Mark Lettieri: Groove, Restraint, and the Art of the Pocket

About this episode

Brad Williams interviews guitarist Mark Lettieri about his musical journey, creativity, and the nuances of being a working musician.

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes , I sit down with guitarist and composer Mark Lettieri for a conversation that lives right at the intersection of groove, discipline, and musical curiosity. Mark has spent years carving out a distinctive voice on the guitar—whether through his solo work, his baritone guitar explorations, or his playing with Snarky Puppy and Fearless Flyers—and this conversation is a window into how that voice developed. We talk about what has been a particularly full year for Mark: touring internationally, playing iconic rooms like the Blue Note, and balancing the demands of the road with the rare gift of time at home. For Mark, staying active isn’t just part of the job—it’s a creative engine. The more he plays, the more ideas emerge. One of my favorite parts of our conversation centers on restraint —the idea that what you don’t play can matter just as much as what you do. Mark reflects on the records he grew up listening to, where the entire band worked together to shape a moment, and how those lessons show up when he’s on stage or in the studio with world-class musicians. We also get into the nuts and bolts of being a working musician today: communication…

People in this episode

Host: Brad Williams

Guest: Mark Lettieri

Topics covered

• groove
• musical discipline
• guitar techniques
• working musician
• creativity
• music industry

Keywords

• Mark Lettieri
• guitar
• groove
• musical curiosity
• Snarky Puppy
• Fearless Flyers
• restraint
• music industry
• Blue Note

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Snarky Puppy, Fearless Flyers

Places: Blue Note

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