Series 114 Master Sessions Of Marvin Smith, Part 1, The Truth Be Told Better Than Hollywood with John Esposito and Robert Kopec

Featuring The Great John Esposito and Robert Kopec along with THE MASTER DRUM GENIUS Marvin. John Esposito gentle but extremely powerful and well versed in music as he is a professor and teacher of music at a major college. John Esposito is no stranger to JAZZ MUSIC and his relationship with Marvin Smith goes back to 1991, when Marvin and I were asked to get involved with a JAZZ FESTIVAL that was going on in Martha's Vineyard. That festival had Terrence Blanchard,Onaje Gumbs,Christian McBride and many others with their groups. Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith, along with John Esposito, Drew Gress and James Finn performed at that festival and I can remember them KICKIN SOME HARD ASS and all the other groups performing there were paying very close attention to THE HOLY SPIRIT that was beaming out of Smith and company those two nights. It seems that nobody ever made a public video of that event but I was there and can attest to the fact that Marvin, John, Drew and Jim, were all in a ZONE THAT FEW HAVE ENTERED and that ZONE WAS THE ZONE OF COMPASSION. GOOSE BUMPS WENT DOWN MY SPINE THROUGHOUT BOTH EVENINGS OF THEIR PERFORMANCE. MASTER MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH DEVELOPED COLOR AFTER COLOR THROUGH THE GROOVES THAT WERE LAID DOWN BY HIM,John Esposito and Drew Gress. I believe that John Esposito is one of the MOST SPIRITUAL PIANO PLAYERS THAT I EVER HEARD and when combined with Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith and Robert Kopec as it is in this current SERIES 114, it's no wonder that this music reaches such a HIGH LEVEL OF PURE COMMUNICATION BECAUSE MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH IS THE GENIUS THAT KNOWS HOW TO MOTIVATE PLAYERS TO EXPLORE THINGS AND REACH OUT TO THE OUTER LIMITS OF THE UNIVERSE. Marvin is a LEADER. He understands people and their needs. He is always in a JOYFUL STATE If you listen carefully to the beautiful mixing that was done, it was Marvin's EARS that were involved. If you can hear the FINAL MASTERING, it was Andrew Greeney's talented ears that were engaged in this final product. If you know about Jan Jurgielewicz, then you know about the gifts he has with computers and marketing, and production along with his understanding of business and TRUTHFUL PRODUCT PRESENTATION. If you listen to Robert Kopec playing the bass so beautifully, then you're hearing TRUTH, sounds are captured so well by Marvin's Compassionate Sound and Motion Studio using the new 48 track Cubase software system. I was taken away into another land, another dimension and that's exactly what happened here, tonight at the Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith Talmadge Street Session in his NEW 48 TRACK RECORDING STUDIO. Listen to the dynamics captured by the COMPASSIONATE SOUND and MOTION STUDIO. Yeah, this music is so CLEAR,FULL OF DYNAMICS and some of the finest that I've ever heard. I never imagined that music could make me feel this happy and joyful. WOW! I love these guys. They get right into the center of my soul. They are such MASTERS. Playing with these CATS is a LUXURY. I mean, just sit back and allow this music to take you there. I've NEVER HEARD anyone get such a unique sound out of drums and cymbals as Marvin. HE'S A TRUE EXAMPLE OF WHAT A TEACHER SHOULD BE, A REAL FRIEND. He knows how to communicate to a student,by understanding what the student needs, sometimes a good KICK IN THE ASS. Of course, none of tonight's music would be possible if it weren't for him because he