Previous events

Date Event Location
John Lee Quartet Roxy Bar, New York New York Roxy Bar, New York New York
Don Braden/Karl Latham Big Fun(K) Village of Warwick Summer Concerts, Warwick New York Village of Warwick Summer Concerts, Warwick New York
John Lee Trio Roxy Bar, New York New York Roxy Bar, New York New York
PAQUITO D'RIVERA AND THE DIZZY GILLESPIE AFRO LATIN EXPERIENCE Twin Cities Jazz Festival, St Paul, MN 5510 Twin Cities Jazz Festival, St Paul, MN 5510
Kristina Koller Gleasons , Peekskill, NY 10566 Gleasons , Peekskill, NY 10566
Blues People Stanhope House , Stanhope, NJ Stanhope House , Stanhope, NJ
Karl Latham Living Standards II Shanghai Jazz, Madison, New Jersey Shanghai Jazz, Madison, New Jersey
Michael White TBA, Sparta NJ TBA, Sparta NJ
John Fumasoli TBA , New Haven TBA , New Haven
Jim Saltzman - Trio Upfront Exhibition Space, Port Jervis, NY 12771 Upfront Exhibition Space, Port Jervis, NY 12771
John Lee Trio Wayne Public Library, Wayne, NJ 07470 Wayne Public Library, Wayne, NJ 07470
John Lee Quartet Roxy Bar, New York New York Roxy Bar, New York New York
John Lee Trio Roxy Bar, New York New York Roxy Bar, New York New York
Karl Latham Trio Port Imperial Sunset Music Series, West New York, NJ Port Imperial Sunset Music Series, West New York, NJ
John Lee and Friends The Roxy The Roxy
Howard Paul Quartet with Cyrus Chestnut Shanghai Jazz, Madison, New Jersey Shanghai Jazz, Madison, New Jersey
Howard Paul Quartet with Cyrus Chestnut The Roxy The Roxy
Paquito D’Rivera & the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Band The Rose, Salt Lake City, Utah The Rose, Salt Lake City, Utah
Nelson Riveros Bethel, CT Bethel, CT
Nat Janoff Trio Rahway Hotel, Rahway, NJ Rahway Hotel, Rahway, NJ

News

Spring 2023 Update

It has been an action packed year so far in 2023, starting with a flurry of local gigs and workshops in the NYC area with Living Standards and Big Funk. I had the great pleasure to travel to Savannah to perform with a long time great friend and wonderful guitarist Howard Paul (President of Benedetto Guitars) along with Mark Peterson and Ron Thompson. Howard traveled north to join maestros John Lee and Cyrus Chestnut and myself for a few NYC area performances. 

I have been appearing regularly at The Roxy Bar in Tribeca (and will be with some upcoming summer performances) with maestro John Lee, along with some amazing musicians including Abelita Mateus, Mark Gross, Cyrus Chestnut, Alex Collins Sean Hong Wei, Altin Baron, Steve Carrington and others.

Two Spring 2023 Highlights were an appearance with The Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars with special guest Paquito D'Rivera in Salt Lake City, Utah and a recent appearance in Luanda, Angola with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars. It was my first trip to Africa and was a life altering experience. It was so wonderful to connect with the folks I met there from all over the world. It was just a wonderful experience, musically and culturally.

Review of "Constellations" 

Thanks for this very nice review Proper Music!

 

DESCRIPTION 

Master drummer Karl Latham is joined by his long-time friend and colleague bassist Mark Egan, the up-and-coming trumpet player Ryan Carniaux and keyboardist Nick Rolfe to create these ground breaking interpretations of Bjork's compositions and improvisations inspired by her music. A fascinating portrait of a singer and her music emerged from these sessions. 

