Track Listing

1. Outta Here
2. The Dump
3. Squadlive
4. Back In Effect
5. Twisted
6. Superfred
7. Reunion
8. The Flu
9. Nyack
10. Hang Up Your Hangups
11. Nyack (live)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58670 in Music
• Released on: 2002-07-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
With their new Velour Recordings release, Outta Here, Lettuce comes raw: no fluff, nothing smooth, just hard funk.  The record combines the grit of the Meters, the harmonic textures of Herbie Hancock, and the hyper-tempo funk of live James Brown.  

Back in ‘92, the guys met at the Berklee summer program and were drawn together by their love of classic funk. Only 15 years old, they began taking over clubs and jam sessions in Boston, storming the stage whenever they could. Underage and with no gear, everywhere they went it was, "Let us borrow your drum kit" and simply "Let us play." And Lettuce (Let us) was born.  Since that summer, the guys have all had success -- Eric & Sam play with Soulive, Adam drums for AWB and the John Scofield Band, Erick produces for Sunshine Anderson, Ryan was a founding member of Rustic Overtones -- but they’ve all waited for this long-overdue reunion.

On the new record, Lettuce is joined by some of their heroes. Guitar great John Scofield rips on Flu the Coop and Back in Effect, to which Neal Evans of Soulive lends his B-3 chops. Trombone legend Fred Wesley lends some funk to the James Brown-inspired Superfred and the title track Outta Here.   

Despite the record’s title, Lettuce is anything but outta here.  The band is focused on their upcoming tour of the U.S. and Japan.  It’s been ten years in the making, but Lettuce’s bid to re-land the funk mothership on planet Earth has begun.

Steve Graybow, Billboard, July 6, 2002
Swirling instrumental solos and dense harmonic flourishes … that reference ‘70s funk and contemporary hip-hop rhythms.

Andy Barrett, Heckler, July, 2002
Outta Here is the nastiest cut of straight-up, imitation-free, double-chunk funk this side of Drs. Brown and Clinton.

Customer Reviews

Serious Funk!
This is an excellent album. Every song on this cd is great. However, two songs stand out above the rest. The title track, "Outta Here" and "Superfred" are the pinnacle of this album. It is no coincidence that these two tracks have a guest appearance by the incomparable Fred Wesley. Fred's trombone chops are unbelievably funky. On "Superfred" he matches the guitar chops lick for lick. This is just ridiculuous considering the man is playing a trombone. Despite what the other review says about Fred being a trumpeter, it is still accurate in the assessment of his skills. As for the rest of the band, I would compare it to Karl Denson's Tiny Universe (without the singing and slow songs) All the songs are uptempo and full of energy. There are excellent horn breakdowns and some very tasty guitar work from Eric Krasno of Soulive. The only thing I can say that this album lacks is more Hammond B3, but I'm a sucker for the organ so my opinion is a little biased. Otherwise this is good.

DAMN FUNKY
I got Outta Here a few months back and can't stop listening to it. DAMN! I've been listening to Eric Krasno and Sam Kinneger in Soulive and Adam Deitch in John Scofield's band for the past few years, so I knew this disc was gonna be funky. Without a doubt, this group is continuing the vintage, ultra-funky heritage of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, George Clinton/PFunk/Parliament and Herbie Hancock/Headhunters. Dig it!

What you want really want?
This is what was supposed to happen to jazz funk. Following in the footsteps of those who werent afraid to step away from traditional jazz, Herbie Hancock, Reuben Wilson, etc.. - jazz, funk, hip-hop and soulful grooves. Just enough horns to sweeten it up. Get the "Lettuce - Live in Tokyo" release for the long ride home.