Karl Latham

Karl’s career has spanned the globe performing, recording with and producing with Grammy Award winning artists, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members and multitude of internationally acclaimed musicians. Karl is known for his exceptional ability to dig into a variety of musical styles, playing funk, rock, Latin, modern jazz, straight-ahead jazz, and avant-garde. Karl is included in the Drummerworld Top 500 Drummers list and was nominated with Mark Egan and Ryan Carniaux for the BMW 2016 Welt Jazz Award. Karl is an endorsing artist for Paiste Cymbals, Yamaha Drums, Innovative Percussion, Evans Drumheads, Big Fat Snare,AEA Microphones and RME. Karl is currently an adjunct percussion instructor at Drew University, County College of Morris and Passaic County Community College.

As a freelance drummer Karl has performed Ali Ryerson; The Bernie Worrell Orchestra; Charlie Elgart; Michal Urbaniak; Jerry Vivino; Andy Snitzer; Edgar Winter; Johnny Winter; The Shirelles; The Real Deal Big Band; John Lee (Executive Director Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra); The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars; The Fantasy Band (Dave Valentine; Dave Samuels; Chuck Loeb, Noel Pointer, Victor Bailey, Cornell Dupree, Roy Ayers, Larry Coryell); Claudio Roditi; Slide Hampton; Clark Terry; Tomoko Ohno; Michael Dease; Sharrel Cassidy; Yotam Silberstein; Jon Faddis; Roy Assaf; Ed Cherry; Clifford Carter; Paul Rose; Bobby Messano; Liz Queller; Johannes Mossinger Quartet (with guests Joel Frahm, Don Braden, Seamus Blake, Johannes Enders and Joe Lovano); Howard Paul with guests Tom Scott and Jody Espina; Johannes Mossinger Quartet (with guests Joel Frahm, Don Braden, Seamus Blake, Johannes Enders and Joe Lovano); Don Byron; Pete Levin; Dave Stryker; David Spinozza; Atilla Zoller; Oz Noy; Clifford Carter; Paul Rose; Bobby Messano; Mattias Schieffel; Andy Hunter; Stefanie Schlesinger and the great vibraphonist/composer Wolfgang Lackerschmid and subbed on the Broadway productions of “Bring It On” , “Hamilton”, and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”.

Karl is co-leader of Big Fun(K) with saxophonist/composer Don Braden and co leader with Ryan Carniaux and Mark Egan of the “2016 BMW Welt Jazz Award” nominated group “Constellations”. Karl was a member of the electric jazz jam group, Unit1, with Mark Egan and guitarist John Hart.

As a sideman, Karl has appeared on countless recordings. To date Karl has released three CD’s as a leader: “Dancing Spirits” (1999) and “Resonance” (2007). As co leader Karl has released Don Braden/Karl Latham “Big Fun(K) Live” (2012) and Karl Latham/Ryan Carniaux/Mark Egan “Constellations” (2014) and his latest release Karl Latham “Living Standards” with Mark Egan and Vic Juris.

Karl received a B.S.S. from Ohio University and studied music performance at Rutgers University, Ohio University and Berklee College of Music, including private studies with drumming greats Gary Chester and Joe Morello. Karl is a long-standing adjunct professor at several New Jersey colleges, including Drew University, the County College of Morris and Passaic County Community College. Karl has also taught at Ramapo College and Sussex County Community College. Karl continues to teach workshops, master classes and clinics in the USA and abroad.

Gear

Endorsements Yamaha Drums - Yamaha Hybrid Maple 18"BD, 10"/12"/14" Toms Paiste Cymbals - 22" Masters Dark Ride, Twenty 22" Light Ride w/Rivets, 602 20" Medium Flat Ride, 18 Masters Extra Thin Crash, Masters 14" Dark HH Evans Drumheads - Snare G1, BD EMAD, Toms G1 Coated, FTT G1 Clear Innovative Percussion - 5A Vintage, ES-2 WBR-1 AEA Microphones - N8 Stereo Pair, R84 RME - UFX Plus Radial Engineering - Workhorse 500 Rack, JDI, SGI, J48