It’s often said that Snarky Puppy is one of the best-kept secrets of the New York instrumental music scene. The quasi-collective, as they describe themselves, began as a group of musicians from the University of North Texas in 2004 before later relocating to Brooklyn. Since then, they have quietly established themselves as one of the most respected underground acts in contemporary music.
Heavily influenced by jazz, funk and progressive rock, Snarky Puppy has created a unique sound brought to life by a rotating cast of nearly 40 musicians. Their music features an impressive range of keyboards, basses, guitars, wind instruments, percussion and strings. Many of the band’s members also appear on recordings and tours with artists such as Snoop Dogg, Roy Hargrove, Justin Timberlake and Marcus Miller.
The performance below comes from the album We Like It Here, which was recorded live in October 2013 at the artistic compound Kytopia in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
I’m so glad I stumbled across this music recently. As one viewer remarked beneath the video, Snarky Puppy is a perfect example of why music education is so important. School music programs give many young people a place to belong and help students who might otherwise struggle to find their place in school.
Can we also take a moment to appreciate the cinematography? The camera operators are almost as remarkable as the musicians themselves. They capture all the little interactions and expressions that bring the performance to life. Watching it, I genuinely felt like I was sitting in the room with them.
Musically, it is simply breathtaking. The trumpet solo is wonderfully elegant – never overstated, just beautifully played with a warm, rich tone. The drumming is extraordinary. In fact, this level of drumming should probably be illegal.
The sound mixing deserves just as much praise. Being able to hear every instrument with such clarity is astonishing. There is so much happening, yet nothing feels crowded. Every listen reveals another little detail that might have been missed before.
What an incredible ensemble, arrangement and performance. Every musician in that room should feel enormously proud. What a treat this is.
1. Snarky Puppy lanza video – Radio Cocoa
2. Snarky Puppy – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Love this group! Hope I can connect with them someday.