Jam Cruise 2016 VIDEOS: Lettuce in the Theater, Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff in the Jam Room and Eric Bloom in the Jazz Lounge

Lettuce Jam Cruise Pantheon Theater

Lettuce 1/8/16 Jam Cruise – Part 1 of 2:
“Neal Untitled”, Let Bobby, Ghost of Jupiter, Squadlive > Lettsanity > Body Heat [James Brown cover] (with Nigel Hall) > Lettsanity

Bee Getz as quoted in his Jam Cruise 14 overview review at Live For Live Music:

I am not sure I have vernacular to adequately describe what went down in that room. Lettuce is already leading the charge toward the new frontier; evolving, growing and exploding into a genre all their own. In the Pantheon Theater, twas a mixture of the hour, the elements, and environs. Riding the high of their film screening, this was a focused band on a mission. The willingness to dive headfirst into pure, free-form Type II jamming, as an eight or nine piece ensemble, was astonishing. That they are delivering these excursions to the netherworlds is enough; yet the physicality of their sound is a historical discovery, a breakthrough on the search for new land. Infinitely more bass gymnastics from the crooked cross became an assiduous assault. This was sonic ammunition for a frenzied dance-rage deep into the ocean waters, never mind thousands of leagues beneath.

From bombastic trap-thunderclaps, with humongous bottom end from the man they call Jesus, the question wasn’t bass, it was how low could they go. The sounds emanating from Neal Evans were grandiose; downright imperial in their psychedelia. The same can be said for the synth-rig Ryan Zoidis pumped through his alto, drenched in the dankest in dub arkology. Furious percussion grooves from Deitch, augmented by Tyler Coomes, created opulent hip-hop temples of boom, This new soundwave enabled their wide-open improvisations to be created with colors native to Tipper, or Thriftworks, yet the textures are in the late 70’s Bootsy Collins zip code, Benny Bloom was the G-code personified, blowing his bitch’s brew atop the wave. There is simply no other music being made like this. Period. On this night, Lettuce would drop no less than THREE of these magnum opuses, snowflake adventures bursting at the themes. The first two were Neal Evans‘ creations; dude is a mad freaking scientist, imagining post-apocalyptic galaxies and manifesting them in song. This was the spirit of ‘Choose Your Own Adventure,’ set to psychedelic crunk. Throw in a Nigel Hall and Shmeeans-led D’angelo tease (“Chicken Grease”) in the middle of “Do It Like You Do” and Lettuce officially shut down Jam Cruise. We have glimpsed the future. Get some shades, yo.

Lettuce 1/8/16 Jam Cruise – Part 2 of 2:
Blast Off > Trillogy > Making My Way Back Home (inc. Bustin Loose [Chuck Brown cover]) (with Nigel Hall) > Do It Like You Do (inc. Chicken Grease [D’Angelo cover]) (with Nigel Hall & ???)

Lettuce question & answer session 1/8/16 Jam Cruise:
Earlier in the afternoon, after they premiered the “Let Us Play” documentary there was a Q&A session with everyone from Lettuce plus Kunj Shah of Live 4 Live Music (producer of the film) and Jay Sansone of Human Being (director of the film)

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Shmeeans Jam Room Jam Cruise

The night before, Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff held down the Jam Room for no less than 3 hours. It started around 2:30am with Alvin Ford Jr. holding down the main drum chair for approximately 2.5 hours with only a short break for Trombone Shorty’s rhythm section to jump in.

Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff’s Jam Room 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 1 of 4:
A loose Jam with Deitch on the 2nd drum kit and Ivan Neville, Borahm Lee & Nigel Hall flourishing on the keyboards.

Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff’s Jam Room 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 2 of 4:
An hour later I stepped back in to find Trombone Shorty‘s rhythm section (Mike Ballard & Joey Peebles) laying it down and pumping and slinking through several improvisational grooves along with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe guitarist DJ Williams and Jans Ingber (formerly of the The Motet).

Meanwhile, stuff like this happened:

Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff’s Jam Room 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 3 of 4:
Then Nigel Hall and Jesus Coomes joined Ryan Zoidis, Eric McFadden and a dual drum assault of Isaac Teel from Tauk and Alvin Ford Jr. for a run through Nigel’s own tune “Don’t Change For Me” with a slight bridge to pay tribute to the godfathers The Meters on “A Message From The Meters”. Shit was hot.

Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff’s Jam Room 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 4 of 4:
The jams just continued and continued with Charly Lowry (recent vocalist for The New Mastersounds) and many other players. Jesus gives up the bass to Oteil Burbridge and Deitch tries to battle it out with Alvin Ford Jr., but Ford the cyborg holds it down like a machine and prevails with Deitch throwing in the towel around 5am. Shortly after this video ended, the very talented unknown female guitarist Emily Musolino seen here took over on bass duties and kept it rocking for 30+ more minutes. Does anyone know who she is?

