"Peanut Butter" by Twennynine, featuring Lenny White

In the 1970s, acclaimed drummer Lenny White was a member of the influential jazz fusion band Return to Forever, led by pianist and composer Chick Corea. White is widely considered “one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion” due to his pivotal role in Return to Forever and his contributions to jazz giant Miles Davis’ groundbreaking album Bitches Brew (1970). White has also worked with jazz fusion pioneers such as Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius. The three-time Grammy winner is renowned for his innovative drumming style, characterized by powerful yet fluid and complex rhythms that have helped raise the bar for the genre. 

Following his departure from Return to Forever in 1977, White began exploring other music styles beyond jazz fusion. In 1979, he formed the R&B/funk band Twennynine, much to the surprise (and for some disappointment) of many jazz enthusiasts. The band’s sound was much different from the complex jazz fusion workouts Return to Forever were known for. It was straightforward funk and R&B. Twennynine’s biggest hit was “Peanut Butter,” a loopy, energetic funk track featuring an irresistible synth bass line and a bumpin’ beat. The talented crew brings style and flavor to this fun, infectious groove, which boasts a cool arrangement, playful lyrics, and a funky piano solo.

“Peanut Butter” was written by jazz-funk pianist, singer, songwriter Don Blackman, who played the synth bass line and piano solo on the track. It was a single from Twennynine’s debut album, Best of Friends, released in October 1979 on Electra Records. The song peaked at #3 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and rose to #83 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was co-produced by Lenny White and Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire. It peaked at #15 on Billboard’s R&B album chart. “Peanut Butter” has been sampled on three songs. 

The full lineup of players for Best of Friends was Don Blackman (clavinet, electric piano, organ, piano [acoustic], synthesizer, vocals), Barry “Sonjohn” Johnson (bass, vocals), Lenny White (drums, percussion, synthesizer [& Bat On Wall]), Eddie Martinez (guitar), Denzil Miller (keyboards), Nick Moroch (lead guitar, glockenspiel), Paulinho da Costa (percussion), backing vocals (Barry Johnson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Donald Blackman, Googie Coppola and Lynn Davis), horns (Andrew Woolfolk, Robert Bryant, Don Myrick, Elmer Brown, Garnett Brown, George Bohanon, Louis Satterfield, Marilyn Robinson, Michael Davis and Sidney Muldrow).

Twennynine released two more albums, Twennynine with Lenny White (1980) and Just Like Dreamin’ (1981), before disbanding in 1983, after which Lenny White returned to jazz session work and producing. He produced Chaka Khan’s Grammy-nominated jazz album Echoes of an Era (1982), and he and EWF’s Maurice White co-produced R&B/jazz fusion group Pieces of a Dream’s fourth studio album Joyride (1986). Lenny dropped his third solo album, Present Tense, in 1995. The album is a stellar collection of jazz-fusion and jazz-funk tracks. It was met enthusiastically by jazz-fusion lovers and music critics, who gave it high marks.

Presently, White is an adjunct faculty member at NYU Steinhardt, where he mentors and teaches students. He’s also a faculty member at The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York.

"Peanut Butter" at Amazon