An interview with Maestro Peter Urban.

Here is part of an interview, done with with Maestro Peter Urban in Puerto Rico circa 1986.

The Ultimate Bruce Lee Collection!

The Mother Load of Bruce Lee pictures. Very rare and unseen by most. I also included audio with an interiew with Lee Jun Fan. If you have an interest in Bruce Lee, give it a look. 

KaraTe Beneath The Surface, A Book by Roy Kenneth Kamen

I'm pretty prejudice when it comes to writings and publications on the martial arts. 

I've been reading martial arts books since I was a little kid in the 1960s. My teacher wrote a very famous book about KaraTe, and encouraged us to read everything available, as to broaden our prospectives. 

Reading martial arts books enhanced my reading comprehension to the point that in 7th grade, my reading comprehension level was that of a college sophomore. 

With that said, and considering just how many martial arts books I have read, and reread over and over, I just may know what I'm talking about when it comes to this subject. 

My martial arts library has always been very large, and varied. Recently, I relocated back to Florida, and had to leave much of my belongings with my son until I establish myself. I took only one book with me. That book is KaraTe Beneath The Surface, By Roy Kamen.

Roy Kamen is a personal friend of mine, and fellow GoJuKa. Like me, he began his martial arts training in 1965. He started out in IsShin Ryu KaraTe under his brother Rob Kamen, who incidentally wrote and produced the movie The KaraTe Kid. Both brothers later moved over to ShoreiKan GoJu Ryu under Seikichi Toguchi. 

                                                          

    Seikichi Toguchi and Roy Kamen

Later both brothers would come under the direction of Dai Sensei Kow Loon "Kayo" Ong, in the Chi I Do International Organization. 

    Kow Loon Ong, Marina and Roy Kamen

Roy Kamen is not just a physical type of KaraTeKa. He is deeply involved in the spiritual and holistic aspects of the art. He is also an accomplished music producer, and applies this same spirituality to both his martial arts and his music.

KaraTe Beneath The Surface is not a book about punching and kicking. It goes way deeper than that. Roy breaks down the original premise behind the Embusen or performance line of the kata of GoJu Ryu, as they are actually Mandalas. 

                                                                     

 San Chin

                                                                

TenSho

      

                                                                                  

KaraTe Beneath The Surface exposes the actual purpose of the breathing done in our kata, which are actually and originally Mudras associated with the afore mentioned Mandalas.

When I say that Roy Kamen is very much into the Spiritual and Holistic side of the arts, I don't mean to say that he neglects the physical. Quite the contrary, his KaraTe is very practical and effective. This book serves to enhance ones understanding of the art, and the physical can only be strengthened by a deeper understanding of the Spiritual.

The book contains stories of Roy's early years, and the way various experiences shaped his life, and outlook on the arts.

The feelings and emotions that the kata represent are very well explained.

Some books you can read a chapter or two, put them down, and continue another time.

This book is hard to put down. 

If you are a serious martial artist, or just have a serious interest in the martial arts, I highly recommend this wonderful work by Sensei Roy Kamen.

If I had to rate it on a scale of one to ten, this book would definitely be wearing a RED BELT...

Double click on the video to enter full screen.

Dai Sensei, Kow Loon "Kayo" Ong explains Da Na Kow.

The art of Naha Te / GoJu Ryu, is actually the Okinawan version of Fukienese Chuan Fa = Southern Chinese Gung Fu.

Throughout the years, much of the substance of the art has been lost, omitted, or just not learned, by those who practice for competition, and or hobby.

There are intricacies that few actually know, but if one looks deeply enough, and is willing to do the research and foot work, they are still there for the taking. 

A few years back, while visiting my old friend and Older Martial Arts Brother, Dai Sensei, Kow Loon "Kayo" Ong, Chairman of Chi I Do International,  at his home in New York City's Chinatown, I had the opportunity to video tape a part of our long and detailed conversation. In this rare video, Dai Sensei, Ong explains the concept of Da Na Kow.

Dr. Ernest Hyman

Osu! Today is the One Year Anniversary of the passing of my old friend and senior, Dr. Ernest  Hyman. It seems like only yesterday, that I watched this demo at Aaron Banks' Oriental World of Self Defense, at Madison Square Garden... RIP

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Styles, Systems, and Ryu Ha. A look at the development and metamorphosis of KenShiKai KaraTeDo.