Bee Getz as quoted in his Jam Cruise 14 overview review at Live For Live Music:

The concept of the Jam Room is in its essence what makes this boat sail. Lettuce guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff had hosting duties on night two, and it was a gluttonous, rowdy affair; the funk and grooves were massive, and the sound was gargantuan. Ably assisted by members of Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk, Jans Ingber, Todd Stoops, Eric McFadden, Tyler and Jesus Coomes, Oteil Burbridge, among others, the first two hours of this Jam Room was maybe the best of the week. Alvin Ford Jr, drummer of Dumpstaphunk, showed everybody why he is a fucking cyborg. Word on the street is that Ford was created in a lab, fed only the highest grade supplements, and trained twenty hours a day for twenty years. He is now a veritable Terminator. built to destroy any drum kit or drummer, at any given moment in time. The ‘Boy Wonder’ Adam Deitch, and the new kid on the block Isaac Teel (Tauk) both sat down to double drum with Ford, and for a while they each pushed along and rode the train as best they could. In the end, Ford took them both down, as Deitch playfully gave up and threw his sticks in the air, signifying “defeat”, while Teel took it in stride, as he definitely had the most God-given steez of any player on the Divina. Daps go to Shmeeans for leading this ensemble through some of the heaviest funk on Jam Cruise. Key tunes- an uplifting, bouncing “Don’t Change for Me” (Nigel Hall), a raging “Hang Up Your Hang Ups” (Herbie Hancock), and “Thank You for Lettin Me Be Mice Elf, Again” (Sly Stone).

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Eric Benny Bloom Jam Cruise Jazz Lounge

Eric “Benny” Bloom’s Jazz Lounge 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 1 of 4:
The end of Mercy, Mercy, Mercy [Joe Zawinul cover] with Johnny Vidacovich, David Torkanowsky (both of Astral Project), Michael League (of Snarky Puppy), Will Bernard & Congo Sanchez

Eric “Benny” Bloom’s Jazz Lounge 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 2 of 4:
Night Train [Jimmy Forrest cover] with Stanton Moore swapping out with Johnny Vidacovich and Mike Maher (of Snarky Puppy) joining on trumpet

Eric “Benny” Bloom’s Jazz Lounge 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 3 of 4:
Passion Dance [McCoy Tyner cover] with Stanton Moore, David Torkanowky, James Singleton, Will Bernard, Skerik & Weedie Braimah

Eric “Benny” Bloom’s Jazz Lounge 1/7/16 Jam Cruise – Part 4 of 4:
How Blue Can You Get [Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers cover] with Alvin Ford Jr., David Torkanowsky, James Singleton, Eric McFadden & Skerik

VIDEO: Two sets of Lettuce at Bear Creek Music & Art Festival 2014

Lettuce with Alecia Chakour - Bear Creek 2014

Lettuce 11/16/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Buffalo’s Ampitheater
Part 1 of 5:
Evil Wu, Unknown intro > Madison Square, By Any Shmeeans Necessary > Expensive Shit [Fela Kuti cover with bassline from Asiko by Tony Allen] > Shmeeans

Lettuce 11/16/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Buffalo’s Ampitheater
Part 2 of 5:
The Dump (with Nicholas Payton), Last Suppit, Mr. Yancey

Lettuce 11/16/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Buffalo’s Ampitheater
Part 3 of 5:
Do Your Thing [Isaac Hayes cover](with Alecia Chakour), The Sun (with Alecia Chakour), For My Friend [Bill Withers cover] (with Alecia Chakour & Nigel Hall), Bowler

Lettuce 11/16/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Buffalo’s Ampitheater
Part 4 of 5:
A Message From The Meters [The Meters cover](with George Porter Jr & Khris Royal)

Lettuce 11/16/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Buffalo’s Ampitheater
Part 5 of 5:
Encore: Move On Up [Curtis Mayfield cover] (with Nigel Hall, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer & Khris Royal)

Lettuce - Bear Creek 2014

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Lettuce 11/15/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Purple Hat Stage
Part 1 of 2:
Big Anthem, Salute, Yakatori, Fly

Lettuce 11/15/14 Bear Creek Music Festival @ Purple Hat Stage
Part 2 of 2:
Lettsanity, Phyllis, Don’t Be Afraid To Try (with Alecia Chakour), He Made A Woman Out Of Me [Bobbie Gentry cover] (with Alecia Chakour), The Love You Left Behind [Syl Johnson cover] (with Alecia Chakour), Monorail 3000 > Blast Off

