Next Level (The Jazz of the Caribbean)

Robert Courtney Thompson is from a beautiful town called Siparia in south Trinidad. He migrated to the U.S. in 1970. Before migrating to the U.S., his musical experience started long before he even thought about producing a CD. His first real experience began with a little steel band called” Angel Harps” steel band where he learned to play the tenor pan, then it was”Siparia Deltones” then, he believes, it’s now called “Siparia Trintopec Deltones” conducted by Mr.Ellis Knights and Terry Wallace. He then joined Beatniks Combo where he was the drummer. That’s where his musical ability really grew. Although he was the drummer of the group, he was always listening to what the keyboard, bass, and the guitars were playing and by doing so, helped him to develop a true sense of putting music together as a whole song. He gives props to his fellow musicians who were also good friends of his. They were the ones who really inspired him to keep the music ….friends like Cuthbert Marchand (Zuggie) and his brother Aldwyn (Tallie), Carlton Alexander, Andie Alexander, Fitzgerald Campbell(deceased), Arthur Boodoo(slim) and many other band members too numerous to mention. To him, that was the best time of his life. They had a great friendship and they were also great comrades. They were the ones who taught him how to construct chords on the instruments. So, much props to them. He then migrated to the U.S. where he educated himself in the field of Mechanical Technology. He made a promise to himself that after college, he will return to his music. So, here he is with his first CD “Next Level”. He hopes that the listeners, who ever they are, enjoy what they hear the same way he enjoyed putting it together…….good listening.