In 1964 he was b ex-matriculated because of unsufficient achievments in the subject Marxism-Leninism. From 1967 to 1968 further studies in piano followed at the Conservatory Hanns Eisler Berlin. But he cancelled it again. Between 1968 and 1970 he was a guest student in the subjects theory and composition. At the Music School Berlin-Friedrichshainhe received between 1970 and 1973 the license of being a professional pianist. Sinc 1967 the pianist was a part of the Klaus Lenz Band and was a cofounder of the Jazzrockband SOK, which plays electronical Jazz orientated rock. In 1973, Gumpert began to explore freejazz, and became the co-founder of the Jazzformation.

With the Ulrich Gumpert Workshop Band, alongside musicians Heinz Becker, Manfred Hering, Ernst-Ludwig  Petrowsky, Helmut Forsthoff, Konrad Bauer, Klaus Koch and Günter Sommer he recorded his first LP at Amiga"in 1980. In 1984 Synopsis became the Zentralquartett. In this time, he began to apply himself more and more to his work as a solist. Together with Radu Malfatti and Tony Oxley he played in the trio GMU.

Today Gumpert is here and there making music in the Ulrich Gumpert Quartett with Ben Abarbanel-Wolff, Jan Roder and Michael Griener, whom he released a CD together with called "The Quartett", produced by the Swiss label Intakt Records. As an regular accompanist for Uschi Brüning, Manfred Krug and Leta Davis he is also often playing together with Henning Protzmann and Wolfgang Schneiderin the group Jazzin' the Blues. Together with Silke Eberhard, Jan Roder and Kay Lübke, and under the name B3 Special he applies his keyboard talents to the Hammond B3 instrument.

As a composer, Gumpert has recorded soundtracks for the Berlin Tatort season. His interpretation of the piano works of Eric Satie is said to be sensational.