Miguel Atwood-Ferguson is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, session musician, arranger, composer, music director, producer, DJ, orchestral conductor and educator. He has contributed to over 500 recordings and scored for television and film with various musicians.

Early life

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson grew up in

Topanga, California Topanga () (Tongva: ''Topaa'nga'') is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow s ...

, an arts district in Western Los Angeles. His parents instilled in him an appreciation of cultures from around the world and an ethic of dedicated study. His father is a multi-instrumentalist, backing people such as Etta James, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Ry Cooder, and Johnny Otis. His mother was an educator with a passion for empowering those around her. Together his parents created a childhood environment rich in diverse sounds. As an infant when left alone in his crib, his parents put on repeat tapes with music by

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

, Chopin, Mozart,

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

and

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

. At age four, Atwood-Ferguson's parents enrolled him in weekly violin lessons after he expressed interest in playing the violin upon seeing other children playing the instrument at the music institute where his brother was studying piano. Following this early exposure, he enrolled in weekly violin, chamber music, and music theory lessons, and joined the Orchestra da' Camera at The Colburn School from ages 8 to 15. During this time he began composing for symphonic orchestra, with his first original symphonic composition, at age ten, played by the Pacific Palisades Symphony. At age twelve he switched to viola and continued focusing on classical music while an interest in the music of Motown, Jimi Hendrix, and

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

also continued to develop. In high school he developed interests in

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

and hip-hop which have carried over into a lifelong passion and career.

Education

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson attended University of Southern California in Los Angeles, graduating with a bachelor's degree in classical viola.

Career

Atwood-Ferguson has contributed to over 500 recordings and scored for television and film with musicians such as

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

Flying Lotus Steven Ellison (born October 7, 1983), known by his stage name Flying Lotus or sometimes FlyLo, is an American record producer, DJ, filmmaker and rapper from Los Angeles. He is also the founder of the record label Brainfeeder. Flying Lotus ha ...

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

, Bilal,

Seu Jorge Jorge Mário da Silva, more commonly known by his stage name Seu Jorge (Seu, an abbreviation of "Senhor"; born June 8, 1970; ), is a Brazilian musical artist, songwriter, and actor. He is considered by many a renewer of Brazilian pop samba. Seu ...

, and Thundercat. In 2011, with a full orchestra he reimagined some of

J Dilla J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon vari ...

's music on an album titles ''Suite for Ma Dukes.'' He played at

Melbourne Jazz Festival The Melbourne International Jazz Festival is an annual jazz music festival first held in Melbourne, Australia in 1998. The Festival takes place in concert halls, arts venues, jazz clubs and throughout the streets of Melbourne. The 2021 Festiva ...

in 2013.

Spirituality

Atwood-Ferguson practices

Nichiren Buddhism Nichiren Buddhism ( ja, 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū ( ja, 法華宗, meaning ''Lotus Sect'') is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one o ...

with the

Soka Gakkai International Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is an international Nichiren Buddhist organisation founded in 1975 by Daisaku Ikeda, as an umbrella organization of Soka Gakkai, which declares approximately 12 million adherents in 192 countries and territorie ...

Discography

Albums

*''Suite for Ma Dukes'' (Mochilla, 2011) *''Chicago Waves'' (International Anthem, 2020) – with

Carlos Gabriel Niño Carlos Gabriel Niño (born February 16, 1977) is a Californian music producer, percussionist, performer, arranger, composer, musician, programmer, radio host, DJ, music consultant, poet, and event organizer, based in his hometown of Woodland Hill ...

*''Chicago Waves Remixes'' (International Anthem, 2020) – Four remixes made with music originally composed and recorded by Niño and Atwood-Ferguson for ''Chicago Waves''

Appearances

*''

Wu Hen ''Wu Hen'' is the second studio album by English musician Kamaal Williams, released on 24 July 2020 under his Black Focus label. It is considered to define Williams' own genre "Wu Funk", a blend of jazz, hip-hop, contemporary R&B and EDM. Other ...

'' (Black Focus, 2020) by

Kamaal Williams Kamaal Williams (born Henry Wu, 1989) is a British musician and record producer. He began his career producing House music, house and broken beat music as Henry Wu, but rose to prominence with drummer Yussef Dayes as Yussef Kamaal, releasing the ...

– contributed string arrangements *'' Fragments'' (Ninja Tune, 2022) by Bonobo - guest artist

References

External links

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atwood-Ferguson, Miguel Living people Date of birth missing (living people) American session musicians Musicians from Los Angeles Year of birth missing (living people) University of Southern California alumni