There are many styles and organizations of KaraTe these days. Far too many to list here. However, I thought it may be interesting to take a look at the development and metamorphosis of one of the newer ones...

This is far from a complete history of this style. If anything, this is the abridged version.

Having recently featured our own Shihan Russell Bianca here on That's My Satori, I thought it apropos to write a piece about the fine group that he comes out of, and how it began.

When KaraTe was originally practiced in Okinawa, it was referred to as Te, meaning Hand.

Okinawa Te consisted of 3 separate entities, which were named after the location that they were practiced, Naha Te, Shuri Te, and Tomari Te.

Later, when KaraTe became more established, and was being introduced to Mainland Japan, these 3 types of KaraTe were given more distinct and descriptive names. Naha Te became GoJu Ryu, Toon Ryu, and Ueichi Ryu. Shuri Te became ShoRin Ryu, and Tomari Te became Okinawa Kenpo.

Once introduced to Japan through College KaraTe Clubs, Naha Te / GoJu Ryu was promoted by Gogen Yamaguchi and the GoJu Kai, while Shuri Te / ShoRin Ryu was promoted by Gichin Funakoshi and the ShoToKai.

The RitsumeiKan University KaraTe Club "GoJu Ryu" Captain, was Nei Chu So, a native of Korea, who became a Japanese national.

The Waseda University KaraTe Club "ShoToKai" Captain was Geiko Funakoshi, son of Gichin Funakoshi.

This was the beginning of the popularization of KaraTe in Mainland Japan.

Having been recognized by BuTokuKai as a legitimate Japanese Martial Art, KaraTe was thriving now in Mainland Japan, and being promoted through competition between the College KaraTe Teams.

A Korean born, now Japanese national, named Masutatsu Oyama studied KaraTe under these two afore mentioned Team Captains, first under Geiko Funakoshi of ShotoKai and later under his fellow Korean expatriate Nei Chu So.

After years of training in both ShoToKai and GoJu Ryu, Masutatsu Oyama formed his own brand of KaraTe that he named KyokuShinKai.

Proving his new style through many challenge matches, and demonstrations, Oyama's KyokuShinKai became very popular all over the world.

Oyama had two champion students, Shigeru Oyama, and Tadashi Nakamura, that he later sent to the United States to teach, spread, and promote his KyokuShinKai. They developed many champion students of their own, often bringing them back to Japan to fight in their teacher's tournament.

After many years of serving as Oyama's representatives, these two men made the decision to branch off on their own, respectively. Nakamura forming his own SeiDo Juku Organization in 1985, and Oyama forming USA Oyama KaraTe.

Both Organizations and teachers became quite successful in the West.

Nakamura had a student named William Oliver, who became a very well know champion of both the Oyama events, and on the New York tournament scene. He was also Nakamura's Chief Instructor.

Many will remember him being showcased in the movie Fighting Black Kings, which was a vehicle for Oyama's KyokuShinKai, and tournament.

After many years, serving as Chief Instructor at Nakamura's DoJo, William Oliver decided that it was time for him to do as his teacher did, and as his teacher's teacher did, and in 2001, moved on to form his own organization, KenShiKai KaraTeDo, with the help of his classmates / students, Monte Allen, Leighton Barker, Leroy Bennett, and Paul Sookdar.

On November 20, 2004 William Oliver passed away in his DoJo.

KenShiKai KaraTe Do is now prospering in the various DoJo in New York, and South Africa, that belong to this organization.

One of these DoJo, is The Brooklyn KenShiKai DoJo, headed by Shihan Russell Bianca.

Shihan Russell Bianca, Kata Arakaki No Kon

Shihan, Russell Bianca of KenShiKai KaraTe Do, has been training in KoBuDo with me for quite a while now.  He is ranked 6th Dan with KenShiKai under Shuseki Shihan Monte Allen.

Having originally began his KaraTe training in USA GoJu, I recognize his 6th Dan with KenShiKai, and gave him the USAGA Fight Schools Network GoJu Hall # 280-6, as a member of my ShobuDo GoJu Jitsu Kai.

