Sheldon 'Systamatic' Webster
Multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, arranger, producer, DJ, and recording artist, Sheldon 'Systamatic' Webster is one of the most accomplished musicians from Trinidad and Tobago. Born and raised in the Port-of-Spain suburb of Belmont by his Tobagonian parents Lloyd and Auldith Webster, he started disc-jockeying for his father at the age of three. Seeing his love for music, his father wrote a calypso for him to sing. Sheldon would go on to win back-to-back Calypso Monarch trophies at his elementary school.
In his middle and high school years, he became a student of renowned musicologist, Dr. Dawn Batson, who introduced him to piano, choir, drama, and steel pan, at Trinity College in Maraval. With the Trinity College Pan Ensemble, Sheldon visited Germany and the US. While under her tutelage, he honed his skills and became proficient in every instrument member of the pan family. Also, with four of his friends, he formed a vocal quintet called M.D.E. (Mellow Dynamic Entity). After winning a talent contest at school, they appeared on a Kisskidee Records compilation and toured the country as part of the Kisskidee Karavan.
Upon graduating high school, he became a member of the Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra, and a couple of months later tasted victory with the band winning the World Steelband Music Festival of 1994. The following year, he was recruited by Panazz Players, who would also win their fourth consecutive trophy at the Pan Ramajay competition for small ensembles.
Panazz, highly regarded as one of the world's greatest groups in the history of the steel pan, has traveled across Europe, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and the US, with key appearances at MIDEM, the St. Lucia Jazz Festival, TV series "Jazz in the Sun", seen on BET Her (featuring two of his compositions), and the Celebrity Series at Boston Symphony Hall, to name a few. Another highlight was a feature on Japanese pop star Kyoko Koizumi's 1999 album "Inner Beauty" (Victor), on the song "Serenade". Already writing and arranging, he was encouraged by top Trinidadian recording engineer, Robin Foster, to get into record production, and co-produced the last two Panazz albums "Feelin' Good" and "Wrap It Up".
Sheldon was awarded a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, after performing at their annual High School Jazz Fest. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Production and Engineering, completing the four-year program in less than three. His resume as a backup musician/musical director includes Caribbean artists such as David Rudder, Sugar Aloes, Gabby, Ras Shorty I and his Love Circle, Calypso Rose, John King, Mac Fingal, Andy Armstrong (of Square One), and Marion Hall, formerly known as Lady Saw.
