MIKE BOOTH returned to New Zealand in 2007 after 18 years living in the Netherlands.

Mike began his professional career in 1975 with Wellington Funk/Rock band Collision who together with Dalvanius went to Australia where they were based for 3 years. After recording an LP with Festival records and tours with international acts such as Dionne Warwick, Tina Turner and Isaac Hayes Collision disbanded. Returning to New Zealand Mike rejoined the Rodger Fox Big Band going to the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1980 and 1981.

Regular work in New Zealand during the 80’s included Television, Radio and Jingle recordings and touring with many bands, shows and musical acts including The Cats Away, Dave Dobbin and The Netherworld Dancing Toys. He was a sub for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and other regional Orchestras and performed with a Brass Quintet for two years (Brass Edition). He has also worked with his own Jazz Quintet making several jazz Radio programmes for Radio New Zealand and a duet Album in 1986 "Walking Together" (Jayrem N.Z.).

In 1989 Mike attended Berklee College Of Music in Boston and went on from there to the Netherlands. After 18 years in the Netherlands he is perhaps best known as a member of the popular Netherlands Pop group de Dijk.

In Holland Mike played with many groups including: North Holland Symphony Orchestra, Glen Miller Orchestra, Peter Ypma's plus Eleven, Ingram Washington, Cu Bop City Big Band, Rumbata, the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Molenaar Big Band, Holland Big Band, Nueva Manteca and the Dutch Jazz Orchestra. In 2003 he recorded and appeared with top Dutch pop bands Kresip and Kane.

From 1993 until 2007 he was one half of the Hot Haarlemerdijk Horns with De Dijk and shared gold and platinum successes and the honour of a Dutch Recording Industry "Edison" and "Golden Harp" awards.

An experienced teacher and clinician, he has tutored at various N.Z. National Jazz Clinics and taught Trumpet at the Wellington Polytechnic College (Massey University). He was a Trumpet tutor at the Rotterdam Conservatory from 1993 to 2001 and was "light Music" Trumpet tutor and Big Band Director at the Alkmaar Conservatory from 1996 until 2004. During his Conservatory tenure Mike enjoyed exposure to some of Hollands very best musicians and International visiting clinicians such as Jamo Hoogendijk, Bart van Lear, Toon Roos, Ab Schaap, Bob Brookmeyer, Dizzy Gillespie, Jim Hall to name a few. Mike was Musical Director of the Rotterdam Con Big Band on a tour to the Jarkata Jazz Festival in 1996

In 2006 Mike attained a Bachelor of Music from the Rotterdam Conservatory and in the same year he concluded a three year Musical Directorship of the Westcoast Big Band with 2 projects featuring Dutch compositions for Big Band and the music of Dutch Jazz icon Rob Pronk.

During 2010 Mike will again be presenting the Jazz Rock course at Massey (Auckland School of Music); He is resident Itinerate brass tutor at Hamilton Boys High School and at Whangaparaoa College and jointly co-ordinates the AJO (Auckland Jazz Orchestra).