We tend to hear a lot about the technical and gear-ish side of digital music — how music is encoded, what the latest digital player brings to the table, and where we can find the coolest downloads at the cheapest price. Lost in these discussions is how the changes wrought by digital music effect musicians. We thought we’d find out by speaking with a musician who does it all, Los Angeles drummer, Rick Latham.
Latham has been working in the music business for the past three decades and has seen that business change in radical ways. Before moving to L.A., Rick was a member of R&B bass legend Chuck Rainey’s band — “Rainey Man.” From 1996 – 2002 Latham was a featured member of the Edgar Winter Band, with which he played hundreds of gigs including a special appearance at the 1999 Montreux Jazz Festival. Currently he’s founder and driving force behind his own contemporary jazz group, Rick Latham and the Groove Doctors. Latham is also an instructor, offering drum clinics across the globe, and author of the acclaimed drumming manual, Advanced Funk Studies .
To learn Rick’s thoughts on how music is made and distributed today, check out our exclusive interview.