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Songwriter/Bassist/Producer Michael Thurber is a singular artist who's career defies category. Whether composing scores for The Royal Shakespeare Company, playing bass in The Late Show With Stephen Colbert house band, scoring shorts for Vanity Fair and BBC, or co-founding the hit YouTube channel CDZA (30 million views), Thurber has been guided by Duke Ellington’s principal: There are only two types of music - good and bad. Make the good kind.

 

As a Theater lyricist/composer, Michael made his international debut scoring Antony and Cleopatra, directed by Oscar winner Tarell McCraney. He has scored numerous Public Theater productions, including Shakespeare In The Park's Merry Wives, Romeo Y Julieta starring Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o and Richard II starring André Holland. Thurber’s Broadway bound musical GODDESS recieved its critically acclaimed world premiere at Berkeley Rep in the fall of 2022.

 

As a bassist, Michael was an original member of the houseband for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. He has performed with James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Chris Thile, Lianne La Havis, Cee Lo Green, Yo Yo Ma, The Zombies, Lin Manuel Miranda, Jon Batiste, and many others. Currently he tours the world in a Duo with Grammy-Nominated Violinist Tessa Lark.

 

As a producer, Thurber’s career began in 2012 when he co-founded CDZA, a YouTube music collective that featured 100's of NYC based musicians. CDZA was a headliner at the first ever YouTube Music Awards alongside Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, Eminem and MIA. Eventually, he transitioned to the role of Music Director/Superviser for many of YouTube's live events around the world. In this role, he has designed performances with Jacob Collier, Scary Pockets, Post Modern Jukebox and many others. 

 

Michael has produced/co-written records in the R&B, Indie, Jazz and Classical spaces, including Downbeat Magazine’s Critic Pick Alma Oscura and Gramophone Critic Pick Stradgrass. Most recently, Michael has been releasing singles under his own name. 

 

Michael is an Adjunct Professer at NYU's Clive Davis Institute. He studied music at Juilliard and The Interlochen Arts Academy.