The basslines, with Egan's signature fluid sound, at times repetitive and then again free flowing, weave through the solid creative grooves created by Latham's expert drumming. The clear and powerful trumpet playing by Ryan Carniaux interprets Björk's voice but never mimics it literally. The multi-layered keyboards of Rolfe support the quartet like a flying carpet of sound. The combination of all four musicians creates the unique atmosphere of the "Nordic" sound, which reminds you incessantly of Björk and her performances. Moments from such landmark recordings such as Miles Davis's 'Live Evil' and 'Bitches Brew' are also reminiscent. 

Personnel: Karl Latham (drums), Ryan Carniaux (trumpet), Mark Egan (bass), Nick Rolfe (keyboards)

2022 Cannes Best Song Nomination 

2022 Cannes Best Song Nomination

 

Completely humbled and honored to appear on the 2022 nominated CANNES WORLD FILM FESTIVAL Best Song “One More Life”;  from the 2022 Cannes Best Senior Film, “Gone Too Soon”. 

“One More Life”, was composed by award winning German composer and musician, Wolfgang Lackerschmid . It is featured on Ronnell Bey’s 2021 Hip Jazz Release “After Hours”. 

 

Appearing on “After Hours” along with Lackerschmid and Latham is long time Dizzy Gillespie bassist and current Director Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Groups, legendary musician, John Lee. “After Hours” was recorded renowned Tonstudio Baeur in Ludwigsburg, Germany

November/December 2021 Update 

Happy Holidays!

The last quarter of 2021 was a gig and recording filled sprint to the end of the year performing with Living Standards with the one and only Rachel Z, bassist Jonathan Toscano and guitarist Mitch Stein; Jerry Vivino with Martin Pizzarelli and LarryFuller ; iconic jazz bassist John Lee with Cyrus Chestnut and Steve Carrington; and great guitarist Howard Paul (President Benedetto Guitars) with John Lee and Laurence Hobgood. I finally returned to subbing on Broadway on the hit musical "Ain't Too Proud" for wonderful drummer Clayton Craddock. I also added a few dozens cues for M and M Creative's music library in every style under the sun :)

In December the Percussive Arts Society released a small instructional tutorial of mine.

#PASclassroom #percussivearts #percussion 

Triplet Drum Set Warmup with Karl Latham for PAS Classroom

 

Living Standards Pix

John Lee

Howard Paul

ATP

Savannah Jazz Festival 2021 

It was a great honor to appear at the Savannah Jazz Festival again this year with Howard Paul/Laurence Hobgood/John Lee and with Don Braden's Quartet.

We missed the wonderful typical 14,000 attendees but it was a joy to reach so many jazz fans through the television live streamed events.

Curtain UP! VIVA Broadway Show  

It was a great honor to perform with a whole cast of amazing Hispanic Broadway stars yesterday

 

¡VIVA! BROADWAY takes the main stage ¡Viva! Broadway is a celebration of Latinx talent in the Broadway community and helps bridge the world of Broadway with Latinx audiences. 

@BroadwayLeague

The event will celebrate some of the most familiar names of Latinx representation on Broadway such as Daphne Rubin-Vega, Robin de Jesús, Bianca Marroquín, and more, and elevate the talented ensemble members who always lead the way. The creative team includes Luis Salgado (director and choreographer), Gabriela Garcia (associate director/choreographer), Eric Ulloa (writer), Jaime Lozano(musical direction), and Sergio Trujillo (creative consultant). 

Confirmed Performers: Bianca Marroquín, Ayodele Casel, Janet Dacal, Robin DeJesús, Alma Cuervo, Linedy Genao, Nicholas Edwards, Eliseo Roman, Daphne Rubin Vega, Josh Segarra, Caesar Samayoa, Jennifer Sánchez, Henry Gainza, Claudia Mulet, David Baida, Florencia Cuenca, Marielys Molina, Natalie Caruncho, Angelica Beliard, Sarita Colon, Gabriel Reyes, Roman Cruz, Steven Orrego Upegui, Adriel Flete, Noah Paneto, Harolyn Lantigua, and more. Featured Tango performance by Valeria Solmonoff & Iakov Shonsky are a part of the event with special guests Luis Miranda, Rick Miramontez, Emilio Sosa, and Sergio Trujillo present for this special celebration.

