Friday, March 24, 2023
By Submitted Story on February 22, 2023
Lettuce is a funk band that originated in Boston, Massachusetts in 1992. Its members are guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, Nigel Hall (keyboards, Hammond B-3 organ, piano, vocals), Adam Deitch (drums/percussion), Erick “Jesus” Coomes (bass), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone) and Eric “Benny” BlooLettuce began in the summer of 1992, when all of its members attended a music program at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA as teenagers. Brought together by the influence of various funk bands including Herbie Hancock, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Tower of Power, the band jammed throughout that summer before going their separate ways.[1][2]
In 2020, Lettuce’s album Elevate was nominated at Grammy’s for Instrumental Album of the Year.[9]
STEEL PULSE
Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ronald McQueen (bass); along with Basil’s brother Colin briefly on drums and Mykaell Riley (vocals, percussion). Steel Pulse were the first non-Jamaican act to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.[1]
Makua Rothman
Makuakai (Makua) Rothman (born June 17, 1984) is an American big wave rider, professional surfer[1] and musician. On February 28, 2015, he was crowned the 2015 Big Wave World Champion in the World Surf League’s (WSL) first sanctioned Big Wave World Tour (BWWT).[2][3][4][5][6]
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that on January 16, 2021, Rothman rode what it called “the biggest wave ever ridden in Hawaii”, estimated to be 100 feet tall, at Jaws on the island of Maui.[7] Rothman had not considered music as a career until 2012, when his friend Rob Garcia told him that people should hear his music. On the verge of leaving for a trip to Indonesia, Rothman decided to cancel the trip to work on his music. A few months later, he released his first EP, Makanale Road.[17]
Since then, heās released a full-length album in 2013, Sound Wave,[17][18] and toured all over the US, headlining small shows and opening for artists such as Matisyahu, Sublime w/Rome, Common Kings, The Wailers, Steel Pulse, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, and Donavon Frankenreiter.[19] Sound Wave debuted as the #1 Billboard World Album on iTunes and peaked as the #1 Billboard Reggae Album on December 28, 2013.[20][21]
In 2017, Rothman guest performed on Goldfinger’s album The Knife, playing ukeke on “Liftoff”.[22] He has also partnered with Hawaiian youth organizations to create programs for local youth at-risk.[23]
