REVIEW 
Currently residing in Los Angeles, California, Chuck Silverman has been known for decades as an authoritative instructor in the areas of funk and Latin drumming. In his new DVD, The Latin Funk Connection, Chuck shares some of the processes and concepts he's developed in learning and linking his funk drumming to Latin drumming.
Within this 90-minute DVD, Chuck focuses on several legendary drum grooves to morph and transition into very hip Latin grooves, all of which will work on the bandstand.
In Chapter One, Chuck demonstrates Melvin Parker's inspirational groove on "Funky Women", which comes from the underrated recording project, Maceo and All The King’s Men Doing Their Own Thing. With some added accents, a tumbao Kick drum pattern and cowbell, Chuck shows how this funk groove is easily blended into the Latin genre.
Chapter Two focuses on a legendary groove as played by Bernard Purdie on the King Curtis hit, "Memphis Soul Stew (LIVE @ Fillmore West)". After breaking down the groove, Chuck explains and demonstrates how he adds a tumbao Kick pattern and displaces the original downbeat to create a very practical sounding Latin groove.
In Chapter Three, Chuck makes a connection from the other direction, starting with a common cascara pattern and bongo riff, and weaves it all into a new, usable funk groove.
Chapter Four, it's the "New York" Mozambique from Cuba. Chuck breaks it all down for us, then does the funkify thing.
In each chapter on the DVD, Chuck takes time to explain the background and roots of the rhythm he's about to morph and connect. I felt, however, there could have been more information given in Chapter One with respect to who Melvin Parker is, as well as the story behind the tune, "Funky Women".
Chuck's humorous personality comes through in this instructional DVD. He makes the learning process fun and does a nice job with explaining the various phases. There's a good dose of solo applications to these grooves where Chuck augments and embellishes the original rhythm. The DVD also comes with a PDF of the rhythms used in each chapter,
I think the thing that I really like about The Latin Funk Connection is the fact that it gives the student an excellent example of how to learn, develop, expand and apply rhythms beyond their original applications. I would like to have seen the video editing be a little better, but the most important thing is the content and the product fulfilling its intent ... and The Latin Funk Connection does just that.
