Matt Booth

Matt Booth is a bassist, composer, and educator based in New Orleans. Over the last decade, he has worked continuously in a wide range of groups and in various musical styles, both in the city and around the country.  Presently, he is a co-leader of the piano trio Extended, leads his own group Palindromes, as well as the guitar trio Some Antics. He has performed at many of the area’s standout festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, and the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival; performs regularly at noteworthy clubs in New Orleans, including Snug Harbor, Tipitinas, and the Spotted Cat; and has toured the country performing at such significant events as South by Southwest and the Rochester International Jazz Festival.  As word has spread about Booth’s considerable skills and tireless work ethic, he is increasingly in demand by some of New Orleans’s most revered musicians. Presently, in addition to his regular groups, he performs nationally as a member of the band led by celebrated New Orleans R&B organist/pianist John “Papa” Gros. Since moving to New Orleans in 2015, Booth has performed with such artists as Aurora Nealand, Brian Haas, Cyrille Aimee, Carl LeBlanc, Irma Thomas, John Sinclair, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Steve Masakowski, Panorama Jazz Band, and Squirrel Nut Zippers’ Tom Maxwell.  As his impressive list of accomplishments attests, Booth shines as both a leader and sideman. His success is attributable not simply to his mastery of his instrument, but also to his warm and casual manner that makes him a pleasure to work with, along with his abiding conviction that the musician's first responsibility is to serve the music.

Booth began his career in Pittsburgh, where he studied music formally at Duquesne University, earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees. Even before he completed his studies, his skill, collegiality, and industriousness had already made him an integral part of the Pittsburgh music scene, both as a performer and educator. As a performer, he was a full-time member of the Americana band City Dwelling Nature Seekers, the David Lynch/Angelo Badalamenti tribute act Silencio, the Asian/jazz fusion ensemble Silk Sound, and the tango group Cuidado. Each of these groups enjoyed its own distinctive sound and style, and Booth’s warm tone, superb technical skills, and musical sophistication were central to making them a strong draw in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. In addition to his work with these groups, he maintained a busy schedule of freelance work accompanying a variety of jazz, country, folk, and r&b musicians, including Sean Jones (formerly with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), international rock success Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, and former Atlantic Records recording artist Bill Deasy. In 2012, Matt cofounded the Space Exchange, a weekly showcase for creative and improvisational music that sustained a successful run for five years at a popular Pittsburgh venue. In Pittsburgh, Booth developed the musical skills and business understanding that have helped to anchor his approach to his work; without sacrificing creativity in musical expression, he works hard to build a community wherein musicians can thrive.

Beyond performance, Booth has over a decade of experience in the field of music education. Believing in the importance of engaging with his community by bringing others not only to enjoy music and the arts, but also to understand their importance to a meaningful life, in Pittsburgh Booth taught bass and guitar to students privately and in time began working as an adjunct teacher at Carnegie Mellon University. Seeking still other opportunities to teach, he became involved in multiple summer music programs engaging children and adolescents in music performance. In pursuing these various teaching activities, he brought a serious and conscientious mindset, understanding that patience and respect are critical in guiding students to improve their skills and to a deeper regard for musical expression. For Booth, teaching is a vital complement to performance, as it enriches the personal experience of music for both the performer and student.