In guitar lingo, a dazzling sequence of notes is often referred to as a “lick.” While for most musicians weaving their lives across a six-string loom, that term might feel idiomatic at best, one can’t help but take it literally in the hands of Mark Lettieri. This isn’t to say the instrument becomes something else entirely by force of sonic transubstantiation—rather, that his music is, quite simply, all about flavor. And in this massive 14-track collection, recorded live over the first two nights of March 2023 at the legendary Iridium, Lettieri and his eponymous band activate a tongue’s worth of taste buds in the very space graced by so many of his heroes. Joined by longtime cohorts Jason “JT” Thomas (drums) and Wes Stephenson (bass), alongside fresher recruit Daniel Porter (keyboards), he associates a chain of original tunes. Featuring nods to six of his seven albums as leader, he labors for these moments shared with his bandmates—and us, by fortunate extension.

While there’s plenty to sink one’s teeth into, few tracks are as meaty as Catboy. This groovy morsel is a masterclass in atmosphere, of which we get a substantial variety that is airy enough to let us pass through unscratched. If anything, this is Lettieri’s modus operandi: surrounding us with hooks to hold on to without so much as a burr in our socks to show for it by journey’s end. Like Big Duck and Little Minx, both newly revived for his live repertoire, this tune gives Lettieri plenty of room to roam the ever-expanding landscape of his fretboard with superior textural authority, at once extroverted and controlled.

The guitarist expands on why he opted for a live album this late in the game:

“Though I’m getting busier every year, you could say I’m still fairly new as a touring solo artist. Many fans haven’t seen or heard the live show yet, so I’m very excited to showcase the band this way. If all you’ve heard are the studio albums (or haven’t heard of me at all to begin with), this will be a solid introduction to the catalog and what we do. I’ve been wanting to capture the live sound of this ensemble, as we’ve been playing together for several years now. It’s an incredibly tight, grooving unit that can take the music in all sorts of ways while still staying true to the compositions.”

Of those compositions, we get a broad selection, including in-person staples like Futurefun and Spark and Echo, both of which surround nostalgic centers with crunchy outer layers. The latter tune is also the album’s most anthemic. With a melody that oozes finality yet leaves enough doors open for future revisits, it achieves ecstatic levels of playing from the full band. Lettieri expounds on working with such a talented crew:

“After countless shows together, we’ve developed almost a ‘sixth sense’ of communication on stage. We’re playing the songs as they were written, but certain sections (like solos and various vamps and grooves) are left open to interpretation and improvisation. Everyone has such big ears that we’re all constantly aware of what each other is playing. I think it helps that we’re all good friends, road buddies, and just general fans of one another.”

Despite being an artist of great power and electricity, Lettieri eases the listener into frame with the relatively laid-back Extraspecial. Groovy without being overbearing, it offers just the right amount of spice and cream to whet our appetites. It also sets the tone for the album’s organic seesawing between contraction and expansion. Even the seemingly gentler tunes like Summer Salt have fire in their bellies, as does Lotus, which starts out lyrically, building into powerhouses like the concluding Naptime. From the slack-jawed surrealism of Seuss Pantsb> to the jazzier Point Iz, we are treated to a smorgasbord of sounds. In the middle of all this is Voyager One, a surprisingly earthbound number that kicks off a tuneful trinity featuring Lettieri on baritone guitar, rounded out by Gigantactis, which seems to crawl from the ground, dust itself off, and dance its way onto center stage, and the epic Supernova, which like its namesake is just as gorgeous for its colorful plumes as for the darkness of space between them. Violinist Zach Brock of Snarky Puppy makes a surprising guest appearance here, one of many discoveries awaiting the repeat listener.

Out By Midnight is more than a filler album between studio sets. It’s a consummate portrait of an artist, composer, and performer whose volcano is far from dormant. There’s something for everyone in this spread, so pull up a seat, tuck in your napkin, and dig in.