Shihan Bianca teaches at The Brooklyn KenShiKai DoJo in Brooklyn NY. 

A professional in many ways, he is an editor for The American Kennel Club Magazine, An accomplished musician, family man, and Sensei.

I am very proud of his progress in our KoBuDo training.

Here he performs the kata Arakaki No Kon.

On the topic of Martial Arts literacy, and literature. This video is about books...

The Zen Staff.

Here is a commercial video that I did for The Zen Staff. This is a weapon that was designed by my friend GMstr. Hui Cambrelen. 

Malanoski Seminar at Daniel San Nisei GoJu School Miami Shores Florida

Osu! It's been a long time since I made a new post, but it seems apropos to begin posting again. So here goes... My seminar at Daniel San Nisei GoJu DoJo, went quite well. Shihan Daniel Lemus is a fine instructor, and his DoJo is full of very good students. I taught 2 separate classes last night, and a wonderful time was had by all. I look forward to returning to this fine DoJo in the near future.

GMstr. Ernest Hyman passes.

Unfortunately, we lost another GoJu brother. At 3:30 this morning, GMstr. Ernest Hyman passed away. He was an articulate gentleman of quality, and an extremely tough KaraTeKa. A carreer Sensei, a champion fighter, a community activist, and at one time billed as the fastest man in the world with the nunchaku. I personally have known him since the 70s and as a young teen, regularly attended his nunchaku clases at The New York KaraTe Academy. He leaves behind a great legacy.

Joe Lewis vs Ron Clay.

The other day, I was looking around on YouTube, and just when I was thinking that I'd already seen it all, up pops a video of an historic occurrence. I felt obligated to write an article about this newly found precious piece of history.

I have written and rewritten this article numerous times. Why you may ask? Well, the fact of the matter, is that one of the people in the article is no longer with us, and although he could come off quite arrogant at times, he was one of the most accomplished fighters in the history of American KaraTe. So I find myself trying not to be too disrespectful of the dead.  

Also, because I have a personal history with both people that I am writing about, I found myself writing too much about me, instead of them. So I have omitted most of the self gratifying material. I hope that the reader will bare with me, as I do have a dog in this fight. In this case, a "Devil Dog." That moniker was given to the United States Marines during WW2. Actually all three of us are former Marines.

Having been in the martial arts since the 60s, like so many of my generation, I came up in the ranks looking up to, and following the career of California's Golden Boy, the late Joe Lewis. Pretty much, the undisputed king of the ring, Lewis had a very animated personality. Much like a Championship Wrestler, he had a knack for making comments that would really upset people. But it was all part of his persona, and as a youngster, I emulated his style of fighting, his look, and yes, often his off color commentary. I often would see him at tournaments in New York back in the day, and because my teacher was often one of the people running the show, I had the opportunity to be able to hang out and talk with him on quite a few occasions. He was funny! Some of the things he would say, made me look around to see if anyone else was hearing this stuff, and when there was, I was glad that it was him that said it, and not I... Don't get me wrong, I was only a kid, and if it wasn't for my teacher, I probably would not have had that opportunity. 

As a matter of fact, many years later in the 90s, a young black belt that used to train with me occasionally, went to one of his seminars, and although he brought me back an autographed picture of him, Joe Lewis didn't remember me. I was later in communication with him and he invited me to a workshop, but unfortunately he passed away that year.

With a reputation like Lewis had, it was always big news whenever he won, but especially when somebody got the better of him. That didn't happen very often, but when it did, you could bet that it would be in the magazines, and all over the KaraTe grapevine...

I remember reading in 1975, about a no holds barred full contact event that had been held in Hawaaii in which the unthinkable happened. Joe Lewis drew a KaJuKenBo purple belt as an opponent, and got the surprise of his career. As the story went, the purple belt really pummeled Lewis for the first part of the first round. I remember thinking that this couldn't be possible. Pummeled by a purple belt??? But I also read that the purple belt was a US Marine, which made it understandable as far as how tough the purple belt must have been...

Four years later, I joined the Marine Corps. After a year of training, I was stationed in Okinawa Japan for the next three years. This gave me many opportunities to advance my martial arts knowledge and experience, both in my parent style of GoJu / Naha Te, and in many other styles as well. 

