Adam Deitch, drumming powerhouse and driving force of future funk outfit Lettuce, has announced a new album from his soul-jazz ensemble The Adam Deitch Quartet, entitled Roll The Tape, due out via Golden Wolf Records on November 10th. The album’s first single, entitled “Mushroom Gravy” in reference to Deitch’s Grandma Betty’s specialty dish, pays homage to his musical family roots and features longtime collaborator John Scofield, who also appeared on the band’s 2019 debut, Egyptian Secrets.
Featuring organist Wil Blades and Lettuce’s Eric “Benny” Bloom on trumpet and Ryan Zoidis on saxophone, The Adam Deitch Quartet initially came together when Deitch and Blades teamed up for a late-night show at the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco after Lettuce performed at The Fillmore and Tedeschi Truck Band performed at Bill Graham Civic Center in December 2013. Zoidis and Bloom were among the many special guests that filtered through the tiny club, along with Eric Krasno (Soulive), Maurice “Mo Betta” Brown (Anderson .Paak), James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band), and Kofi Burbridge (Tedeschi Trucks Band). After reconvening for a few one-off shows, the quartet recorded its debut album in two sessions over the course of five years.
Roll The Tape, in contrast, was made in two back-to-back studio sessions. The album consists of ten new songs composed and arranged by Deitch, who shared them with the rest of the players in the form of demos for them to learn on the spot during at the sessions.
“I’d bring the tunes in, play them on the computer, have the guys learn them as fast as possible, and then ‘roll the tape,” Deitch said of the album’s unique production process.
Blades said the process worked because of Deitch’s ability to compose tracks that need little alteration. “I don’t change much of anything at all,” he said. “All of the harmonies and voicings are spot on. I grew up as a drummer, so the way Adam plays organ is the way I’m already playing organ.”
“Mushroom Gravy” pays tribute not only to a Deitch family recipe, but to the musical inspiration Adam received from his family, including his Great Uncle Dave, who was the first drummer in their family and helped Adam’s father, Bobby Deitch, become a professional musician.
Scofield, who previously played on three songs from the group’s debut album, began working with Deitch in the early 2000s. “It’s tremendous fun to play with the quartet because they fully understand where I’m coming from and hopefully I ‘get’ them the same way. I think Adam and I have very simpatico concepts in music,” he said of their partnership.
“When I first played with Adam, I knew he was right for me,” Scofield continued. “This kind of chemistry is hard to come by and I’ve only had it a handful of times in my life. Eric Krasno recommended Adam. When we first played together, I liked it so much that I had to change drummers in the band immediately. The result was Uberjam. This period marked a new direction in my career and without Adam, it wouldn’t have worked as well. I’ve heard him improve and get better—more refined—from that original already great drummer that I met way back when. He’s an excellent musician and one of the very best drummers period.”
Listen to “Mushroom Gravy” by The Adam Deitch Queartet featuring John Scofield below or on your preferred streaming platform, and click here to pre-order and pre-save Roll The Tape. Visit Adam Deitch’s website for more information.
The Adam Deitch Quartet – “Mushroom Gravy” Ft. John Scofield