Michael Wimberly
percussionist – composer – producer – educator

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio during the civil rights era surrounded by the toxic fumes of steel mills buoyed by a sea of blue-collar workers. Beating rhythms on the hoods of cars and boxes while dancing to the pulsating music of James Brown, Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, and the Funkadelic...the spirit of revolution was in the air. It was during his undergraduate years at Baldwin Wallace University that the rhythms from the Cleveland streets connected with the traditional rhythms of West Africa and the 20th century music of Xenakis, Cage, Glass, and many others. Graduate years at Manhattan School of Music broadened his interest in electronic and improvised music. Since that time, music of the African Diaspora and improvisation has become key components of Wimberly’s musical excavations and investigation.

It was during Wimberly’s undergraduate years at Baldwin Wallace University that the rhythms from the streets connected him to the rhythms of West Africa and 20th century contemporary music. During his graduate years at Manhattan School of Music, Wimberly broadened his musical palette studying electronic and improvised music. Music of the African Diaspora and improvisation has become key components of Wimberly’s musical excavations and explorations.

These explorations connected him with master musicians from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Europe. He’s performed with funk legends George Clinton and the Parliament Funkedelic, The Boys Choir of Harlem, Paul Winter Consort, rock icons Vernon Reid, Henry Rollins, and Blondie. R&B royalty Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson, D'Angelo, Angie Stone and Alyson Williams. Additionally, Wimberly has been a featured artist with Berlin’s Rundfunk Symphony, Vienna’s Tonkuntsler Symphony, Leipzig Symphony, and International Region Symphony Orchestra performing compositions of Daniel Schnyder, as well as his own orchestral compositions performed by Yakima Symphony Orchestra, and Sage City Symphony of Vermont. Broadway shows include The Lion King, The Wiz, and Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls” at the American Place Theatre.

As a composer and sound designer for dance, film and theater, Wimberly’s commissioned compositions have appeared in the repertory of dance companies Urban Bush Women, Joffrey Ballet II, Alvin Ailey, Ailey II, Philadanco, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, Joan Millers Dance Players, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Noir, Alpha Omega, Purelements, and The National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique.

Film scores include As An Act of Protest by Dennis Leroy Moore, and Atlantic City Lights by Brent Owens for HBO. Sound design for theatre includes Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Classical Theatre of Harlem, Saint Lucy’s Eyes by Bridgette Wimberly for the Women’s Project & Cherry Lane Theatre, Sarah Sings a Love Story by Stephanie Berry, produced by Crossroads Theatre, and Iced Out, Shackled and Chained for the National Black Theatre for which Wimberly received two Audelco nominations.

As a music producer, Wimberly has overseen the production of vocalist Lila Ammons’ CD “Nearness of You”, his own recordings “Deconstruction Reconstruction”, and “Afrofuturism” co-produced with Mike Meurin.

Wimberly’s percussion instruction books “Getting Started with Djembe” and “Getting Started with Cajon” are published by Hudson Music Publishing. Wimberly’s latest CD “Afrofuturism” was released and distributed by Warner Music / Level with Temple Mountain Records (TMR) in 2021. Michael is a member of the music faculty at Bennington College in Bennington, VT, since 2012.