Whenever I was at Camp Hanson for school or rifle range, I made it a point to visit GMstr Eizo Shimabuku's DoJo, which was right across from Camp Hanson, in Kin Village. I got to know Shimabuku, and made friends with his students, so I was able to learn even more about Joe Lewis' exploits. You see, Lewis came from that dojo. As a matter of fact, I was part of the group of Marines that took Sensei Shimabuku and his wife on base to see the newly released Joe Lewis Jaguar movie!

Okinawa of course, is the Holy Land of KaraTe. But there are two different martial arts scenes there. If you are in the military, you have access to the On Base scene. Beyond the numerous martial arts classes taught on base, there was a never ending influx of some really talented martial artists from all over the States. They came from every style imaginable, and some where as good, or better than the mainstream personalities that one grew up watching or reading about, even though one may have never heard of them. 

The Okinawa KaraTe Referees Association was formed in order to run tournaments on the various bases. When I was not training at a dojo somewhere off base, I took the opportunity to utilize the on base facilities. The Field house Gymnasium was a large building with a basketball court, and an actual dojo replete with mats, hardwood floor, heavy bags, etc... Needless to say, this attracted martial arts types like flys on the stuff that flys like...

Picture it: One day I was at the field house dojo working out, when a large individual that I had never seen before walked in. He was wearing a gi with a black belt, as was I and most of the folks that had been there that day, but he was different. He had a few years on me, so I knew that he had to be pretty high ranking Marine Corps wise. I was a corporal at the time, and he turned out to be the newly arrived First Sgt. or Master Sgt. attached to one of the Battalions on Camp Foster. Then the inevitable happened. He asked me if I wanted to move around a little. It was very much like moving around with a Volkswagen... 

He was very fast for his size, and his version of moving around was a bit harder in contact than I expected. After he landed some pretty hard shots on me, I got off the floor and kicked him in the face with a round house kick. He laughed... As a matter of fact, this guy laughed the whole time we sparred, and after getting to know him, I found that he always laughed when he fought someone. This is very nerve wracking for the opponent, "It pissed me off...," and worked for him very well.

The next time I saw him, he was with a friend of mine from the Okinawa Referees Association, who mentioned that my new friend had fought Joe Lewis in a full contact match in 1975, as a purple belt! That is how I met Ron Clay.

As I mentioned before, it is of historic record that although Lewis knocked Clay out later in the round, he obviously was not expecting or prepared for the initial onslaught of what turned out to be the shot heard around the world as far as what was written and spoken about on the martial arts scene. 

Fast forward to the other day: I am watching this video of the match between Joe Lewis and Ron Clay, which is narrated with Lewis being asked questions about the fight. What Lewis says pretty much lives up to the persona that I described before. However, regardless of the lack of credit given during the narration, here you can see the action for yourself.

I have not seen Ron Clay in over 30 years, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology, he is my friend on Facebook and a member of the Satori Martial Arts Study Group. I look forward to his chiming in here, with his side of the story...

Good by to a friend...

Grand Master Certificate.

Osu! I have not posted anything here for quite awhile, as we have been actively and interactively operating from Facebook. However, I feel that this is an appripo time to commence once again.

12 years ago today, we said "Fare Thee Well," to our Spiritual teacher, Maestro Peter G. Urban.

Osu! Rest in peace my Mentor, Teacher, Father, Friend...

Ok! Check it out! My older brother and dear friend Hanshi Manny Saavedra is running his yearly event. I would most definitely advise you and your's to attend. Time was when I helped run this thing, and I can assure you that Manny has a quality = underststement event. If you would like to compete in a tournament that placing in has meaning... then this is the one! No bullsh!t, REAL people judging and officiating, and a guy, who has been around since before your parents met. So... If my word means anything to you, do support GMstr. Manny Saavedra's event, or be the square that you are... 

Happy Birthday Maestro P. G. Urban 2013

Enter The Dragon's Jim Kelly passes.

Haisai!

Chopsocky / Blacksploitation movie icon Jim Kelly died yesterday. Originally a semi pro athlete, he began his KaraTe training with Gordon Doversola in a style that Doversola named Okinawa Te. He later joined up with the BKF = Black KaraTe Federation, under Kenpo's Steve Sanders "Muhamed". Jim Kelly won the middle weight division at a tournament that Bruce Lee attended, and the rest is history...

satori picture show

Haisai!

