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OfflineSneezingPenis
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YA's Album of the week #3
    #8071133 - 02/26/08 01:16 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

LETTUCE: Live in Tokyo

I had something typed up here, but their myspace page has a much better synopsis of the band and its history.

Quote:

Lettuce, the seven-person all-star collective originally formed in 1992, returns to the funk jazz forefront with its third album, RAGE!, a hyper-charged outing of tunes that are equal parts artsy and party. The CD is a tantalizing tribute to funk music — paying homage to all stripes of funksters, including James Brown, Sly Stone, Herbie Hancock, Tower of Power, the Meters, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament Funkadelics, J Dilla—music that reflects “our way of life,” says bassist Erick “E.D.” Coomes, who is joined in the groove onslaught by his co-ragers: keyboardist Neal Evans, saxophonists Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis, guitarists Eric Krasno and Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, and drummer Adam Deitch.

Lettuce sprouted in the fertile environment of Berklee College of Music in Boston where all members met at a summer music program when they were in their teens. “I hate to sound cheesy, but I fully feel it was destiny that this band came together,” says Krasno. “We were all in the same place, all the same age. None of the friends I grew up with were into music like I was. Then I went to Berklee that summer, and all these guys were into music the way I was, and it happened that we were all playing the right instruments to put together a band.”

All the members brought to the group different funk-styled influences. For example, Krasno was into the new jazz funk of Herbie Hancock, Deitch was raised on Tower of Power and Earth Wind & Fire and introduced that sound through his compositions to the band. Zoidis recalls, “We all lived in the same dorm and we each brought music to the table that the others hadn’t heard before. There was an ensemble room downstairs that we began playing in.” Krasno adds, “We did a lot of jamming after we did a lot of listening.”

Two years later, in the fall of 1994, all Lettuce members, who had remained in contact with each other, returned to Berklee as full-fledged undergrads and picked up right where they left off. They were fond of showing up with their instruments at underground jazz clubs like Wally’s (usually at other musicians’ gigs) and asking, “Will you let us play?”— hence the birth of the name Lettuce. “We never thought that name would stick,” says Krasno, “but we just never got around to changing it.”

“We knew we had an great musical chemistry, and sure enough, when we finally got up on stage, the party starting getting incredible,” says E.D. “We didn’t really plan on taking over, but by the end of the evening all the Lettuce guys were up on stage and all the guys from the other band were gone. And then we’d play until close.”

It was onward and upward from there, with Lettuce issuing various tapes sold at their live shows and eventually recording two CDs (2001’s Outta Here on Velour and 2003’s Live in Tokyo, released on Velour in Japan and stateside on Kufala Records). Strong fan bases grew up in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Tokyo. “It became pretty happening,” says Zoidis. “Not bad for a band that didn’t have any TV or radio play. Pretty much all of our success came by word of mouth.”

While the collective has been playing consistently since its founding, averaging three or four times per year, each member of Lettuce has branched out into various other projects. Krasno and Evans founded the band Soulive, and Kininger and Zoidis toured with band as the Soulive Horns. Kininger fronts his own group, while Zoidis is in the successful Portland, Maine-based rock band Rustic Overtones. Deitch works as a session and touring drummer and producer, with his support-team resume including John Scofield and Wyclef Jean. He’s gone on to produce songs with Krasno for top artists such as 50-Cent, Talib Kweli and Redman. Shmeeans plays with Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and E.D. has laid down bass lines for The Game, DJ Quik, Britney Spears and others.

“We all have different projects, but Lettuce is an outlet for all of us,” says Krasno. “It’s a great excuse to hang out and have fun. It’s always been that way. Plus, we all challenge each other in ways where we all get better. We play new tracks; we learn new things. We inspire each other.”

On Rage!, the band’s collective sensibility has taken on more depth. “Being apart from each other as much as we have, we’ve come back together with a new maturity,” says Shmeeans. “We’ve grown as writers and players and we’re much better when it comes to using space.” Krasno concurs: “If you listen to our early recordings, there’s so much going on all at once. With the newer stuff, there’s definitely more space, more relaxed playing, more skill. On Rage! no one’s overplaying. It’s all tasteful.”

Krasno also points out that with Outta Here, there were no rehearsals. They all just showed up at the studio and played. This time, the group spent two days rehearsing, with different members bringing in music to experiment with. Then there was the sound factor. “We wanted the record to sound like the old stuff we were paying tribute to,” says E.D. “So we recorded with an old board, old mikes, old tube compressors.”

