Heck, I've always felt that if you do any one thing for 10 years, you're bound to get pretty good at it. People are pretty good at driving, eating, brushing hair, and popping popcorn too. Practice makes perfect, I guess. And while it's not quite the same for bands, the premise is. Heck, I'm sure you'll agree that the toughest thing about being in a band is staying together. So, for Planet Groove, who celebrate 10 years together this weekend, that in itself deserves hearty congratulations.

Given 10 years of exploration, lots of good things can happen. You can become proficient on an instrument. You can develop a rapport that goes beyond friendship into a deeper musical understanding. Most importantly — and the thing that most bands don't stay together long enough to enjoy — is discovering the sound they were meant to have together. Obviously, that sound doesn't happen in a few months, or even a few years. It takes time and understanding, insight and maturity.

Planet Groove may have found that sound. After 10 years of lineup changes, experimentation, tinkering, and philosophical differences, the Latin rock/ pop/jazz/funk outfit has landed on comfortable sonic ground. On Sube ( Get Up ), their new, four-song EP of originals, PG buys into the rhythmic, funky Latin idiom whole hog, pushing the rock side of their personality gently into the backseat. The result is exultant, a great-sounding dose of electric Latin groove with hints of American styles.

Here's some of my recent e-mail chat with the band's percussionist and co-founder, Ajay Coletta.

Q: What have the biggest challenges been for you over the last 10 years?

A: Defining a style and membership. Keeping talent committed to the project is a problem for all bands, but for us it has been defining a style. If you listen to our four and a half discs, you see a nice progression. Start with our debut disc Planet Groove which is "instrumental world beat," a sort of National Geographic Explorer soundtrack. Our second recording, Joy Ride , is more world/jazz/fusion with some hints of Latin coming through. Our third disc, Live from the Ocean Mist , was more of a marketing tool to show our diversity and how well we perform together on stage. It worked. We got a lot of bookings from that disc. Our fourth disc, Rojo Vivo , showed the significant Latin influence with our Dominican lead singer opening avenues into the Hispanic markets. And our newest creation, Sube (which will be a full-length album by the fall), shows us taking our Latin influences and integrating them with pop, rock, soul, and funk.

Q: What were your goals when you first started the band?

A: The main goal regarding style was to always have a strong element of rhythm and groove in the band so people could really feel something in their heart and hips. Also, it was important to hire passionate and dedicated musicians who shared our vision. I have worked with some monster musicians, but many could not think past their instrument and see the big picture. Nor could they think like "music business" people, which is essential in maintaining longevity.

Q: Have you reached those goals? Have you stayed focused on them?

A: Yes indeed. As you know, Latin styles of music have infectious grooves and dynamic rhythm instruments. Fusing Latin with rock, jazz, and funk allows us to maintain the essential groove element, combined with the creative and melodic phrasing found in jazz and the energy found in rock. Hiring the right talent that shares your vision keeps the band's focus in check.

Planet Groove celebrates their tenth anniversary at the Call on Friday, April 1.