Raised in Cleveland, Ohio in the seventies, Michael Wimberly set off for New York in 1982, quickly carving out a niche for himself, not so much in conventional hand percussion circles but in duets, quartets and larger ensembles with unique or experimental instrumentation. For example, with Steve Coleman he collaborated on many projects, live and in the studio, including the creation of The Five Elements (including David Gilmore and Don Byron), in which radical conceptual pieces were refined for performance.
A drummer and percussionist, Michael Wimberly is also a triple threat: he is a composer of note and has written for prestigious New York dance companies (Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and Joffrey Ballet). Although his percussive repertoire is replete with traditional rhythms, Michael is known for playing cutting-edge music involving a meld of visuals and audio, not to mention a penchant for contemporary jazz.
Michael holds a masters degree from The Manhattan School of Music and he is the faculty of Drummers’ Collective. He has performed/recorded with P-Funk, Steve Coleman, Mama Tongue, and Charles Gayle.