michael mitchell

About

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Mitchell has been behind the drums since the age of 8.  Growing up, surrounded by a uniquely musically conscious, exceptionally supportive family, there was always music playing; from John Coltrane, to Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Jimi Hendrix.

 

Michael soon began studying with NYC session-drummers Mike Mechem and Geoff Clapp, and with their help, started playing professionally at the age of 13, in and around the New York City area. Those relationships provided opportunities to study with Greg Hutchinson, Damion Reid, and Rodney Green, and after graduating from Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, Michael went on to Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Justin Dicioccio, and earned a Bachelors Degree in Drumset Performance.

 

An experienced teacher, Michael teaches at the Stanford Jazz Workshop during the summer in Palo Alto California – alongside such great drummers as Jeff Ballard, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Ndugu Chanceler, Justin Brown, Eric Harland, and Kendrick Scott – as well as coaching in SJW’s Giant Steps program, a middle school big band initiative that runs during the school year. Michael spent the first six months of 2014 teaching western music at India’s True School of Music, in Mumbai.

 

A recent transplant to Oakland has afforded Michael the opportunity to continue learning and teaching, and to build an even stronger bi-coastal musical community of students, educators, and professional players.