The Satori Martial Arts Study Group, which is the interactive satellite of this website on Facebook, has gained quite a following. From prominent masters to kyu level students, our members have been interacting in discussion, video lecture / demonstration, and satire that can only be appreciated by those initiated in this thing of ours called Martial Combatives and all of their cognates. I realize that many, for some reason, do not have a Facebook account. However it may behoove you to consider doing so, if only to participate in our study group. We will be having actual physical study group functions in the near future, such as seminars, and a study group banquet. My goal is to grow the Satori Martial Arts Study Group into an even more organized body of like minded members, in order to promote, perpetuate, and accelerate, the full scope of the Martial Arts, IE: a deeper understanding of the intricacies and nomenclature of kata and waza, as well as their application, history, polemics = what made them necessary to various societies, as well as our own.

To join, please go to:    https://www.facebook.com/groups/satorimartialartsstudygroup/

You can send a membership request to me at: malanoski@americangoju.com

In memory of GGMstr. Aaron Banks.

Haisai! Mina Samma,

Sad news indeed today. One of the biggest names in early promotion and production of the martial arts has left us. When we got home today, my fiance Audra checked her facebook account and informed me that she had just read that GGMstr. Aaron Banks had passed away at the age of 85.  

Beginning his KaraTe career in 1960, under Sensei John Slocum “ShoToKan” and later with Chris Debaise, Thomas Boddi, John Kuhl, Chuck Merriman, and Peter Urban. He had affiliation with Gogen Yamaguchi, and then Gonnohyoe Yamamoto over the years.

Aaron Banks, as an instructor, produced quite a few well known champions, and many not so well known, but quite talented offspring. Names such as Ernest Hyman, Rex Lee, Eddie Moralez, Janet Forray "Banks", James Santiago and Wilbert X Majette, “teacher of Ron “Master Breaker” Jeter, just to name a few.

As a promoter, he took the KaraTeBall and ran with it. It seemed as if, anything that could be done with the martial arts, he did, or found a way to get someone else to do it at one of his way too numerous to list endeavors. 

Television shows like Mike Douglas “if you remember that one, you are old…,” and most notably The Wide World of Sports! Starting out at The Waldorf Astoria, and Manhattan Center with his major events, he literally went from renting out Sunnyside Gardens, to Madison Square Garden, in a sold out success story, nationally, and I’m sure internationally televised.

The Oriental World of Self Defense was literally hours of nonstop in your face martial arts demonstrations by literally everybody who was anybody in one way or another. From Yoshiteru Otani performing IaiDo, to Tiger Kim flying through the air and breaking things. From Ernest Hyman breaking extreme amounts of Ice, to Richard Bowe blindfolded and hoodwinked, defending against a real knife. From the Joe Hess vs. Beth Bussey male female contact match to Ralph Bialla catching bullets in his teeth, and I’m leaving almost everything out, The Oriental World Of Self Defense was an extravaganza to say the least.

Old timers may remember the snafu, which was the Sun City incident. GGMstr. Aaron Banks actually took his show on the road. The Apartheid authorities, in South Africa at the time, asked that GGMstr. Banks not bring the black martial artists in his show.

Back in the 70's, when my friends and I would go on our Urban Shugyo = when we were not at the dojo, we usually were visiting other dojo to train, or just hang out and watch. I attended some of the nunchaku classes given by one of the top guys there = Ernest Hyman. But most of the time, you just paid your dollar to Arther Taub, the receptionist / guy Friday, and you could go inside and watch one of the many different types of classes that went on there at any given time. Oh! I forgot to mention, the one and only time that I met Bruce Lee was when I was a little kid, visiting Aaron Banks' dojo with my father. I honestly don't remember if it was the same location as pictured, as I was about 8 years old I'm pretty sure. Lee was making an appearance at the Madison Square Garden event the next day. It is no exaggeration to say that you never knew who you were going to run into if you stopped in enough.

There was a Shiai = literally people gathering = inter school competition, at his DoJo every weekend and later in the 80s, he ran a tournament at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn “under the Brooklyn Bridge,” every weekend.

