Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony is a breathtakingly beautiful and colorful tapestry of the band’s funky arsenal, hopped up with Colorado cool from the symphony orchestra. Lettuce, founded more than 20 years ago, is one of the preeminent torchbearers of modern funk music. The band is a direct descendant of the funk legends they immortalize in their music, including Earth, Wind and Fire, Parliament/Funkadelic; Tower of Power and War.
This album, recorded in November of 2018, draws upon a range of tunes as far back as the ‘Rage’ album from 2007 all the way forward to the ‘Resonate’ album of 2020 and even introduces two previously unreleased tracks ‘New Intro’ and ‘Requiem.’ Since this recording, the band has played with symphony orchestras several times, including twice that I’ve seen or will see – Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony in 2022 and upcoming with the Nashville Symphony.
The Colorado Symphony makes an imprint on each of the tracks, augmenting the horn lines, layering in extra depth with the strings or supplementing the guitar and bass. The arrangements stick fairly close to the studio versions of the songs, slightly longer in most cases but have ample room for each of the Lettuce members to stretch out a bit with their solos. Nigel Hall absolutely soars on the two vocal tracks “Move On Up” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony is an exquisite listening experience – for Lettuce funk family, it offers a new dimension to hear and for newbies, it’s a fantastic chance for them to vibe up!
Here’s my track-by-track rundown:
Track-By-Track
Mt. Crushmore (Mt. Crushmore, 2016) starts out with the traditional fanfare of the EP with some extra oomph from the orchestra, in particular on the march-like portion and the swirling of the strings makes it extra powerful. The crisp, abrupt ending is precise and invigorating.
The Lobbyist (Crush, 2015), is a tune that’s less frequently played live but fits perfectly here and is a showcase for the horns in particular with some exceptionally punchy lines. Nigel has a beautiful keys solo with the symphony mostly laying back until the return of the main theme. Like many of Lettuce artillery, it’s a tune that could easily be slotted as a fight club theme song.
Requiem is one of the ‘new’ tunes on the album, although it has been performed live but without orchestra since the date of this recording. The tune gives the air of a regal procession, and the strings give the royal treatment to the chorus. On top of that, the pizzicato section feels like tiptoeing through the countryside. It’s smashing, right up to the gong ending.
Gang Ten (Elevate, 2019) is notable for its piano lullaby opening. The sweeping theme is supplemented by the massive string section and the flight path is smooth. The break is a great tapestry of effects from all six Lettuce members, with Zoidis on Korg effects and Nigel with the synths. One of the great joys of this version is the tremendous clarion call by Eric “Benny” Bloom coming out of the break and the well-timed, well-deserved applause by the informed audience.
Ghost of Jupiter (Fly, 2012) is one of the older tunes on this release but is well-served with the orchestra. When I heard it with the Colorado Symphony at Red Rocks, initially I couldn’t place it. The opening sounds like a spy-thriller soundtrack and the development of the main theme would fit as a ski-slope opener for a Bond flick. This one is a vehicle for a pulse-accelerating Zoidis sax solo. It is punctuated by the as-always, stellar drumming of Adam Deitch right to the cliffhanger exciting ending.
Move on Up (Rage, 2007) is, of course, the classic Curtis Mayfield tune that Lettuce and Nigel Hall have reinvigorated and made their own. The orchestra completely flows with the band here. Shmeeans shreds a super fast-paced solo before the tempo drops down to the break. In the band’s traditional fashion, all pause for Nigel’s amazing bridge solo on Rhodes and vocals. The tension buildup and release before reaccelerating back to the head is one of the album’s high points.Â
The Force (Crush, 2015) is perhaps the tune most suited for a symphonic adaptation with that full overture opening. This version is a showcase for the horns, with Benny and Zoidis carrying the load and the chorus magnified by the CS. Zoidis lays out a masterful solo, akin to the glory days of Earth, Wind and Fire’s sound with Don Myrick on sax. The ending is super powerful (and finishes the first set).
New Intro is aptly named, the second of two ‘new’ tunes’ here. As with several Lettuce, tunes, it feels like it could be right out of a Star Wars flick with the Imperial Guards marching into the scene.
Larimar (Elevate, 2019) has an extended drum intro before dipping into the main theme. The tune is now a standard of Lettuce’s live shows — the strings give this version a more airy sensation. Jesus’ base is a standout element here as the foundation for the main theme. Eric “Benny” Bloom takes a longer, full force trumpet solo here and Deitch’s funky beats propel its liftoff.
Tryllis (Trillogy and Phyllis, Crush, 2015), was created as a mashup of two of my favorite tunes. Trillogy had three different sections and Tryllis carries the two sections forward. Phyllis (my mother’s name) is a sentimental favorite. Here, the punches thrown in the Trillogy section are reinforced by the full orchestra. The eerie part, facilitated by the Zoidis sax effects, is accompanied by pixie dust from the strings. The Phyllis section starts almost exactly at the midpoint. It’s got terrific teamwork as Shmeeans guitar and the horns alternate phrasing. Nigel puts out a scintillating synth solo. When the full band and orchestra rejoin, it’s totally majestic. Deitch absolutely crushes a blistering drum solo and then the rest of the krewe joins for a breakneck speed closeout.Â
Moksha (Resonate, 2020) is tailor-made for an orchestral arrangement. The original featured sitar work but Shmeeans has been amazing in adapting those licks for guitar. Deitch’s double-tapping kicks set the table. The bells and chimes in the orchestra add to the world music aura. Moksha is, in Indian religions, the liberation from the material world and Shmeeans gorgeously captures the feeling.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Elevate. 2019) is, of course, a cover of the old Tears for Fears song. Nigel and the band have actually made this a cover that I enjoy more than the original. Nigel’s vocals are the main instrument here, with the band and orchestra driving him forward. The ethereal synth solo in the middle is sublime.
Elephant Walk > Madison Square (Mr. Crushmore, 2016 > Fly 2012) is another combo, with tunes from different albums. The main theme of Elephant Walk does give a sense of hard marching with the bass-drum combo forming the steps and the horn swirl simulating elephant calls (a la Tower of Power’s horse braying in Don’t Change Horses!?). Benny Bloom’s effects are perfect.
There’s an interlude with the strings softening the tune a bit, making it feel like a fable — a journey through the forest, perhaps. This is a super effective buildup to the Madison Square intro. Once the band-symphony hit the gas, it’s game on! Like many of Lettuce’s thumping tunes, it sounds like an all-out competition. I know the band has some Knicks fans and they’ve actually played this tune at MSG! I hear a connection to John Tesh’s Roundball Rock, one the NBA’s theme songs years ago (and in the future?). There’s a second interlude before the frantic, overtime, adrenaline pumping, grand finale.
Trapezoid (Elevate, 2019) is a great encore selection. The Zoidis effectuated sax opening is a fingerprint for this song. The strings on the main theme are another fantastic adaptation. The bass strikes with the bottom horn blasts are strong enough to rattle anyone’s cage. The regal horn calls are sharp and Benny’s trumpet solo is the tip of the spear. The ending crescendo is like a thunder clap leaving the crowd cheering for more. Time to tee up the whole album again!