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
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