Lettuce / Styles P

An American funk jam band formed in the early ‘90s by teenagers at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Lettuce draws its name from its members’ pleas to local clubs for gigs (“Let us play”). They drew early inspiration from Herbie Hancock; Earth, Wind and Fire; and Tower of Power, coalescing around a love of classic funk. They would later cut a record (Rage!) featuring classic funk tracks from the ‘70s, such as Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up” and Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band’s “Express Yourself.” These days their sound is a creatively stirred melting pot of hip-hop, jazz, New Orleans R&B, blues, and rock. As the band has evolved and recorded nearly a dozen live and studio albums, its members have also made names for themselves in other projects; Ryan Zoidis (saxophone) founded the Rustic Overtones, Erick Coomes (bass) established himself as a go-to session player and touring bassist for Britney Spears and the Game, Adam Deitch (drums) plays with Break Science and has worked with John Scofield and Wyclef Jean, and Adam Smirnoff has toured with Lady Gaga and Robert Randolph & the Family Band.