motivates everyone to reach for HIGHER LEVELS. THIS GENIUS CREATES MUSIC TO BE USED AS A HEALING MEDICINE, BABA, DR. MASTER MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH IS A ONE OF A KIND. There are few words that can be written about this. IT'S UNIQUE. John Esposito can stimulate anyone who plays with him, so can Robert Kopec but Marvin is an entity in himself, a TRUE DRUM GENIUS, ENGINEERING GENIUS, COMPOSING GENIUS AND TALENTED LEADER OF ANY GROUP HE PUTS TOGETHER. Listen to his solo work, how harmonic and creative. It's like listening to the wind blowing over the hills and the ocean. It's like an EARTHQUAKE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED ON THE EASTCOAST THIS WEEK.. The deep thrusting beats that are created on those TOM TOMS are so hollow and deep, deep sounding, EXPLODING BUT YET ALSO CARESSING THE SPINE. Folks, this music is truly HEALING MEDICINE, IT SWINGS and SWINGS BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION. Yes, it will produce goose bumps on your skin and give you BRAIN FREEZE JUST LIKE ICE CREAM DOES TO A LITTLE KID. It touches all your senses. Interestingly enough, as I'm listening to this now, on Thursday evening, I am also hearing all the reports about HURRICANE IRENE and mandatory evacuations for the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut areas. WOW! This music is taking my mind off all the media hype about EARTHQUAKES, HURRICANES, OLD AGING PROCESSES, SICKNESS, FINANCIAL WORRIES AND ALL PROBLEMS. THIS MUSIC IS IN THE CENTER OF YOUR SOUL IF YOU ALLOW IT TO CONNECT WITH YOU. RELAX, SIT BACK and LET THESE THREE BEAUTIFUL, TALENTED MASTER PLAYERS ENTER INTO YOUR GOOD SPIRIT WITH THEIR LOVE AND JOY THAT THEY HAVE FOR THIS GREAT ART-FORM WE CALL JAZZ, THE AMERICAN MUSIC. This music carries forward the essence of what TRADITIONAL JAZZ REPRESENTS. IT'S DEEP BLUES and IT'S ROOTS are always there in every chorus. What a tribute to American Jazz Music: Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith and his trio of John Esposito and Robert Kopec. Each week, these MASTER SESSIONS OF MARVIN SMITH'S are done and archived for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. NOBODY I KNOW HAS PUT TOGETHER THE ALMOST 1500 VIDEOS OF MUSIC THE WAY MARVIN HAS DONE IT, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, FOR STUDENTS TO BE EX{POSED TO THE MASTERS "ON THE BANDSTAND" and LIVE! All of Marvin's drum students have an opportunity to sit in with these MASTERS and be recorded. THE VIDEO CAPTURES EVERYTHING and YOU CAN'T BULLSHIT WHEN IT CAN ALWAYS BE OBSERVED OVER AND OVER AND OVER TILL LEARNING FINALLY BECOMES EASIER BY EXAMPLE. The caring, giving and PURE TRUTHFUL ATTITUDE OF MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH IS CAPTURED EVERYTIME HE PLAYS. HE IS FLOW, NATURAL UNOBSTRUCTIVE MOTION and BALANCE. HE REACTS and MAKES CHANGES WITHOUT FEARS. HE ADAPTS HIMSELF TO ANYTHING, EVEN THE THREATS OF EARTHQUAKES AND HURRICANES LIKE IRENE. JUST OBSERVE, THAT'S WHAT THIS GREAT SESSION, SERIES # 114 PART 1 IS ALL ABOUT, LEARNING TO GO WITH THE MOMENT and MAKE CHANGES AS YOU GO ALONG, DEVELOPING EXCITEMENT AND DESIRING FULL TIME JOY THROUGH GIVING OF YOURSELF TO OTHERS. There are few GIVERS LIKE MARVIN SMITH, I've been around him for enough years to know where he's coming from and THAT PLACE IS CALLED TRUTH FROM THE CENTER OF HIS SOUL. I truly hope you enjoy this SERIES 114 as much as I did and I am certain there are no others like this as Marvin, John and Robert reached that beautiful level of "AUTOMATIC PILOT" without any rehearsal or pre-meditation. LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE, HABIB

