About Snarky Puppy

Snarky Puppy is an instrumental ensemble. Which basically means they create music without vocals with a large roster of musicians. Over 40 instrumentalists have played in the group over it’s history. It’s a wild idea, especially given that the band identifies itself as a pop band that improvises a lot, without vocals. But it’s an idea that worked, and here’s how Snarky Puppy came to be.

Band History

The band was formed in 2004 as a 10-piece group by Michael League in Denton, Texas. League explains that he wasn’t placed into any of the school ensembles, so he created the band so he could have a chance to play. The group has since become known as “The Fam”.

In 2005, League self-released the band’s first album, Live at Uncommon Ground. Their next three albums were released independently, after which they released albums on the band’s GroundUP Imprint on Ropeadope.

Awards and Achievements

On January 26, 2014, Snarky Puppy and vocalist Lalah Hathaway won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for their rendition of Brenda Russell’s “Something”. Sylva debuted at #1 on the Billboard magazine Heatseekers Chart, the Jazz Album chart, and the Contemporary Jazz Album chart. The album also won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. And their album Culcha Vulcha won the award in 2017. The band also won the 2021 Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Live at the Royal Albert Hall which was recorded before a sold-out crowd at the historic London venue.

Members of the band have performed with a variety of other musicians. This includes: Erykah Badu, Marcus Miller, Justin Timberlake, Stanley Clarke, Kirk Franklin, Ari Hoenig, Roy Hargrove, David Crosby, Michael McDonald, and Snoop Dogg.

Other Snarky Puppy information:

Upcoming Concert Tour:
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Greatest Hits:
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