GRAMMY-nominated funk-jazz-soul-hip-hop-psychedelic-jam-experimental titans LETTUCE have released their new single "'NDUGU," the latest offering from the band's forthcoming seventh studio album Resonate, out May 8th via Round Hill Records. PRESS HERE to watch the visualizer for the super funky instrumental, which first premiered with Glide Magazine, and PRESS HERE to stream/download "'NDUGU."
"I was watching a video on YouTube of Herbie Hancock performing live in the early 80s with the legendary Leon 'Ndugu' Chancler on drums," shares drummer Adam Deitch. "Not only was it ridiculously funky, Ndugu was so IN it that he was doing this side to side shoulder dance while playing. I was struck by the visual as much as the audio of the groove and so inspired that I immediately started writing the tune as a tribute to that sort of energy I had just witnessed. The song ''NDUGU' was born that night. It starts with a hard groove and powerful horns, then gets a snake charmer vibe in the bridge! It's become one of our favorites to play. Hope y'all dig it!"
Resonate follows Lettuce's 2019 album Elevate, which earned the band their first collective GRAMMY nomination in the category of Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, racked up more than 3 million streams and hit #1 on both the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart and iTunes Top R&B Albums Chart.
On Resonate, which plays like a master class in funk sub-genres, Lettuce continue to be celebrated boundary-pushing innovators in funk nearly three decades into their acclaimed career, blurring the lines and smashing it up with jazz chords, psychedelic passages, big horns, strains of soul and go-go, hip-hop elements and a joyful, uplifting improvisational sound all their own. Resulting from a wave of creative output after not having been in the studio for four years, Resonate was helmed by esteemed producer and engineer Russ Elevado [D'Angelo, The Roots, Erykah Badu] and written and recorded during the same Colorado Sound Studio sessions for Elevate. PRESS HERE to watch the official music video for the album's lead single "Checker Wrecker" featuring DC go-go music legends Big Tony Fisher of Trouble Funk and Tyrone "Jungle Boogie" Williams of Rare Essence, a result of Lettuce's longstanding passion for Washington D.C. go-go music, the missing link between hip-hop and funk. PRESS HERE to pre-order Resonate.
A powerhouse collective made up of world-class master musicians, the members of Lettuce - Adam Deitch (drums, percussion, arrangement), Adam "Shmeeans" Smirnoff (guitar), Erick "Jesus" Coomes (bass), Ryan Zoidis (alto, baritone, tenor sax, Korg X-911), Eric "Benny" Bloom (trumpet, horns) and Nigel Hall (vocals, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, clavinet, keyboards) - are also some of the most highly sought-after musicians in the industry with resumes that read like a who's who in hip-hop, pop, and beyond, working and performing with everyone from Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Questlove, Justin Timberlake, The Fugees, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Britney Spears, Gary Clark Jr., Skrillex, Solange, and so many more.
PRESS HERE to watch a mini-documentary from Lettuce's recent London appearance during their extensive European headlining tour that wrapped last week.
