Colin Poulton

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Colin Poulton is a fresh voice on the guitar who brings a modern approach to instrument that blends an elegant reverence for the jazz tradition with a progressive soulful approach that draws from his Puerto Rican roots. Colin is a purveyor of Pan-American Improvisational Music – “To me, it’s about a reconciliation between North and South America as well as the Caribbean and Central America. It’s about spreading a message through music about our common roots, a struggle towards unity and understanding with our brothers and sisters, and a positive vision of our shared future.”

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Colin was exposed to salsa and jazz at an early age with his early ear attuned to the sounds of Tito Puente, Miles Davis, and Louis Armstrong. He picked up guitar after studying percussion in school and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Belmont University where he studied classical and commercial guitar under the tutelage of John Pell and Robert Thompson. His early career in Nashville included playing guitar in Montezuma Fire Machine, a progressive rock group influenced by King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and Mahavishnu Orchestra where he was one of the main composers and soloists. The band would go on to release the EP “Frown Like A Lord” and LP “Astrolabe” and tour regionally. He also played drums and wrote lyrics for the doom metal band Clorange who released the LP “Instinct”. After these projects, Colin spent the next decade focusing on being a working musician in the Nashville scene performing with a variety of world class musicians and artists across a variety of genres and settings ranging from Lower Broadway honky tonks to international tours to private and wedding gigs.

Covid changed the world and Colin’s trajectory. Coming out of the pandemic, he had a fresh start and decided to pivot back to his musical roots. He started writing material influenced by artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chet Baker, and Al Di Meola and working with a variety of musicians to form the Colin Poulton Trio. The band started performing Winter of 2023 and released their debut EP “Hot Water” June of 2025. “Hot Water” features Ian Strobino on drums and Thomas Altman on upright and electric bass and has been described as “sleek and sophisticated” as well as “thoughtful, unique, and accessible to any listener”. The trio maintains a busy schedule of regular performances in Nashville including a monthly residency at Urban Cowboy Bar on the second Tuesday of every month.

Colin endorses and fully enjoys Avedissian Pickups, Backbone Guitar Products, Black 35 Guitars, and Elixir Strings.

Please direct all booking and press inquiries to colin.poulton@gmail.com

“His latest release, Hot Water, is a sleek, sophisticated jazz EP recorded live with his trio. It’s a snapshot of Colin’s creative pivot — from the high-energy Nashville circuit to something more intimate and expressive.”

“Colin Poulton is one of those artists you need to know — thoughtful, unique, and accessible to any listener. He’s special, and this trio is seriously cool.”