DOES IT TAKE AN EARTHQUAKE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER?

IT TAKES AN EARTHQUAKE AND OTHER POTENTIAL DISASTEROUS SITUATIONS TO BRING HUMAN BEINGS TOGETHER, CARING ABOUT EACH OTHER EVEN IF THEY'RE STRANGERS! WHY CAN'T WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER AS LOVING, PEACEFUL HUMANS, EVERY MOMENT OF EVERYDAY AND TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HABIB WITH LOVE

THIS IS ABOUT MY LONG TIME FRIEND MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH, A LIVING LEGEND

Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith LIVING LEGEND and DRUMMING GENIUS OF OUR TIME, 2011,
Many years ago in Engelwood,NJ, I met Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith, his brother Earl "BUSTER" Smith and Bobby Smith. Marvin played the drums differently than anyone I have ever heard. His older brother "BUSTER" was a great teacher of Marvin's and also a known Jazz drummer working with Eric Dolphy, Sun Ra and so many others. Buster influenced his younger brother Marvin and helped Marvin develop a great drumming gift that few of us have. Marvin is like THE WIND, THE EARTH, THE SUN, THE RAIN, THE OCEAN, FIRE,SPACE,SILENCE,STATIC,PASSION,COMPASSION,CONSTANT MOTION, HE LOOKS LIKE THE NUMBER 8 which when looked at is round, circle on top of circle. He expresses himself through 5's, 6's,7's and 8's but continues to advance time in quarters, fourths with accents of three but also five. He plays without resolving things bar after bar. He sometimes breaths twelve bars at a time before he powerfully accents in a gentle but also explosive way. You can feel his soul. Marvin IS THE MUSIC. He creates flow because he is FLOW. Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith is a musical composer using the drums as his harmonic voice. Marvin draws all musicians that perform with him into a world of LOVE and PEACE. It is a world of healing musical medicine. I know, because when I met Marvin, I was medically ill with Heart Disease,Cancer, Chronic Osteomylitis and many other medical complications. Listening to him play was medicine in itself. His sound vibration is unique. Marvin draws souns out of his drums that I've never heard before. If you listen carefully, you'll be able to react deeply to his inner healing heart. Marvin is one of the most giving, self-less people that I have ever met. Because of his TOTAL GIVING NATURE, HE IS ABLE TO REACH SUCH HIGH SPIRITUAL LEVELS, LEVELS OF ENLIGHTENING STRENGTH. His purpose in playing music is to heal the sick and become the medicine of HARMONIC SOUND VIBRATION. In February 2011, MODERN DRUMMER MAGAZINE had a two page article that featured this drumming genius. Marvin has over 1,500 videos of his performances that are all unique because they document him teaching others both professional Master Players and young students. His teaching methods are totally unique and he reminds me of the old day traditional methods of "THE JAZZ MESSENGERS" and the way Art Blakey exposed young talented players to the bandstand in his NYC LOFT. Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith is a living legend and AN UNSUNG HERO IN THE JAZZ COMMUNITY. Through his personal recording studio, Compassionate Sound and Motion, his record label, BUMAR RECORDS and his website: jazzdrumlessons.com Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith has given to the Jazz Community, everything he has to offer this great American Art-Form called JAZZ. Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith will be added to the ARCHIVES OF JAZZ MUSIC just like John William Coltrane, Charlie Parker, T. Monk, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Ellington and so,so many others too numerous to mention but I simply had to write this article to make people more aware of this LIVING LEGEND and DRUMMING GENIUS OF OUR TIME, 2011, THE YEAR OF MAJOR MUSICAL CHANGE AND AWARENESS.
Steve Habib

PREVIEW OF SERIES #114, MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH WITH THE GREAT PIANIST JOHN ESPOSITO along with Robert Kopec on bass.

