Kimberly Ilana Thompson is an American

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...

and music educator.

Early life

Kimberly Ilana Thompson was born in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, and raised in

St. Louis, MO St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which ...

. She began playing

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...

s at the age of ten. She attended

Pattonville High School Pattonville High School is a public high school located in Maryland Heights, Missouri. It is the only high school in the Pattonville School District. History Pattonville High School's first graduating class was in 1937 with 2 girls graduating. I ...

and was the drummer in the school band. She graduated from the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

in 2003 with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in jazz composition.

Career

Thompson is the President of the female founded KTMUSICPRODUCTIONS, a

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

based in

Harlem, New York Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

. She has released all her albums via the label, the first being ''Like Clockwork'', in 2010. Her latest album, ''Treasures Abound'' (A Tribute to the Jazz Greats), was released in April 2016 and features her dynamic drumming, showcasing modern themed classical etudes and original jazz songs written and performed with her jazz quartet. She has served as session or touring drummer with several artists, including

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

and fusion guitarist

Mike Stern Mike Stern (born January 10, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist. After playing with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he worked with drummer Billy Cobham, then with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1985. He then began a solo career, re ...

. She has played with

The 8G Band The 8G Band is the house band for ''Late Night with Seth Meyers''. The band is led by ''Saturday Night Live'' alumnus Fred Armisen. He assembled the 8G Band, named for the studio where the show is taped, just two weeks before the test show. He text ...

on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

talk show ''

Late Night with Seth Meyers ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing weeknights a ...

'' and has performed with the Kimberly Thompson Quartet at New York's Jazz and Colors festival. Thompson is currently completing a musical produced by The Dodgers and

Tommy Mottola Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American music executive, producer and author. Mottola is currently the Chairman of Mottola Media Group and was previously the Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, parent of the Columb ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

for �
The Donna Summers Project
��. She also appeared in ''Romy & Michelle'', a stage adaptation of the 1997 film ''

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion ''Romy and Michele's High School Reunion'' is a 1997 American comedy film directed by David Mirkin and starring Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, and Janeane Garofalo. The plot revolves around two 28-year-old girls who appear to have not achieved much s ...

'', in Seattle in June 2017.

Discography

*''Like Clockwork'' (2010) *''Dreamcatcher'' (2011) *''Red Glory'' (2013) *''A Childs Eyes'' (2014) * ''Live at Marians'' (2014) *''Treasures Abound'' (2016) With

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

*''

Images An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...

'' (Sunnyside, 2003)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Kimberly The 8G Band members African-American drummers American women drummers American women guitarists American jazz drummers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Manhattan School of Music alumni American women jazz musicians Guitarists from Los Angeles African-American guitarists African-American women musicians 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women