 

Take Effect Reviews Alex Collins/Ryan Berg/Karl Latham "Together" 

ALEX COLLINS/RYAN BERG/KARL LATHAM 

August 14, 2021 

Together

Dropzonejazz, 2021 

8/10 

 

 

 

 

A collaboration between 3 esteemed musicians, Alex Collins, Ryan Berg and Karl Latham turn in some modern interpretations of timeless standards here, where their exciting interplay and no lack of solos make for a technical and adventurous listen. 

“Stella By Starlight” starts the listen with twinkling keys from Collins, as Berg’s playfully plucked bass and Latham’s restrained drumming guide the frisky jazz climate, and “Alone Together” follows with a quicker pace of flawless dynamics between the trio, where flowing melody invades the precise song craft. 

Halfway through, “On Green Dolphin Street” allows each player to shine in their own radiant light and which swings with much allure, while “Polka Dots And Moonbeams” takes a calmer approach amid much beauty that showcases keys as subtle drumming adds much to the reflective climate. 

At the end, “Night Dreamer”, a Wayne Shorter tune, builds into a dizzying and meticulous display of modern jazz prowess, and “Invitation” exits the listen with fascinating finger acrobatics from Collins, though Berg and Latham’s contributions won’t go unnoticed on the highly intricate finish. 

Let’s hope that these 3 aren’t done working together, cause their chemistry and arranging skills put a fresh coat of paint on already great tunes, essentially making them even more enticing in their contemporary jazz vision.

 

BY

TOM HAUGEN

All About Jazz Review Alex Collins/Ryan Berg/Karl Latham "Together" 

All About Jazz

Alex Collins/Ryan Berg/Karl Latham: Together 

By JACK BOWERS 
August 8, 2021 
 

 

 

 

 

Together—what a splendid title for a piano-led trio whose members work hand-in-glove from start to finish on an album whose music may seem familiar but is approached from various garden-fresh angles and avenues by pianist Alex Collins, bassist Ryan Berg and drummer Karl Latham, who always keep the keynotes ingenious and engaging. Collins, the melodic ringmaster, is an adventurous yet tasteful machine-gunner, spraying notes and phrases with the technical mastery of an Oscar Peterson, while Berg and Latham are ever-ready to receive whatever he has to offer and lend it even more depth and radiance. 

Among the session's strong points is the astute choice of material, five exquisite standards and one lesser-know but no less charming theme, Wayne Shorter's "Night Dreamer." Collins sets the compass on Victor Young & Ned Washington's lovely "Stella by Starlight," his single-note intro falling like gentle rain before giving way to the lustrous melody and a nimble solo by Berg. Latham introduces Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz' "Alone Together" and broadens the rhythmic pulse behind Collins' enterprising solo before Berg's voice is heard loudly and clearly. 

Berg frames another splendid solo on the lovely "Green Dolphin Street," the first of two memorable compositions by Bronislau Kaper (the other is "Invitation," which closes the album). Collins is comfortably at home on "Green Dolphin Street," as he is on Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart's tender ballad, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," the first two and one-half minutes of which are his alone for some of the more enchanting observations on the album, preceding heartwarming solos by Berg and Collins. 

"Night Dreamer" is given a bright and forceful reading on which Latham bares his chops, while the normally mild-tempered "Invitation" is taken at a more rapid pace than usual, giving Collins one more chance to show his technical prowess and Berg and Latham reason to adapt to and cushion his divergent maneuvers. If your love of beautiful music is coupled with a passion for awareness, Together should be on your playlist. 

Track Listing 

Stella by Starlight; Fire; Alone Together; On Green Dolphin Street; Polkadots and Moonbeams; Night Dreamer; Invitation. 

Personnel 

Karl Latham: drums; Alexander Collins: piano; Ryan Berg: bass.