Interestingly enough, today marks THE DAY OF THE EARTHQUAKE ON THE EASTCOAST from the Virginia area right up into parts of New Hampshire! Folks were running around this afternoon concerned about things that were HAPPENING IN THE MOMENT. Well, tonight's super MASTER SESSION of MARVIN BU GA LU SMITH'S is going to be EXPLOSIVE and also IN THE MOMENT as he has MASTER JOHN ESPOSITO and ROBERT KOPEC join him for a special night of TRIO JAZZ and DEEP EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS FROM THE CATS as Marvin always drives players up into NEW AREAS OF MUSICAL EXPLORATION. WOW! These players can swing their ass off as they react "MOMENT TO MOMENT" without any rehearsing. More to follow in another BLOG and the LINER NOTES will be finished after reacting to what goes down here this evening. I'M EXCITED and I can't wait to get involved with SERIES 114 of THE MASTER SESSIONS, "BETTER THAN HOLLYWOOD" OF THE TRUTH BE TOLD.
HABIB

I AM HONORED TO WRITE ABOUT MUSIC BECAUSE YOU, THE ARTIST TRUST ME AND MY PROFESSIONAL EARS

I AM HONORED TO BE PART OF OUR MUSIC HISTORY
I am writing this today, August 21

,2011 and letting all of you know how honored I am that so many of you have selected me,a composer,performing artist,drummer,percussionist,student of the art-form, to write about your music. I can hear you everytime I listen to one of your tracks. I only speak TRUTH based on my own experiences with music and being a musician myself, I know I can do so much more for your music,helping you to communicate it and helping listeners who are not artists, better understand it.

My first project has been one that I've been involved with most of my life, Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith,his music and his life-force. Marvin and I have been friends for over 40 years. He was a teacher of mine a long,long time ago and we recorded together,played gigs with many,many people together. We as friends, have been through alot and have similar backgrounds. We have enough in common that I became qualified to represent his musical expressions in writing. It's almost like I enter inside his spirit when I'm either playing music with him or writing about what he or others are playing. I guess that's the difference between writing about something you have experienced by doing or you are simply an observer or critic and we don't need that because the person writing MUST understand the inner workings of the music and must be "A DOER"

