Rage!

by Lettuce

Overview

The second studio set from this sideman supergroup of sorts follows its debut by six years but maintains a similar approach. While the first album recorded by the eight-piece ensemble (that gets together only sporadically between other full time gigs) was funk-influenced, this is pure '70s styled retro funk. Think Earth, Wind & Fire, P-Funk, the Crusaders, Tower of Power, James Brown, Rufus with Chaka Khan, you get the idea. To further cement the old school feel, the band recorded with mics and tube compressors from the era. The result is nearly an hour of non-stop, predominantly instrumental, rump shaking jazz-funk fusion that, while obviously indebted to its predecessors, shimmers with a natural energetic groove of its own. These guys play off each other with enthusiasm and are clearly having a ball. All but two tunes are Lettuce compositions with drummer Adam Deitch (50 Cent, Talib Kweli, John Scofield) writing or co-writing eight selections. The three piece horn section gets all AWB on "Salute" and the band finds its Meters "Cissy Strut"-ing heart in "Speak E.Z." The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band's "Express Yourself" and Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up" make for two representative and slightly left-of-center covers that fit perfectly with the album's electric boogie vibe, but the rest of the self-penned tracks are nearly as good. The group borrows liberally from its forerunners but does so with such integrity and respect it's impossible to criticize Lettuce for ripping off the licks, lines and riffs of the '70s greats in their record collections. Rather, this is party music made to liven up any shindig and might also encourage some youngsters to search out the sources behind Lettuce's funky blasts. That seems to be at least part of the band's intent. The rest is just to have fun paying tribute to music that inspires them and hope the listener's feelings are mutual. ~ Hal Horowitz

Product Details

Release Date:	04/22/2008
Label:	Velour Recordings
UPC:	0687480080618

Tracks

1. Blast Off
2. Sam Huff's Flying Raging Machine
3. Move on Up
4. King of the Burgs
5. Need to Understand
6. The Last Suppit
7. Dizzer
8. Makin' My Way Back Home
9. Salute
10. Speake E.Z.
11. Express Yourself
12. Relax
13. By Any Shmeeans Necessary
14. Mr. Yancey (Bonus Track)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Lettuce   Primary Artist
Rashawn Ross   Trumpet
Dwele   Featured Artist
Josh Roseman   Trombone
Neal Evans   Keyboards
Ryan Zoidis   Sax (Alto)
Maurice Brown   Trumpet
Sam Kininger   Vocals,Sax (Tenor)
Adam Deitch   Drums,Percussion
Bobby Deitch   Percussion
Denise Deitch   Percussion
Nigel Hall   Vocals,Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Ryan Zoidis   Group Member,Composer
Rashawn Ross   Group Member
Curtis Mayfield   Composer
Eric Krasno   Composer
Charles Wright   Composer
Joel Hamilton   Mixing,Engineer,Audio Engineer
Lettuce   Audio Production
Neal Evans   Composer,Performer,Group Member
Sam Kininger   Composer,Group Member
Michael Fossenkemper   Mastering
Jeff Patrick Krasno   Executive Producer
Marc Goodman   Assistant Engineer
Adam Deitch   Composer,Performer,Group Member
Tyler Coomes   Composer
Erick Coomes   Composer
Joshua Bloom   Production Assistant
Sean Hoess   Executive Producer
Adam Smirnoff   Composer
Nigel Hall   Composer