As for the wide range of funk Lettuce dives into on Rage!, E.D. cites two factors: the deaths in 2006 of both James Brown and J Dilla. “That’s when we decided to tip our hats to every style of funk,” he says. In addition to groove-steeped originals, Lettuce delivers two covers: Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up,” with guest vocalist Dwele, and “Express Yourself,” with vocals by Kininger. It’s music that represents “a new era,” says Krasno. “We blend the old school with the new. We take solos but we also vamp on two-bar loops.” Lettuce is a group that takes its dedication to the music seriously – as Deitch says, “Know your history and take it somewhere.”

What kind of expectations does the band have for the new CD? “Hey, it’s all about having fun,” Krasno says. “It’s all about good friends getting together to play the kind of music that made us all want to become musicians. We don’t have any real expectations. DJs can play this. Jazz fans will like it. People will hear it and hopefully dig it. We’re just hoping that this album will appeal to a lot of different kinds of people, and the funk will live on.”




the myspace page has a few new songs that arent on the studio or live album. Squadlive remix is the only song I could find off the tokyo album, but it is on this myspace page.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=14853396
and here you can listen to 30 second samples of all the songs on the studio version of the album.
http://mog.com/music/Lettuce

while not every single song is an original on the album, it still has a great flow and is one you can just turn on and listen all the way through. there isnt a bad song on the album.
it is almost entirely instrumental.

some of my favorites from the album are:

Nyach (probably the best song on there)
Kron Dutch
Flu the Coop (sometimes called The Flu)
squadlive

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8072719 - 02/26/08 02:12 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

bump

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8073236 - 02/26/08 04:15 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

wow, you guys are really surprising me.

you guys must just be lazy, and not click the myspace link. that is all you have to do. the song I want you to hear comes up first.
after that, if you arent blown away by that then shit... we need to start really simple.

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OfflineTheCow
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8073755 - 02/26/08 06:05 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

:sleepingcow:

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InvisibleMiddlemanM

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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8076320 - 02/27/08 08:36 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Meh, when I want Funk or Soul I reach for the classics.

Nothing new here. :ohwell:

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Invisiblejewunit
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: Middleman]
    #8076382 - 02/27/08 09:01 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

YawningAnus said:Waaaaah, no one responds to my posts.




Sorry we don't all like the shit you post, man.


--------------------
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InvisibleMiddlemanM

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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: jewunit]
    #8076397 - 02/27/08 09:07 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Not that I don't appreciate the effort, and it doesn't mean I'm not open minded.

I'm always down for novel or challenging music, I just already have albums by the previous two Artists.

This is the Art forum after all, even the threads with entire albums attached are hard to keep alive. :ohwell:

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: Middleman]
    #8077956 - 02/27/08 04:50 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

what do you mean the previous two artists?

you mean lyle lovett and mr bungle?

I disagree that there is "nothing new here" in regards to Lettuce. cant really talk about it unless you listened to the whole album, not just 30 second clips and a song or two from myspace.

but if you didnt like the first song from the myspace page, then... ok.

elaborate a little bit on why you didnt like them, or felt that it would be a waste of your time to download the album and listen to it.
and I will try not to argue with you, as long as it isnt "this muzic iz dumb".

of course the song squadlive isnt original, it is obviously tribute to james brown... that should be obvious just by the opening sentiments where he gets the band riled up.
I wish there was another song from the live album on their myspace page... but if you get a chance, listen to "break out" and you can hear Deitsch do this crazy hi-hat snare combo of flams in the opening.
but IMO, they are a new level of funk. they have ushered in a new paradigm while remaining loyal to the roots.

it should be obvious to anyone that festivals are quickly becoming the premier avenue of concert goers, atleast by numbers.
the advantage (or disadvantage at times) is that these concerts are always held outside, instead of inside a room with boundaries and reflections.
I dont know if any of you ever notice the difference between a tool show inside and a tool show outside, or try paying attention to how a guitar solo sounds with no reflections.
certain bands, and most often more full sounding bands, are becoming festival favorites. there is a soudn that is accompanying these bands, and grander, fuller, almost over the top type of sound... kind of like they are playing to the earth instead of a group of people.
Lettuce has that, and it is something that even James brown was lacking when I saw him live, and especially the funkadelic... maybe the only band that could hang today with Lettuce is Tower of Power and the Isley brothers...
so while you should have reverence and respect for the greats, remember that they were only that in their time.
sure their are some cornerstones, some pinnacles, in music, that will never be replaced... Miles Davis for example... but music advances, it shifts, it progresses. because bands build off of other bands, influenced by the greats but having a different vision.
despite what most people say, music is constantly getting better. maybe it isnt apparent because you listen to the radio, where music has taken on a stale, plastic, and repetitive cadence... rehashing nursery rhymes and using vague ambiguity to describe heartbreak and love.
but you just keep those classics, because music wont get any better as long as you stop looking for better music.

