Local pros keep the music playing during shutdown

Warwick, N.Y., residents Ryan Berg and former longtime Sparta, N.J., resident Karl Latham teamed up to share music with family and friends during Covid, when most public performing arts events had shut down.

Their live-streaming jazz events, Concerts from the Cabin, were broadcast from Latham’s home studio.

Both musicians have toured internationally and subbed on Broadway, Berg on “Jersey Boys” and “Hadestown,” and Latham on “Hamilton,” “Beautiful,” and “Ain’t Too Proud.” And yet, they’d never met prior to the shutdown. Joined by New Jersey pianist Alex Collins, they created “Together,” an adventurous modern jazz release featuring timeless jazz standards with a contemporary perspective.

Latham, a drummer, has performed regularly in the New York/New Jersey music scene for decades. He performed at the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival, the Village Concerts Series, and with his own trio at the Amity Gallery, all in Warwick. Berg, a bassist, has performed in the tristate area since 1999.

Latham is the musical director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Group The Shirelles. He has played with the John Lee Quartet, Bernie Worrell, The Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Jerry Vivino, Andy Snitzer, Wolfgang Lackerschmid, and Johannes Mossinger. He is listed in Drummerworld.com “best of lists” and is an adjunct professor at Drew University, the County College of Morris and Passaic County Community College. He is an endorsing artist for many music industry iconic instrument manufacturers, including Yamaha Drums and Paiste Cymbals.

For more information, visit Concerts from the Cabin on Facebook and the musicians’ individual web pages at karllatham.com and ryanbergmusic.com.