Table of Contents Table of Contents
Previous Page  10 / 116 Next Page
Information
Show Menu
Previous Page 10 / 116 Next Page
Page Background

S

P

By Andy Argyrakis

,

jazz circles have steadily

embraced Snarky Puppy

thanks to a prodigious melting

pot of globally in uenced

musicianship, experimental

rhythms, explosive recordings,

and unpredictable yet engag-

ing live performances. e

word “fusion” frequently gets

thrown into the mix of critical

descriptions, and ever-chang-

ing setlists have attracted the

eyes of the jam band scene—

despite the group shying away

from both labels—while their

Grammy Awards for Best

R&B Performance in

,

along with Best Contemporary

Instrumental Album honors

in

and

suggest the

casting of an even wider net.

“Nothing changed within

the band, but people start-

ed looking at us di erently,

respecting us more,” suggests

multi-instrumentalist and

bandleader Michael League

of those accolades along the

steady road to recognition.

“More than anything else, it’s

allowed us to take chances and

continue doing what we love,

knowing that people will give

it a fair chance. To have an

open-minded audience is the

best thing an artist can ask for.

“We’ve never thought of

ourselves as a fusion band, but

I understand why people asso-

ciate us with the genre. As time

goes on, though, the sound of

the group is moving toward

something else. I’m not sure

exactly what to call it, but I feel

like we all know what it is.”

In other words, fans and

curious onlookers alike are

best o simply gauging the

ever-evolving direction for

themselves when Texas-born/

New York–based Snarky Pup-

py makes its Ravinia debut on

July . League promises a com-

bination of selections from the

troupe’s instrumental albums

and assurance that they never

repeat the same show twice,

much of which will be deter-

mined upon “the atmosphere,

the vibe, the sound, and

everything else that is shap-

ing the moment.” And even

if it marks the rst time the

RAVINIA MAGAZINE | JUNE 18 – JULY 8, 2018

8