lett us resonate
Revisiting Lettuce's 2020 album Resonate.
Lettuce - my favorite band.
Formed by a group of funk-loving friends while at Berklee College of Music over 30 years ago, Lettuce brings their high-energy instrumental funk to audiences across the world. Over the past decade, the group has evolved from funky side-project to grammy-nominated headliners. Drummer Adam Deitch, guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, bassist Eric “Jesus” Coomes, vocalist and keyboardist Nigel Hall, saxophonist Ryan Zoidis, and trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom - each impressive musicians in their own right - have propelled the genre forward, drawing on their funk influences as well as jazz, fusion, and hip-hop.
In 2019, the group recorded 30 songs with producer/engineer Russell Elevado (D’Angelo, Erykah Badu) creating a trillogy of records released over the last five years - Elevate, Resonate, and Unify. Most of the tunes on Resonate were recorded during that initial session with Elevado, with a few re-cuts and several changes made to the tracklist and some tunes bouncing from Elevate to Resonate.
Resonate was released in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. I remember seeing that the band was putting out another record. This was uplifting news during a dark time. After hearing Moksha, the sixth tune on the record, I immediately grabbed a copy on vinyl.
Resonate is characteristic Lettuce - funky, soulful, psychedelic, with plenty of improvisational explorations. The album pays homage to Lettuce’s funk gods, including James Brown, Tower of Power, The Meters, P-Funk and Earth, Wind & Fire, while also incorporating influences from hip-hop and Indian music.
There’s not a skippable song on this record, from improvisational jams, to house music, to afrobeat, to go-go bangers, Resonate brings the energy of a Lettuce live show. This is a record made by a real band in a real studio with minimal overdubs. Tonally the album is crisp and clear in the highs with a warm, round bottom end and punchy mid-range resulting in a present and open sound perfectly showcasing the group’s talents.
And of course there is plenty of FUNK.
Below take a listen to the record while we get into the tracks.
Blaze: If you’ve been to a Lettuce show within the past few years, you’ll likely know this tune. The band’s played it for years before putting it down on wax. Blaze is a classic Lett tune to get your head-bopping and your body moving with just the right energy to start off a show. The horns carry the melody with some funky syncopated horn stabs supported by the rhythm section right in the pocket. Blaze sounds like The Meters plus some Bernie Worell-type bass from Jesus and a trippy sax solo from Zoidis. I’ll lett you figure out what the title means.
Good Morning Mr. Shmink: Mr. Shmink is a total nod to one of the band’s biggest funk influences, Tower of Power. The band is cooking with an energetic groove. Shmeeans, Jesus and Deitch keep it locked during Nigel’s soulful organ solo before the bridge changes the vibe and we’re back to the head with a bit of a fake-out ending.
NDUGU: Named for drummer Leon “Ndugu” Chancler, Deitch slays this groove lifted from a Ndugu and Herbie Hancock jam. The track also borrows from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat style with it’s anthemic horn lines. This is a real groovy tune with a memorable hook. Shmeeans and Hall apply some spacey rhythms to the B section before Bloom brings us home with an electric Miles Davis-inspired trumpet solo.
Checker Wrecker (feat. Jungle Boogie & Big Tony): The first single released off Resonate, Checker Wrecker is a dance floor banger drawing from Washington D.C. go-go hip-hop/funk with legends Big Tony on the mic and Jungle Boogie on vocals and percussion. You can’t help but move to this track. The band takes their time keeping us grooving throughout. Shmeeans’s solo brings the funk even higher.
Silence is Golden: We get a bit of a breather with this fifth track off the album but Lettuce still brings the funk. Zoidis says this track allows the band to ‘play pretty, but stay funky’ brining a much-needed mellower tune to the band’s set1. This track has a psychedelic and exploratory vibe. Hall’s Fender Rhodes evokes Bob James and Herbie Hancock. Zoidis grabs a sax solo and brings us to the bridge before dropping us back off on planet Lett again.
Moksha (feat. Indrajit Banerjee): Moksha brings Lettuce to new heights with Indrajit Banerjee’s sitar. The psychedelic, Eastern-inspired A section gives way to a classic Lett B section with Zoidis’s effected sax carrying the hook. Shmeeans channels some Jerry Garcia on the solo section while trading with Banerjee. We end with a fusiony synth solo from Hall. Moksha gets real mystical but stays funky. My favorite tune on the album.
Mr. Dynamite: This James Brown inspired joint was born out of an extended jam. Mr. Dynamite captures the magic of the band’s improvisational skills and you can really hearing the group stretching out on this one. It feels open and loose but definitely funky, conjuring up some classic JB grooves.
Remember the Children: Nigel Hall takes the reins on this Earth Wind & Fire cover and he hits it out of the park. Pointing to another of their biggest influences, Lettuce brings their high-energy funk to this tune. Hall’s lyrics remind us that no matter what we must remember the children because they’re the future.
‘Lude: A respite between two big tracks. Lettuce loves to include little interludes like this one on their records. This joint actually pops up on 2023’s Vibe. ‘Lude draws inspiration from Pete Rock’s PeteStrumentals and early hip-hop sampling jazz records.2
House of Lett: The Lett guys have been orbiting the EDM scene for a while so this track feels timely. House of Lett is straight house music done the Lettuce way. Lately it’s a setlist mainstay and you can hear why - it’s a groovy track and easy to dance to. Lettuce always manages to blend their expert knowledge of musical genres with their quintessential sound and this track is no exception. It’s house music played by a live band.
Resonate: If House of Lett was the banger to end the album, Resonate feels like an encore. This track born from a rehearsal jam brings us to some new places. Beginning soft and pretty, then getting jazzier, before getting trippy and mind-expanding. This one resonates on all the right frequencies.
If you dig Lettuce you might be interested in:
Here’s a playlist of live tunes off Resonate.
I could listen to this album on repeat endlessly. It’s got it all. At just over 1 hour, Resonate even seems too short. Every time I see the band live, or hear a new album, I’m surprised at how they continue to break boundaries, never ceasing to make great music while getting better and better. These are master musicians who shred from time to time but keep the groove going for our listening pleasure. What makes Resonate such a strong record is the quality of the songs - the band isn’t relying on jams and solos but rather dynamics and arrangements which make each song supremely solid. On Resonate you can really hear that the band is performing live in the studio and that most (or all) of these songs were cut in one take. No doubt Elevate’s grammy-nomination marked a high point in the band’s career and Resonate continues with that same energy. Promising good vibes, fun, and plenty of funk, Lettuce hits their stride with Resonate.
In 2023, the band completed their trillogy of records produced by Elevado releasing Unify in 2023. Only a few months later the band released Vibe, a one-song 90 minute jam. Releasing two albums in the same year is a first for the band. Over the past year they’ve also released two live albums and even more live footage on their Youtube. Needless to say I’m incredibly excited to see what the future holds for this group of musicians.
Long live Lett!
Until next time,
Keith
P.S. if you’re in the New York City area, Lettuce returns to Brooklyn Bowl for two nights this September.
Wow this is a great review and description of an album and band I know extremely well. During 2020, I listened to Resonate ALL the time. It’s still my favorite Lettuce album. Thanks for the read Keith. I can’t wait to see them at BK Bowl!