From Wizoo to UJAM: A Fireside Chat with Clay Ostwald of Miami Sound Machine on the Legacy of LATIGO

In the world of Latin percussion, few names carry as much weight as The Miami Sound Machine. Their rhythmic innovations didn't just top the charts—they redefined how percussion was recorded and perceived in modern music.

Recently, Peter Gorges (Founder of UJAM) sat down with Clay Ostwald, the longtime musical director for Gloria Estefan and the creative force behind the percussion arrangements that defined an era. They gathered to reminisce about a partnership that started over 20 years ago in a Las Vegas hotel and has now come full circle with the release of Groovemate LATIGO.

Before diving into the tech, Peter caught up with Clay’s recent adventures. Since their last collaboration, Clay’s career has taken him from the sunny studios of Miami to the prestigious stages of New York and Washington, D.C.

"I moved to NYC in 2015 to perform in the Broadway musical On Your Feet!, the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan," Clay shares. "After 10 years in New York, we moved to D.C. in 2024. I’m currently the musical director at Ford’s Theater for a new production of 1776."

Despite the theater schedule, Clay’s roots remain firmly planted in the groove. He recently reunited with Gloria and the band for a NPR Tiny Desk Concert and shows promoting her new record, Raices. "The band is still AMAZING!" he adds with a smile.

The story of LATIGO began in 2003 at the Colosseum of Caesar’s Palace. While the band rehearsed for the Live & Unwrapped concert, Peter, Clay, and percussionists Edwin Bonilla and Olbin Burgos began brainstorming a way to bottle that "Miami magic" into a virtual instrument.

Released in 2004, the original Wizoo Latigo became an instant classic. It featured an innovative stage-like interface where users could drag instruments around a virtual room to adjust panning and volume.

"The original Latigo was, without a doubt, ahead of its time," says Clay. "Edwin and Olbin spent a lot of time with me coming up with the best possible combination of drums and percussion. I remember being astounded at how the Wizoo team took our audio and created a software instrument that gave the user so many musical options."

The original 2004 plugin relied on sliced audio loops. While they captured the soul of Edwin and Olbin’s playing perfectly, they were difficult to "remix" or customize. For the new Groovemate Latigo, UJAM took a different approach: deep-sampling. By recording every individual hit and using MIDI to recreate the performances, users now have total control over the mix and the notes themselves.

Clay weighed in on this evolution: "I totally get it! The old LATIGO and the new Latigo really serve different purposes. The new LATIGO is a monster hidden beneath the cover of a user-friendly interface. Within just a few minutes, I had the plugin installed and was up and running. It’s an amazing tool for writing, arranging, and producing."

Clay is already looking toward the future, suggesting a wider palette of instruments including Timbales, Bongos, and African drums like the Djembe and Bata. He even teased the return of Latigo’s famous sibling: Darbuka.

Peter Gorges took the notes to heart, hinting that a "Latigo 2.0" or even a successor to the legendary Darbuka might be on the horizon.

Whether you’re producing high-energy EDM or the next Latin-pop hit, the spirit of Miami Sound Machine lives on in this new iteration.

As Clay puts it:

“I give Latigo the highest possible recommendation for anyone who needs a Latin Percussion tool for writing, arranging and producing music”.