Five-time Grammy award-winning band Snarky Puppy has a captivating style that mixes jazz, gospel and rock. Although the band’s style does not really conform to any strict genre, it most closely resembles jazz fusion. While they were students in the Jazz Studies program at the University of North Texas in 2004, the 10 founding members of this ensemble formed the band. Since then, the now 25 member collective has put out an impressive 15 albums. The sheer volume of Snarky Puppy’s discography can be overwhelming for newcomers to the band’s music, so here are four recommendations on where to begin listening.
1. NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Recorded in 2019, Snarky Puppy’s 21-minute NPR Tiny Desk concert offers listeners a strong introduction to the band’s sound. The intimate nature of a Tiny Desk concert, a performance where musicians forgo heavily amplified production to play in a tight office space, is perfect for showcasing the band’s unusual grooves. Snarky Puppy’s Tiny Desk concert consists of two songs: “Tarova” and “Xavi.” “Tarova,” which is from the band’s 2016 album “Culcha Vulva,” is a funky, keys-heavy song whose electric grime perfectly counterbalances the trumpets’ brightness. The song also features a great tenor sax solo from Chris Bullock that illustrates the dynamism of Snarky Puppy’s musicianship.
“Tarova” perfectly sets up the band’s second composition, “Xavi.” For “Xavi,” bassist and band leader Michael League integrated the NPR audience into the performance by having them clap a polyrhythm to match the song’s strange meter. The band used a three against four polyrhythm: part of the audience clapped in 3/4 while the rest clapped in 4/4 over top. This fun audience interaction, along with Snarky Puppy’s classic Moroccan-influenced groove, makes for great listening. This concert will have listeners dancing out of their seats.
2. “Lingus”
The high-energy track “Lingus” off Snarky Puppy’s 2014 album “We Like It Here” demonstrates many of the collective’s wonderful musical complexities. “Lingus” is the band’s most popular song to date, with an odd 7/4 time signature and an awesome melody. Its mix of slow and fast grooves and perfect balance of melody and background create an instantly hummable tune. The thumping bass provides the sound foundation upon which the melodic invention can flourish. Nothing, however, can top keyboardist Cory Henry’s solo. The solo builds and builds in energy until it reaches a powerful climax, where harmonic invention abounds as Henry continues to create new melodies. Full of great moments, this song will make clear after ten minutes why Snarky Puppy is so exciting to listen to.
3. “Empire Central”
Snarky Puppy released its most recent album in September 2022. “Empire Central” is one of the band’s most approachable albums to date, filled with great songs that are both harmonically complex and infinitely danceable. The album is 94 minutes long, so it’s perhaps best to begin with only a few tracks. “Bet” has a very forceful rhythm section, as guitars and winds provide the lead melody. Bob Reynolds’ tenor sax solo uses wonderful post-bop textures, and the soaring horn section line after the solo is both intricate and electric. “Take It!” features legendary keyboardist Bernard Wright and maintains a slow funk groove that highlights Wright’s skill. Accompanied by an uncomplicated yet punchy background line, Wright’s keyboard solo features simple notes yet contains a mastery in groove that only an expert could achieve. Three drummers pound out the final drum fills, which whirl around in the speakers to create an exciting finale.
“Portal” is a good example of Snarky Puppy’s mellower compositions. A lilting intro and graceful melody combine with resounding percussion to keep the groove alive. Chris Bullock’s soprano saxophone solo wonderfully complements the melody. “Broken Arrow” is a guitar-heavy song that has a wonderful rock feel. The supple and wailing guitar playing gradually climaxes into a soaring finish that includes the entire ensemble. “Pineapple” is a great track that contains League’s fantastic bass line and interlocking saxophone lines that complement the band’s funky groove.
4. “Inside the Making of Snarky Puppy’s Grammy-Winning Album: Empire Central“
While this video may seem like a weird recommendation, saxophonist Bob Reynolds’ short documentary acts as another entry point to Snarky Puppy’s music. This video examines the backstory of how the band’s latest album came together during a very short recording session in Dallas. While this video may not give viewers a full sense of Snarky Puppy’s overall musical output, it will make evident the band members’ reasons for both starting the collective and continuing to work with one another. As a bonus, the video offers great insight into the difficulties that gigging musicians experience — even after attaining immense success.
Through swift editing and solid camera work, Reynolds takes the audience from the rehearsal room to the recording studio. Recording the album in a couple weeks required many 2 a.m. practice sessions. This huge ensemble had little time to rehearse due to the band members’ demanding schedules. Snarky Puppy also had to complete a mini tour before the recording process could begin, which created a logistical nightmare. Moreover, the complexity of the band’s compositions also caused problems. The video reveals that the world-class musicians struggled to keep up with the album’s immense amount of material. They had to learn four new compositions each day; consequently, each band member played through the night using muted instruments. This inside look into the creation of “Empire Central” will ultimately help new listeners contextualize Snarky Puppy’s comprehensive creative output.
Lingus isn’t in 7/8, it’s in 5/4 then switches to 4/4 at Cory’s solo.