Series #113 Marvin Smith's Master Session with Rob Fisch,Ben Newsome, Lew Scott

Series # 113 of The Master Sessions of Marvin Smith brings together Rob Fisch, Ben Newsome and Lew Scott together with MASTER Marvin Smith in another of the over 1200 video examples of how to create the correct teaching environment for young players to learn about traditional JAZZ MUSIC and its' ROOTS. In the old days, a young player would have to stand on line and might never have the opportunity to "RUB SHOULDERS" with THE MASTERS or they were sent home and told "DON'T COME BACK AND PLAY THAT SHIT AGAIN ON THIS STAGE". It was felt that they were DISHONORING TRADITION. Marvin Smith has created an opportunity for young players to learn about the ROOTS of the music and for the players to be directly exposed to MASTERS in his new 48 track studio which is STATE OF THE ART. Players in the 60's and 70's would NEVER TOLERATE some of THE BULLSHIT that today's younger players deal out. In the old days, there was NEVER TIME for EGOS and they wouldn't be tolerated. Today, everybody thinks they're "A MOTHER FUCKER, BAD ASS PLAYER and the truth is, few are saying anything new or different. Few are even bullshitting themselves thinking that tey're playing when in fact, they don't even know how to swing because they can't touch on their inner feelings. Many are simply copying players that they would like to play like, instead of searching inside themselves for the TRUTH OF WHO THEY REALLY ARE and in MOST CASES, they're simply NO BLOW, INEXPERIENCED WITH LIFE, NON-COMMUNICATORS OF TRUTH!. I can say some of these things because I used to think I was a "PLAING MF'R" and the truth was, I wasn't saying SHIT. After experiencing medical problems, deaths of loved one's and being hit by a car as a pedestrian, I then started learning that I was a beautiful human being and had compassion for others but I had to learn how to communicate it and SHED INTERNAL ANGER and FRUSTRATIONS THAT MY OWN EGO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING, NOT THE GOODNESS THAT WAS IMBEDDED IN ME FROM THE TRUE MASTERS THAT I PERSONALLY GREW UP WITH. I WAS DISHONORING TRADITION AND CULTURE. I NEVER GAVE IT AWAY. I NEVER THOUGHT OF ANYONE BUT MYSELF. I WOULDN'T FEED THE POOR OR HELP ANYONE BECAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO HELP MYSELF BECAUSE I HAD LITTLE FAITH AND LITTLE RESPECT FOR OTHERS. WHY? BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS THE SHIT. WHY? BECAUSE I WASN'T IN TUNE WITH MY PATHETIC SELF AND THE TRUTH THAT I AM A NO BLOW MF'R. If you can say this and mean this, you will grow but you MUST PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH and BECOME A COMPASSIONATE, LOVING, GIVING HUMAN BEING. YOU CANNOT SERVE SELF, YOU CAN ONLY SERVE OTHERS BEFORE SELF. These are some of the things that I have learned in my almost 65 years on earth and the main thing that I have learned is little happens overnight, or quickly. YOU MUST PAY YOUR DUES. IF YOU CAN'T DO THIS THEN YOU MUST STOP PLAYING AND DO SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE CREATIVE MUSIC IS NOT YOUR BAG. IF YOU CAN'T "LIVE" THIS MUSIC THEN STOP DOING IT. YOU MUST COMMITT TO YOURSELF, TRUTH, TRUTH THAT YOU'RE ONLY A SMALL CHIP OF THE WHOLE. YOU'RE A GRAIN OF SAND ON THE BEACH BUT WITH OTHERS, YOU CAN BECOME THE BEACH. YOU CAN ACTUALLY BECOME THE MUSIC AND ENTER THE SERET WORLD, THE WORLD WHERE LOVE, JOY AND ULTIMATE PEACE RESIDES. Listen carefully to both Rob Fisch and Ben Newsome working together creating beautiful harmony and JOY. Listen carefully to LEW SCOTT putting down great DANCING LOW TONES along with Marvin Smith'spowerful but sensitive flowing grooves. I loved the way all four of these great players demonstrated the TRUTH of healing sound vibration, what I like to refer to as MUSIC, THE HEALING MEDICINE. Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith is the only JAZZ MUSICIAN/COMPOSER/STUDIO OWNER/RECORD COMPANY OWNER that I know that has ever put together ALMOST 1500 MUSIC VIDEOS OF HIS PERFORMANCES AND DID THIS FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE DOCUMENTED PROOF OF THE WAY JAZZ IS AND SHOULD BE HONORED AS AN AMERICAN ART FORM. A TRUE TRADITIONAL AMERICAN MUSIC THAT STARTED IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WORLD. The true credit goes to those like Charlie Parker, Willie THE LION SMITH, TATUM, POWELL, MONK, TRANE,ELLINGTON, ARMSTRONG, BECHET,ROLLINS, KIRK, and ON and ON we go with names many have heard of in books or on old sides but few have rubbed shoulders with these masters. Well guess what, MARVIN HAS and SO HAVE I but the project of educating young students has tremendous responsibility and Marvin has taken on this responsibility without the business bullshit that typically goes along with today's commercial music. Marvin Bu Ga Lu Smith "GIVES IT ALL AWAY" but expects that serious folks that want to preserve the future of this ART FORM must do some work and NOT HAVE THEIR HANDS OUT FOR COMPENSATION. The ability to become a MASTER and THE SECRET OF PLAYING AND UNDERSTANDING THIS MUSIC IS IN THE FACT THAT YOU MUST GIVE IT AWAY. YOU MUST DO FOR OTHERS FIRST and LOOK FOR NOTHING IN RETURN. BY DOING THIS, YOU WILL LEARN THE JOY OF GIVING AND MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY. BECOME TRUTH AND BRING THAT INTO YOUR MUSIC and THEN YOUR MUSIC WILL SWING and HAVE GREAT PURPOSE AS HEALING MEDICINE BOTH FOR YOU AND OTHERS and EVENTUALLY YOU'LL REACH A STATE OF MASTERFULLNESS, you will become enlightened, but again, IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT and IT WON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT SACRIFICE!
LOVE ALWAYS and ALWAYS LOVE,
HABIB