Michael White: I told my wife, I said, “Babe, here’s a funny story… I want to start doing things that challenge me—keep me on the edge, pushing my thing.” She said, “Yeah, you should do that.” So Jeff Lorber calls me. He’s got a client—last name Morricone. His dad was Ennio Morricone. So we get called to do a film date. At the time, I’d been on the road with Maze and Sanborn. I hadn’t been reading much, so I felt the rust. I get to Capitol, look at the stand… first cue: 9/8 at 142 BPM. I’m looking at it like, “Oh my God.” ⸻ Trevor: What’s up everybody, welcome back to The TrevBeats Show. Today we have one of the masters—and I mean masters—of the groove. If you’ve ever turned on the radio in the last 30–40 years, you’ve been moving your head to this man’s playing. From Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, to George Duke, Marcus Miller, Luther Vandross, and countless films—this is a legendary career. It’s an honor to introduce my brother, Michael White. ⸻ Michael White: Hey man, thanks for having me. ⸻ Trevor: Chicago has such a deep lineage of drummers—and you’re one of the OGs of that. ⸻ Michael White: The drum world has always been deep in Chicago. And it’s pocket—it’s soul, it’s feel. ⸻ Trevor: Let’s talk Maze. How did that happen? ⸻ Michael White: I was out with Patrice Rushen in ’82. We were opening for Maze. We came out, did our thing… but when Maze hit the stage, it was something else. That was the hardest working band I’d ever seen—with a groove out of this world. Frankie saw me playing. Later, when his drummer left, they called me. I wasn’t available the first time… but the second time I was. I auditioned and got the gig in ’85. I stayed on and off for 21 years—the longest-standing drummer in the band. ⸻ Trevor: That band is an institution. ⸻ Michael White: It really is. You could tell it was a Maze show just by how people dressed—all white. Frankie created a culture. ⸻ Trevor: What about George Duke? ⸻ Michael White: George made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He’d say, “You’re the man.” That kind of encouragement makes you want to play your best. It’s how great leaders bring the best out of people. ⸻ Trevor: Your feel is unique—it drives the band without overpowering it. Where does that come from? ⸻ Michael White: Early on, I had chops—Billy Cobham influence, chops for days. But the phone wasn’t ringing. Everything changed with Frankie Beverly. He worked harder on the groove than anyone I’ve ever seen. He’d tell me exactly where he wanted things: * Kick drum in the middle * Snare on the backside * Hi-hat on the front And he didn’t want it static—he wanted movement. Peaks and valleys. That experience prepared me for everything. ⸻ Trevor: That’s like a James Brown mentality. ⸻ Michael White: Exactly. Frankie would fine you too if it wasn’t right! But it taught discipline. You had to be ready to adjust at all times. ⸻ Trevor: Let’s talk film scoring. ⸻ Michael White: That Morricone session… I was nervous. I even called Harvey Mason and Gatson trying to get out of it! My wife told me, “Just breathe and do the session.” We started the first cue—ran it, fixed notes, ran it again… nailed it. After that, the guys came up to me like, “Man, how come we haven’t seen you before? You’re making this feel like a record.” And that became my thing—making film cues feel like records. ⸻ Trevor: That’s huge. ⸻ Michael White: It’s all about feel. That’s what separates everything. ⸻ Trevor: Let’s talk AI. ⸻ Michael White: AI is real—it’s here. It’s another tool, like MIDI. But the human element? That’s DNA. Ten thousand drummers can play the same groove—it’ll feel different every time. That’s something AI can’t replicate. ⸻ Trevor: What advice would you give the next generation? ⸻ Michael White: Know your instrument. Know the history. Develop your own identity. Back in the day, you could hear a drummer in a few bars and know who it was. That’s missing now—everything sounds the same. You can borrow—but you have to interpret it your way. ⸻ Trevor: There’s been a shift—from originality to replication. ⸻ Michael White: Exactly. But longevity comes from identity. ⸻ Trevor: You’ve had a 40+ year career. That’s rare. ⸻ Michael White: And I’m still working. Still enjoying it. I don’t have to take every gig—I take what feels right. That’s the goal. ⸻ Trevor: That’s the finish line—freedom and fulfillment. ⸻ Michael White: And community. Nobody gets here alone. People helped me, and you have to pay it forward. ⸻ Trevor: That’s what this show is about—connecting the dots, preserving the history. ⸻ Michael White: Exactly. ⸻ Trevor: Michael White, everybody. ⸻ Michael White: Thank you, brother. ⸻ Trevor: That’s a wrap for this episode of The TrevBeats Show. Make sure you like, subscribe, and I’ll see you next time.