Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He was first exposed to music growing up in some of the city’s historical Black Baptist churches. The culture’s hymnody, negro spirituals, country, blues, and gospel music would set the foundation for his successful music career.

Kevin's musical ability was recognized early on in the areas of voice, orchestral playing and jazz, leading him to entering the Governor’s Honors Music Program in his junior year of high school. That following year he participated in what would be his first Grammy award-winning project “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” with local hip-hop group Outkast. Kevin was soon accepted into Florida State University and received a scholarship to be placed in the School of Music's String Performance Program. Here he studied classical/baroque contrabass with Melanie Punter under the direction of Maestro Dr. Alex Jimenez.  He also was accepted into the Jazz Studies Department where he studied and performed with Rodney Jordan, Leon Anderson Jr., Marcus Roberts, Scotty Barnhart, Inga Sweringen, and Dr. John Parks.

Kevin held a chair in the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and played in the Columbus Symphony, Albany Symphony, and Dothan Opera Orchestras. His performance record in the world of jazz is equally formidable, having performed with Marcus Printup, Kevin Bales, Curtis Fuller, Vincent Gardner, Calvin Newborn, Russell Malone, Fred Wesley, Chris Crenshaw, Wycliffe Gordon, Donald Harrison, Victor Goines, Takana Miyamoto, Toku Baba, Russell Gunn, and Terreon Gully.

Kevin presently maintains a busy performing and teaching schedule in Atlanta and New York City.