Lettuce may be a name you have seen on numerous festival bills, or heard in passing if you’re keen to progressive funk in the modern era. What you might not know is that the New York City ensemble is a culmination of figures that have a hand in all types of hip-hop output. The mostly instrumental group claims Grammy winner Eric Krasno on guitar, a talent with producer credits on albums from 50 Cent to Pharoahe Monch to Talib Kweli. On drums is break master and Grammy nominated Adam Deitch, also a member of live electronic duo Break Science and a former member of Pretty Lights, a stick figure for purists that contributed to Redman and Xzibit albums just to name a few.
While the rest of the ensemble moves freely between the jazz, funk and jam environs, it is bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes that might take the cake for liner notes. The list is far to long to push here, but it claims Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, The Game, Nate Dogg, Wu Tang Clan, Eminem, T.I. , Beyonce and many, many more. With the release of their latest album Crush the band has forged a comprehensive sound that dips into all of their influences in order to resurrect them into a fresh sonic identity. The first single “Phyllis” is a loose tribute to J. Dilla, a figure the band openly nods to from time to time on albums and in the live setting. Check the dope, pyschdelic visual and get acquainted with the unknown minds that have touched on some of your favorite instrumentals for the past 2 decades.
