Michael Boothman

A musician, songwriter, producer, band leader and recording artist, with 45 years in the business. A multi-instrumentalist, with greater proficiency as a guitarist and bassist and a repertoire that spans a wide musical genre, embracing jazz, funk, blues, Latin, samba, reggae, zouk, calypso and soca. the last two, being indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago. Born to a family of artists and entertainers, has toured many times appearing on both sides of the Atlantic with many of the greats in music and is in demand at jazz festivals around the Caribbean region. His band fuses the sound of jazz and steelpan creating a unique style in Caribbean Jazz fusion.

1963 - Started first band at age 13. This band was called Rockerfellas.
Produced over 10 recorded singles during the life of the band.

1970 – Band changed name to Family Tree and included brother David, a keyboard player. This band won Best Arrangement and Band of the Year at 10th Independence anniversary celebrations. The band is credited with being the first to blend the pan instrument with combo music of the era.

During 70s era, composed, produced and arranged songs as Diego Shuffle and Saying It With Music on personal label, Touch Productions.
Toured with Derrick Walcott as Musical Director of one of his plays.

1977- Recorded first album Heaven on an RCA label in the US with singer Lani Groves, Keyboard player Leon Pendarvis, Violinist Gene Orloff and brother David on the Organ.



From this Lp, I have chosen track entitled "Saying it with music".



1987- Appeared with the Don Cherry Quartet, an American jazz quartet at the Holiday Inn, Trinidad. This was a presentation of the US Information Agency.
1987- Performed with ace guitarist Fitzroy Coleman at Queen’s Hall in POS Trinidad in a production called Strings of Silver and Gold. Celebrated 25 years in the music industry
1988 – Toured 35 European Cities as bass player with entertainer Taj Mahal
1989 - Led Jazz band Kysofusion at Caribe Musicale 11 produced by The Florida InterAmerican Scholarship Foundation in Tallahassee, Florida. Also on the programme were Burning Spear, Jamaica; Margareth Menezes, Brazil; Tabou Combo, Haiti; Papito y su Doble Sabor, Aruba; Kazak, Haiti; Rita Coolidge, US; Robbie Greenidge, Trinidad
1994 - At Barbados Jazz Festival, appeared with Kysofusion at Jazzin It Up at Heywoods, St Peter; Jazz On The Strip at Dover Convention Centre and Jazz International at Wildey Stadium, Barbados.
1995 to Present - Played at numerous functions and took band Kysofusion to numerous Caribbean venues playing at government and non-government functions festivals as guest artistes.
2003 – Relaunch of 1977 album, Heaven containing eight compositions.

Note: The above posted track is not played in full