DOUGLAS L. SMITH, Principal Instrument – Bass Violin

BIOGRAPHY

Attended Penn State University, 1964 – 1967; workshops at Eastman School of Music, 1968, with audio engineers Phil Ramone and Dave Green; clinics taught by Bassist Dave Holland. Toured with the Jazz Spokesman, Morris Rolland Band, Tuesday Jazztet, and the Dixieland All-Stars. Has made a full-time living as a musician since 1968, playing concerts, jazz festivals, night clubs, resorts, public schools, and universities. Has received grants to perform at nursing homes, hospitals, and senior centers, as well as programs for underprivileged, artistically underserved, and economically disadvantaged populations. Has performed on jazz albums, CD’s, videos, and T.V. and radio specials.

Has played with Al Cohn, Joe Cohn, Jesse Green, George Young, Bob Dorough, Kim Parker, Bob Degen, Larry Gelb, Jack Wargo, Cab Calloway, Vic Juris, Joe Morello, Jerry Segeal, Dave Frishberg, Denny Seiwell (Paul McCartney’s drummer), Marko Marcinko, Art Kreinberg, Bob Ventrello, Hal Linden and Bobby Rydell. Collaborations with performance artist John Bromberg, since 1990 and improvisational pianist, Ron Stabinsky 2001 to present. Has also worked with Peter Shumann, director of “Bread and Puppet Theatre,” Vermont, 2008; toured Poland in 2013 performing improvised music with thereminist Jason Smeltzer and visual artist Ted Michaelowski at art galleries, theaters and public performance spaces. Has performed and toured with the Penn State Improvisatory Ensemble which included Steven Gorn and Louis Spratlan in the late 1960's.

Member of Pocono Bass Quartet, International Society of Bassists, Audio Engineering Society, Acoustical Society of America, Northeast PA Arts in Education Advisory Panel, and Scranton Area Foundation PPA Advisory Board. Executive Committee, First Night®, Scranton, PA 1999 to 2016. Co-chairman of entire event, 2005. Executive Committee Scranton Jazz Festival, 2005 to 2014. Advisory Board, First Friday Scranton.

Served on the Executive Board of Local #120 American Federation of Musicians, Scranton, PA, and was Vice –President from 1998 – 2008; leads the Dixieland All-Stars Band, Doug Smith Jazz Quintet and has conducted the House Orchestra at Skytop Lodge in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains since 1990. Also heads the Lexington Entertainment Agency.

Served as Entertainment Coordinator for the City of Scranton and produced the weeklong Scranton Summer Music Festival at Nay Aug Park from 1990 – 2002 for Mayor Jim Connors, and Concerts on the Square, Scranton, PA from 2005 – 2007. Currently co-produces the Concert Series at Nay Aug Park. Through Pennsylvania’s Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit #19 Living Arts Program, Pocono Arts Council, and Schuylkill County Council on the Arts conducted educational assemblies with Bob Dorough, of Schoolhouse Rock fame, and currently with the Dixieland All-Stars for classes at all levels. Served on adjudication panels for high school and college jazz band festivals.

Roster artist with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts since 1996, conducting residencies in schools, colleges, libraries, museums, nursing homes, and senior centers. Our Dixieland Band is now on the PCA Folk Artist Roster.

Teaching Artist Art Save program for underprivileged children, 2001 and 2002. Guest presenter Marywood University and Keystone College for “Introduction to the Arts” class, 2004 to 2017. Teacher and performer for Lackawanna County’s Art in the Park, 2012 to present.

Served on grant selection panels for: Scranton Area Foundation / PA Partners in the Arts, Allentown Art Museum, Pocono Arts Council, Lackawanna County Department of Arts & Culture, and State PCA Panels, Harrisburg. PA.

Awarded Artist of the Year in NEPA by PCA Arts in Education Program, 2002. Performed at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion for 2008 Statewide Poetry Out Loud competition in Harrisburg , PA w/PCA Poets Lucia Dailey and Maureen McGuigan; and for the 2018 Governor's Awards for the Arts, Scranton, PA.