CrossFiya featuring Talib Kweli, Rahzel, Chali 2na, Break Science, Soul Rebels & Fyre Dept

CrossFiya

The Soul Rebels 5/3/14 New Orleans, LA @ Howlin’ Wolf
Testify [Kanye West cover] (with Eric Krasno), Thank You [Jay-Z Medley] (inc. Ain’t No Love & Hard Knock Life), My Time, I Made It, Show Me What You Got [Jay-Z cover]

Soul Rebels with Rahzel

The Soul Rebels with Razhel 5/3/14 New Orleans, LA @ Howlin’ Wolf
Rahzel solo set > Rock The Bells [LL Cool J cover]

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Talib Kweli & Jesus Coomes

Words by Bee Getz:

Again, Fiyawerx Productions provided a break from the norm as it pertains to Jazz Fest, and this eclectic booking on the hip-hop side of the tracks provided a thrilling look at one of the best kept secrets in the game: Fyre Dept. This NYC- based production squad includes drummer Adam Deitch (clad appropriately in a NAS Illmatic t-shirt and his ubiquitous headphones), Eric Krasno on guitar, and the brothers Coomes, bassist E.D. “Jesus” and older brother (and Fyre Dept. OG) Tyler “TYCOON Beats.” Break Science keyboardist Borahm Lee rounded out the team, and they took the stage after De La SOUL REBELS and proceeded to destroy the packed house with authoritative, meditative beats, samples and classic loops. Beginning with some Ghostface Killah and J Dilla instrumentals, soon the Fyre Dept was fully ablaze. Deitch held down the head snapping breaks, and the brothers Coomes’ tasteful, minimalist approach had people marveling at how this here hip-hop sounded so alive, present, yet sacrificing absolutely no integrity in the name of dopeness.

Fyre Dept 5/3/14 New Orleans, LA @ Howlin’ Wolf
??? > ??? > Body Movin’ [J Dilla cover], Fever, ?That’s The Way It’s Got To Be?, Flankenstein > ???, ???

Within a few songs, Rahzel grabbed a microphone and stormed the stage. After some beatboxing workouts to get warm, “The Godfather of Noize” blessed the people with a distinctive medley of Whole Darn Family’s “7 Minutes of Funk” break, interspersed with verses and portions of its two most popular children – EPMD’s “It’s My Thang” and Jay-Z/Foxy Brown’s classic “Ain’t No N*gg*.” The Fyre Dept. then flawlessly worked into NAS’ “NY State of Mind” instrumental while Rahzel delivered original lyrics, along with a version of Bob Marley’s “Jammin’” for a refrain.

Fyre Dept with Rahzel 5/3/14 New Orleans, LA @ Howlin’ Wolf
???, Ain’t No Nigga [Jay-Z cover], NY State of Mind [Nas cover], Jammin’ [Bob Marley cover] / Voice Box

Fyre Dept with Talib Kweli

At this point in the show, things were wild on the dancefloor, yet extremely focused on the stage. The band brought out legendary Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli and the posse brought forth a medley of songs old and new. Beginning with “Cold Rain,” Kweli showed everyone just why he’s revered as a lyricist and performer. They brilliantly segued into his seminal anthem “The Blast” from the Reflection Eternal project of the Rawkus era; this slice of heat had damn-near everybody correctly pronouncing his name, with not a single thing left to question. “Hot Thing” was dedicated to all the lovers, and Kweli made sure to shout out Babyface as he dipped into this summertime park jam for the boo’d up set.

Fyre Dept with Talib Kweli 5/3/14 New Orleans, LA @ Howlin’ Wolf
Cold Rain, The Blast, What’s Real, Hot Thing, State of Grace, I Try, Get By

The Fyre Dept/Kweli collaboration reached fevered pitches as the BK MC and the veritable NY/LA dream team laced up a victorious version of “I Try” before spicing up things with a samba-influenced take on Kweli’s uplifting mantra “Get By.” This conclusion of the set had an army of heads chanting the chorus “Just to Get By” at the top of their one-hundred strong lungs; Fiyawerx Productions and the Fyre Dept. could agree on one thing, there was no putting out this CrossFiya.

Eric Krasno & Talib Kweli

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Break Science 5/3/14 New Orleans @ Howlin’ Wolf
Now You Want More, ???, Owner of a Lonely Heart [Yes cover], Brain Reaction, ???

Break Science with Chali 2na 5/3/14 New Orleans @ Howlin’ Wolf
Guns Drawn, Comin’ Thru, International

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