10 / 116
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