Originally, an aspiring actor, GGMstr. Banks always had a connection to Broadway and Hollywood, teaching and interacting with accomplished and famous personalities, as seen here with drummer Buddy Rich and actor Roger Moore of James Bond fame. Banks himself was in quite a few movies. Being a showman, he took this opportunity to bring a certain campy drama to the screen, not so very unlike the Golden Harvest genre. 

GGMstr. Aaron Banks was way ahead of his time when it came to Organizing. At a time when the PKA was the major body for full contact KaraTe, he formed his own WPKO, with it's own Champions of various weight class. This was not a mom and pop shop operation, and I can remember like it was yesterday, seeing and meeting folks like Chuck Norris, Darnell Garcia, Benny Urquidez, at his events.

No matter what your opinion of GGMstr. Aaron Banks and his operation is, no one can ever say for a minute that he did not contribute to, leave an impression on, and pave the way for the next generations of Professional Martial Arts.

Osu! GGMstr. Banks. Till we meet again.

Exciting News!

Haisai! Very exciting news!

Thanks to celebrated ShoToKan Champion Bill Beason, and our friend Shihan Frank Puello, we now have actual footage available of the great Louis Delgado performing KATA! For those who were not around during the old days, Louis Delgado was originally a student of Maestro Urban. He went with GMstr. Frank Ruiz, when Ruiz was told to "Go Teach!" and when NiSei GoJu was formed, he was Top Gun of Ruiz' competition contingency. Gaining more than just NY credebility, he won national acclaim by his historic win against a pretty well known guy named Carlos "CHUCK" Norris. (You can see him fighting Norris on youtube with Urban as referee.)

Delgado moved to California around 1970 or 71, continuing his training with Japanese ShoTokan Master Nishiyama, and supposedly Bruce Lee. I have never seen photographs or video of he and Lee, so I cannot confirm this, however I have no reason to doubt it.

Delgado was one of the best fighters around, even though he was smaller and younger than most of his competition. Maestro Urban said that Delgado was afraid of No One, except for Mike Stone for some reason. I doubt that this was much more than respect for someone who had already attained the King Of The Hill position that Delgado was shooting for. With all of the photos and video available of this great KaraTeKa, it has not been until NOW thaty we have actual video of his kata. Yes, his kata was second to none! If you were not there, then you missed something fantastic. Until NOW!

In this video, Delgado slips and falls during his performance. However, he was THAT GOOD as to be able to jump right back up into the mode, and still look better than most could wish for on their best day.

Narrating this video is Master Bill Beason, who enjoyed an illustrious tournament career in his own right.

I will finish by stating, regretfully, that Master Louis Delgado passed away on May 17th 1991, of liver failure, caused by medication that he had to take because of lung tumors.

He was a nice guy, a fantastic KaraTeKa, and will be missed by all of us who knew him.

Here he performs a ShoToKan form, woith that famouse Delgado nuance.

Enjoy!

Another not previously circulated photo.

A friend of mine, named Hanshi Patrick McCarthy "you may have heard of him..." gave me this photograph last night. From left to right Mrs. Meiko Urban, Grand Master Peter Urban, Mrs. Kim, Grand Master Richard Kim, Sensei Duke Moore.

Here's what Richard Kim had to say about both Maestro Urban and Hanshi McCarthy. Click on pic to enlarge and read.

The Satori Martial Arts Study Group

What is the difference between a Toy, a Tool, and a WEAPON?

Intention.

What I intend to do, is to stop playing, and to bring That's My Satori and I'm Stickin To It! to the next level, by having established an interactive satellite on Facebook. It is called The Satori Study Group. The group is private, and to interact, one must join. If the applicant is not known to the group, it is necessary to email an introduction, including name, martial arts curriculum vitae, in order to be considered for acceptance.

The purpose of the Satori Martial Arts Study Group, is for readers of this blog to be able to ask questions and make commentary on and or about the subject matter covered here on this site. I encourage the reader to look back into the older posts throughout the years in our archives, and to feel more than free, but obligated to bring up any of the oldies that spark your interest.

The Satori Martial Arts Study Group can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/groups/satorimartialartsstudygroup/

Letters of introduction can be e mailed to malanoski@americangoju.com
or you can contact us on Facebook.