on over 1200 videos, you can than see why I call him A LIVING LEGEND. Smith has taken over where Coltrane left off as far as my opinion goes. Few have influenced so many players as John Coltrane and Dr. Marvin Smith is here now, and alive to show this influential gift to all musicians and listeners. Marvin is TRUTH and PURE SIPIT OF LOVE. His musical journey is representation of the MOMENT TO MOMENT FLOW OF THE UNIVERSE and his FLOW IS UNOBSTRUCTED and FELT HARD BY EVERYONE WHO PERFORMS MUSIC WITH HIM. The proof is in all of his videos and I don't know of any other artist that has that many musical documentations of so many diverse gifts. We are all so fortunate to be living during this 2011 period while the DR. MARVIN SMITHS are here with us now and can be interviewed, listened to and taught by. I am so elated! There will be more notes about Series #121 The Master Sessions of Dr. Marvin Smith, The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood. I am in the process of preparing myself by meditating on the goodness of all people that have influenced me so that my words will have some musical meaning to your hearts. Compassion is so critical and the main ingredient of being a sensitive human being. The duo part at the start of this session was great as Mala's voice on "JUST THE TWO OF US" was so expressive and full of dimensional vibrations. I loved the way Christopeher Dean Sullivan played that bass and always approached his instrument both as a bass player and a drummer,honoring both the harmonics and THE GROOVE. Each one of the pieces on this special session has an important meaning about life and LOVE. The compassion felt by all three players was at the highest level and THE SENSITIVITY between the three MASTERS was apparent. This music has HEALING PROPERTIES OF SOUND VIBRATION and represents the similarity of looking at THE UNIVERSE and comparing a picture of the UNIVERSE WITH THE PICTURE OF AN INDIVIDUAL BRAIN CELL. It's so real and true that inside our bodies at the cell level, we have an almost exacting representation of the UNIVERSE. This is a great meditation, especially while listening to Dr. Marvin Smith's Trio with Mala Waldron on piano and VOCALS and Christopher Dean Sullivan on bass. All the statements coming out of Marvin's drums are so POWERFUL and FULL OF HEALING EMOTIONS. You can hear his joys and his tears on every beat of the drum. You can hear the wind blowing gently over your skin when Mala sings and you can feel such a deep, earthly groove coming from all three players. Marvin certainly has a special way of driving people that perform with him into that SPECIAL HEALING ZONE OF LOVE and since all three players as a unit are in a PRAYERFUL MODE OF PEACE and TRANQUILITY, the music ends up on the HIGHEST NOTE POSSIBLE, ENLIGHTENMENT! Listen carefully to HUMAN NATURE. I loved how The Days Of Wine and Roses worked itself in and the swinging blues was so grooving and full of excitement. Marvin's solo on the last piece was so imaginative and I loved the way the last tune faded with the drums as the last sound one heard. Everything is a drum. Listening to Chris is like listening to a drummer/bass together and then, MASTER MARVIN coordinating grooves throughout… OH JUST TOO MUCH!! Dr. Marvin Smith takes you on a listening journey every week from his personal 48 track state of the art facility. Series # 121 will go down in the history books as one of the PREMIER SESSIONS so far of all the Master Sessions of Dr. Marvin Smith, "The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood".  The wonderful feeling that I had listening to and reacting to this music is ON THE GOOSE BUMP LEVEL, sort of the feeling we had as children eating candy, having fun,enjoying things without questioning and being nonjudgemental. This music brings you to that state, the state of being in the moment,enjoying without rehearsing and letting go. I truly admire the way this group came together and I heard this music before it was ever recorded because I felt it in the spirits of all three players. Marvin I go back 42 years with and Christopher Dean Sullivan over 20 years. Mala, I never met but I knew her dad and met him when I was a young boy on Long Island and was hanging with John Coltrane and Elvin when I first came in contact with Master Mal Waldron. Yeah, the tune "SOUL EYES" that he wrote has always been a reminder of both Mal and John. Knowing the father, I his presence through Mala as she sung so beautifully and I'm sure her eyes are "SOUL EYES". I thank Dr. Marvin Smith for trusting my words about this music and using them as part of this beautiful ,MONUMENTAL RECORDING SESSION. I hope that THE VOICE, THE PIANO, THE BASS and THE DRUMS all move your spirit the way it did mine. I feel so great,joyful,thankful,loving and peaceful. THIS SESSION IS MEDICATION TO DRIVE AWAY ALL THE NEGATIVES IN A PERSON'S LIFE and IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A CHILD AFTER YOU LISTEN TO IT. You might feel so good that you'll want to pick daisies,eat cotton candy or go on a roller coaster ride.  Maybe it will bring you closer to a friend or loved one. Yes,Yes,Yes, WOW,WOW,WOW, CHILLS,CHILLS,CHILLS, LIGHTNESS,LIGHTNESS,LIGHTNESS, POWERFUL LIGHTNESS and FLOTATION. Yeah, I was actually FLOATING, MOVING WITHOUt EFFORT and INSIDE THIS MUSIC WITH ALL THREE. Marvin always has a way of doing this, it's his NATURE(HUMAN NATURE) and LISTEN AS YOU HEAR HUMAN NATURE PLAYED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HABIB