Affable, gregarious, and inquisitive, Smitty projected the kind of radiant enthusiasm and love off the bandstand that is the visible beacon of a soul at peace with himself.
by Chip Stern
While it is perhaps a touch premature to bestow upon Marvin “Smitty” Smith the historical mantle of greatness, it’s readily accepted by the musicians and fans who’ve seen him in action that a talent like his flashes across the sky only a few times in a generation. When Roy Haynes lovingly dubbed him “Mah-velous Marvin” […]
