Events

[FUNK] Funk band Lettuce represents all of their geographical ties musically—the brains from Berklee in Boston, the hustle of New York City, the laid back swagger of California, and New Orleans’ musical history and appreciation. Over the last few years, their touring has increased steadily and each of their four releases has been turned around faster and faster. The band has slowly been ramping up in terms of both touring and album production, knowing full well when the public would be ready for their intense brand of funk. Their latest, Crush, was just released on November 6 and the band is in town Wednesday, November 11 at The Tralf with Jem Jaws and DJ Jeff Repeater. For those heading to Dead & Company down the street at the First Niagara Center, Lettuce won’t take the stage until 11pm so head over after the show. This week we got the chance to sit down with trumpeter and the newest member of the group, Eric “Benny” Bloom.

What’s the biggest thing that’s changed for Lettuce since the last album release?
The band has grown musically in many different directions and has gained a lot of new fans. Plus, this is the first Lettuce album that I’m actually on!

With Lettuce doing more touring as of late, what have you personally seen develop within the group over the past year or two?
One of the coolest things I’ve seen develop over the last couple of years touring with Lettuce is the band’s ability to take songs that they have been playing for a long time and make them sound new by extending sections, re-harmonizing sections, breakdowns, etc.

Aside from the trumpet, how did you find yourself contributing so much rhythmically at shows with all the percussion instruments you play? Do you do the same for albums?
When I joined the band, the horns always play percussion when we’re not playing our horns. That’s the way Kool & the Gang did it and it’s a great way to create a rhythmically thicker bottom so [drummer] Deitch can be freed up from playing the groove the whole time and can stretch a little. As for who played percussion on the album, it was Deitch. He played all of the percussion! He really is killing!

What do you remember about the last time you played Buffalo?
The last time we played there, I think Neal’s parents were there and it really made him play his tail off! There are a lot of great musicians and music fans in Buffalo so it’s always fun for me to play there.