Jake Smith is a versatile woodwind specialist and one of the most in-demand musicians in central Ohio. Since returning to Columbus in 2022, he has quickly established himself as a prominent figure on the local music scene. A proficient performer across all members of the saxophone family, as well as clarinet, bass clarinet, and flute, Jake’s musical reach extends well beyond his jazz roots. He is equally comfortable performing in a wide range of genres, including rock, funk, Motown, soul, blues, and classical music.

As the leader of his own Jake Smith Trio and Jake Smith Quartet, Jake’s ensembles are regularly featured at Columbus’s premier jazz venue, The Ginger Rabbit. His passion for music extends to his role as an educator. He manages a private saxophone studio, serves as a teaching artist at the Jazz Arts Group, and is an adjunct professor of music at Ohio Wesleyan University.

In addition to leading his own projects, Jake is a frequent sideman with several prominent groups across central Ohio, including the Sonic Vision Collective, George DeLancey’s Sextet, Parallel Structures, Max Button’s Sextellions, Ben Maloney Quartet, Flavortown Saxophone Quartet and the Rick Brunetto Big Band. His performance credits include collaborations with a diverse range of artists, such as Branford Marsalis, Debby Boone, The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, The Columbus Jazz Orchestra, New Albany Symphony Orchestra, Lancaster Festival Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Vaughn Weister’s Famous Jazz Orchestra, and many others.

Jake’s journey as a musician took him to New York City in 2019, where he pursued a master’s degree at The City College of New York. While in the city, he studied with renowned artists like Steve Wilson, Ed Neumeister, Jason Rigby, and Mike Holober. Jake was a regular presence on the New York jazz scene, performing at iconic venues such as Silvana, Shrine, and Penny Jo’s. After several years of performing and honing his craft in New York, he returned to Columbus to continue his work as both a performer and educator.

Before heading to New York, Jake earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Bowling Green State University, where he studied with saxophonists David Bixler and Pete Mills. During his time at BGSU, Jake had the opportunity to study with many esteemed faculty members, including Jeff Halsey, Ariel Kasler, Dr. Dan Piccolo, and Dr. Sidra Lawrence. Jake was also hired by Dr. Lawrence as the music arranger for the Afro Caribbean Ensemble, a position that involved transcribing recordings and creating arrangements for the ensemble. It was during this time that Jake began performing professionally in the Toledo/Ann Arbor/Detroit area, forming lasting connections with many prominent musicians. His performance experiences at BGSU included opportunities to play with artists like Maria Schneider, Miguel Zenón, Dayna Stephens, Rich Perry, Antonio Hart, Robert Hurst, Mike Rodriguez, Alan Ferber, Loren Stillman, Matt Wilson, Pete McCann, and Carl Allen.

A native of Columbus, Jake is an alumnus of Grove City High School, where he was an active participant in the highly respected and successful band program. There, he was mentored by Matt Adams and became deeply influenced by the sounds of jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Lester Young, Stan Getz, and many others. As a two-time OMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble member, Jake spent three years performing with the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra, where he received mentorship from local professionals and Grammy-award-winning guest artists like Tia Fuller, John Clayton, Alan Baylock, Gerald Clayton, Lewis Nash, Shelly Berg, and more. In 2015, Jake was named a Hank Marr Jazz Award Finalist.