Marvin Smith

Marvin "Smitty" Smith (born June 24, 1961) is an American jazz drummer and composer.

Marvin Smith was born in Waukegan, Illinois, where his father, Marvin Sr., was a drummer. "Smitty" was exposed to music at a young age, receiving formal musical training at the age of three.^[1] After graduating from Waukegan East High School, Smith attended Berklee,^[2] graduating in 1981. Smith has recorded 200 albums with various artists, as well as two solo albums.^[3] He also has toured with Sting, Dave Holland, Sonny Rollins, Willie Nelson and with Steve Coleman.^[3] He is a former member of The New York Jazz Quartet,^[1] and was the drummer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno band, led by Kevin Eubanks, from January 30, 1995^[3] to the show's end on May 29, 2009. Smith was also the drummer for the Jay Leno Show band in 2009-2010.

Discography

As leader

• Keeper of the Drums (Concord Jazz, 1987)
• The Road Less Traveled (Concord Jazz, 1989)

As sideman

With Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison

• New York Second Line (The George Wein Collection)

With Hamiet Bluiett

• Ebu (Soul Note, 1984)

With Joanne Brackeen

• Turnaround (Evidence, 1992)

With Igor Butman

• Falling Out (Impromptu, 1993)

With Donald Byrd

• Harlem Blues (Landmark, 1987)

With Don Byron

• No-vibe Zone (Knitting Factory Works, 1996)

With Steve Coleman and M-Base

• Steve Coleman Group: Motherland Pulse (JMT, 1985)
• Five Elements – On the Edge of Tomorrow (JMT, 1986)
• Five Elements – Sine Die (Pangaea, 1987)
• Strata Institute (Double Trio with Greg Osby): Cipher Syntax (JMT, 1989)
• Five Elements – Rhythm People (Novus/BMG, 1990)
• Strata Institute: Transmigration (Rebel-X/Columbia, 1991)
• Five Elements – Black Science (Novus, 1991)
• Rhythm in Mind (Novus, 1991)
• M-Base Collective: Anatomy of a Groove (Rebel-X/DIW/Columbia, 1992)
• Five Elements – Drop Kick (Novus, 1992)

With Larry Coryell

• Shining Hour (Muse, 1989)

With Ray Drummond

• Excursion (Arabesque, 1993)
• Continuum (Arabesque, 1994)

With Robin Eubanks

• Karma (JMT, 1991)
• Mental Images (JMT, 1994)

With Art Farmer

• Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn (Contemporary, 1987)
• Ph.D. (Contemporary, 1989)

With Frank Foster and Frank Wess

• Two for the Blues (Pablo, 1984)
• Frankly Speaking (Concord, 1985)

With Benny Golson

• Stardust (Denon, 1987) with Freddie Hubbard
• That's Funky (Meldac Jazz, 1995) with Nat Adderley

With Gunter Hampel New York Orchestra

• Fresh Heat – Live at Sweet Basil (Birth, 1985) with Bill Frisell, Curtis Fowlkes, Bob Stewart, a.o.

With John Hicks

• Beyond Expectations (Reservoir, 1993)

With Dave Holland

• Seeds of Time (ECM, 1983)
• The Razor's Edge (ECM, 1987)
• Extensions (ECM, 1990)

With Andy Jaffe

• Manhattan Projections (Stash, 1985) with Wallace Roney and Branford Marsalis

With the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet

• Back to the City (Contemporary, 1986)
• Real Time (Contemporary, 1986)

With Carmen Lundy

• Jazz & the New Songbook: Live at the Madrid (CD and DVD, Afrasia, 2005)

With Buddy Montgomery

• Ties of Love (Landmark, 1987)

With Ralph Moore

• Rejuvenate! (Criss Cross, 1988)

With David Murray

• Children (Black Saint, 1984)

With David "Fathead" Newman

• Fire! Live at the Village Vanguard (Atlantic, 1989)
• Blue Head (Candid, 1990) with Clifford Jordan

With Joe Newman and Joe Wilder

• Hangin' Out (Concord Jazz, 1984)

With Emily Remler

• East To Wes (Concord, 1988)

With Sonny Rollins

• Sonny Rollins Plays G-Man and Other Music for the Soundtrack of the Robert Mugge Film "Saxophone Colossus" (Milestone, 1987)

With Michel Sardaby

• Going Places (Sound Hills, 1989)

With Archie Shepp

• Soul Song (Enja, 1982)
• Down Home New York (Soul Note, 1984)

With Superblue

• Superblue 2 (Blue Note, 1989)

With Harvie Swartz, Mick Goodrick, and John Abercrombie

• Arrival (Novus, 1992)

With McCoy Tyner

• Prelude and Sonata (Milestone, 1995)

With Gebhard Ullmann, Andreas Willers, and Bob Stewart

• Suite Noire (Nabel, 1990)

With Bobby Watson

• Love Remains (Red, 1986 [1988])

References