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InvisibleMiddlemanM

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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8079083 - 02/27/08 08:48 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Yeah I meant I already have Lovett and Bungle.

I listened to several full songs on Lettuce's myspace before I posted a comment about them.
I didn't mean they weren't taking Soul to new heights, I just meant not a new kind of music.

You make good points and I agree with Miles Davis, 'Get Up With It' is one of the best albums ever made, imo.

I just like stuff that's really novel even if using old formulas, the best music tip I've gotten here in awhile was Panda Bear, it's trippy new-wave indie with a Beach Boys-ish feel.

But I realize my taste is just my taste, so thanks for posting your recommendations, I'm sure there are people who dig but don't post.

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: Middleman]
    #8079746 - 02/27/08 11:02 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

did you already have Disco Volante? or do you have the self titled or california, because those albums might as well be by different bands.

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InvisibleMiddlemanM

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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8079873 - 02/27/08 11:52 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

True. I have every Mr. Bungle album and everything by Tomahawk, Secret Chiefs 3, Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum, Book of Knots, Ruins and most John Zorn related works.

Do you know of any other similar artists?

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: Middleman]
    #8079896 - 02/28/08 12:05 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

estradasphere, jerseyband, hugo montenegro, magma, ween, zappa..... yeah, shit tons.

I was actrually going to make next weeks album The Gift by Zorn.

but now I am going to show you jerseyband or estradasphere.

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8079906 - 02/28/08 12:10 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

fishtank ensemble, gods of shamisen, farmers market, zakir hussein/ tabla beat science, taraf de haidouks, danubius, nasftules dream... that is just the middle eastern influences I can list off the top of my head.

this is why I do all of this. for any possible genre, no matter how tiny or obscure, name any one band, and I can name 5 that you would like.

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InvisibleMiddlemanM

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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8080492 - 02/28/08 06:57 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Wow thanks, I've met Zakir Hussein he's a super cool guy, I need to check out the rest of those names.

I forgot to include estradasphere, I'll check out jerseyband, hugo and magma.

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OfflineTheCow
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8080660 - 02/28/08 08:39 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Eh, this music is funky for real, but is extremely cliche. Nothing new here, just old hat. The musicians are pretty good though. I was listening to becks odelay album for the first time in a few years recently. Can you recommend any music that is similar to that? The rock/hip hop/funk/soul mix on that album is pretty interesting, I figure there must be a lot of stuff like it.

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Invisibleblissedout
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8080739 - 02/28/08 09:10 AM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Good stuff!:thumbup: Listening to it now. Pretty funky! Kinda reminds me of Herbie Hancock's style. You ever listen to Bonerama? I know it's a stupid name, but they are a great group!


--------------------



:murray:

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Invisiblejewunit
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: blissedout]
    #8081388 - 02/28/08 12:55 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Bonerama can play a sweet Frankenstein.


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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: TheCow]
    #8082034 - 02/28/08 03:58 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

TheCow said:
Eh, this music is funky for real, but is extremely cliche. Nothing new here, just old hat. The musicians are pretty good though. I was listening to becks odelay album for the first time in a few years recently. Can you recommend any music that is similar to that? The rock/hip hop/funk/soul mix on that album is pretty interesting, I figure there must be a lot of stuff like it.




try out the album Acme by Jon Spencers Blues Explosion
Imani Coppola has some stuff that is very hip-popesque, closer to Guero and Odelay.
and the album Eohippus by Justin Potts.

I know that isnt five like I promised, but those are just off the top of my head.


and to Middleman, another band that you might really like is Man or Astroman?
60's surf rock with sci fi elements.
and if you like them, then you would like the band SPektr, out of Norway I believe, really great instrumental 70's sitcom sounding stuff.

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OfflineSneezingPenis
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8082046 - 02/28/08 04:01 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Im liking bonerama also.

thanks for the tip.

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OfflineTheCow
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Re: YA's Album of the week #3 [Re: SneezingPenis]
    #8086457 - 02/29/08 02:43 PM (16 years, 1 month ago)

Jon Spencers Blues explosion wasn't that similar to Odelay. I mean it had an organ and guitar I guess...Definitely not hip hop/funk/rock/soul mix though. You been making some mighty big statements man, back that shit up

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