On Saturday, Aug. 11 from 5:30 to 10 p.m., the Boothbay Sea and Science Center is teaming up with The Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor (formerly the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard) for a special night of unique jazz music by the Marcus & Riza Printup Quartet. Of the featured musicians in the Quartet is jazz bassist Kevin Smith.

Smith is a native of Atlanta, Georgia where he grew up singing and playing music in Atlanta’s Historic Black Baptist churches and in his school band, orchestra and choir. Later He studied music with Rodney Jordan, Leon Anderson Jr., Marcus Roberts and Melanie Punter at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. While at college, Smith performed with many orchestras in the southeast including the Tallahassee Symphony, Dothan Opera and Columbus Symphony Orchestras.

After moving back to Atlanta, Smith immediately joined the scene and became one of the city’s first call jazz bassists, locally and abroad, sharing the sound stage and main stage with jazz luminaries such as, among many, Marcus Printup, Wycliffe Gordon, Chris Crenshaw, Andre Heyward, Russell Gunn, Roy Hargrove, Victor Goines, Vincent Gardner, Tia Fuller, Houston Person, the late greats Louis Bellson, Lew Soloff, Geri Allen, Red Holloway and Marcus Belgrave. He also has played with great chamber musicians such as Christina Smith and Brad Smith.

After leaving the graduate program at Northern Illinois University in 2009 Smith realized how important great teaching and great educators were in his music development. It was then he committed himself to giving back through music education by joining the staff of the distinguished Pace Academy and Lovett Schools in 2011. He also participated in masterclasses, clinics and group lessons across the nation, teaching from beginners all the way up to the collegiate level.

Still desiring to give more back to his community Smith joined as double bass teaching artist at The Atlanta Music Project in 2013. The Atlanta Music Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is “To empower under-served youth to realize their possibilities through music.” The program provides intensive, tuition-free music education for under-served youth right in their neighborhood.

His commitment to being an effective educator is evident as his students have been accepted into such prestigious programs as the Atlanta Symphony’s Talent Development Program, Carnegie Hall's MS Hons. Perf. Series, GA. Mus. Ed. Assoc. All-State Orchestras, and El Sistema’s Take-A-Stand Festival and International Youth Orchestra. As well as many Prestigious Colleges and Universities. With such a prodigious showing of passion and discipline in their early musical development these young musicians inspire hope for transformative musicianship and music education for many generations to come.

Career highlights include:

• Playing bass on Outkast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
• RIAA: certified diamond (11x platinum), Grammy for Best album of the year, Best Urban/Alt Performance and best rap album '04 and multiple Billboard Awards.
• Playing bass on Field Mob: Light Poles and Pine Trees RIAA: certified gold
• And multiple Billboard Awards.

Members of the Boothbay Sea and Science Center’s Jazz Concert Committee are hard at work to make this a most unforgettable evening. The Committee includes: Deezie Flower, Penny Pollard, Kate Horgan, Joanna Breen, Hillary Friedman, Kristen Gray, Michael Pollard, and Pauline Dion.

For more information about the musicians and to purchase tickets online: www.boothbayseaandsciencecenter.org Tickets can also be purchased by calling Pauline Dion at: 207-633-2012.