Fly Through It is a brief collection of rustic, rootsy, organic compositions featuring a classic “power” trio format of guitar, bass, and drums -except the “power” is found in restraint. After the epic adventure that was Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2, with all its moving parts, complex arrangements, and overall sonic bombast, Mark Lettieri wanted to explore the opposite. Lettieri has written all sorts of mellow solo guitar chord melodies and grooves throughout the years and decided to adapt a few of them to a rhythm section by enlisting his compatriots Jason “JT” Thomas (drums) and Wes Stephenson (bass). They recorded everything live in one afternoon, with no overdubs, and the amps and drums in the same room. It wasn’t so much about polish as it was about purpose and connection. Since each track draws its inspiration from a different personal place, whether it be a family experience or just a favorite outfit, Lettieri wanted that feeling of familiarity to extend to the session itself. All in all, the inspiration behind this album is about home.

Created during the pandemic, Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2 is a triumph of ingenuity built upon Lettieri’s life-long love of funk and rock. Within each album of the baritone series Mark develops a theme. For Deep: The Baritone Sessions, he descended to the bottom of the ocean, with each song named for a certain species of deep sea fish. For Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2, Lettieri traveled into outer space, titling the songs after different celestial phenomena.

Things Of That Nature, his most personal effort to date. As a sonic experience, it’s both three-dimensional and metaphysical, and in that sense represents a giant leap of intuition. Joining him over the edge are Jason “JT” Thomas on drums and percussion, Wes Stephenson on electric bass, Justin Stanton on Moog and Fender Rhodes, Shaun Martin and Bobby Sparks on an even wider array of keyboards, and Bob Reynolds on tenor saxophone. As with each of Lettieri’s records, this one is a time capsule of life experiences shared with musicians he trusts to convey those experiences in photorealistic detail.

Mark Lettieri: Telling Us What We Want to Hear

Unlike many guitarists on today’s crowded stage, Mark Lettieri treats his fretboard as a runway. Before liftoff, he ensures every calibration, setting, and bolt is as it should be before grabbing a piece of sky. In Dragonfly, the riff-heavy opener off his latest full-length, Can I Tell You Something?, he makes good on that promise of flight. With Jason “JT” Thomas (drums), Daniel Porter (keys), Wes Stephenson (bass), and Bobby Sparks (organ) in the control tower, he has a dream team to get him off the ground without the slightest worry of a malfunction. From the moment his landing gear leaves the tarmac, he soars with the fullest confidence.

Canyon Run keeps the flyover sensation going. This aerodynamic rocker eats forward motion for breakfast, never letting up until the final spoonful. Like the set as a whole, it stays its future-bound course without forgetting the past. Such is Lettieri’s genius as a performer and songwriter, and his bandmates understand how the slightest change in wind direction can affect the entire flight. Their vision elevates Blankworld, a highlight for its vivid imagination, to another level. Fiery yet cool to the touch (as is so much of Lettieri’s output), it is a fearless act of skywriting.

Though some tracks surpass the six-minute mark, including the dynamic slow dive that is Black Iris (with added shred from violinist Zach Brock) and the richly infused Shimmy Tiger, there’s not a wasted note, solo, or arrangement. The latter is also a bridge between what essentially are two albums in one. Whereas the first half explores the more anthemic side of the coin, Saturday Stuff polishes the other with a focus on groove, followed by Greenspace, a mysteriously bluesy spell on autopilot. Neural Net is one of two funk-outs for baritone guitar, a trusted navigational instrument in the captain’s arsenal that anticipates every moment of turbulence with style. This dichotomy is at the heart of Can I Tell You Something?, the title of which speaks of Lettieri’s desire to express the breadth of his compositional palette.

While the 80s vibes lean more toward the Prince and Jeff Beck bands of the influence spectrum, Cyndi Lauper gets her rightful nod in a luscious take on Time After Time. Despite (if not because of) the artful restraint and sparkling acoustic touches, none of the power is lost here, as the passionate climax would attest. Even the album’s sign-off, Gemstone, embraces the magic of pop sensibilities. A finely cut and precious thing, it shimmers with love and major-key bliss.

Lettieri’s tone is juicier than ever, with just enough tartness to keep us from thinking we’ve tasted it all before. His self-assurance is devoid of pretentiousness—a balance that is increasingly hard to come by in the guitar world. He gets more flexible with time, this being his most acrobatic release yet. And once he throws the trapeze handle our way, it’s up to us to wrap our ears around it and trust that we’ll make it to the other side.

Tyran Grillo
Spring 2024