Snarky Puppy, the five times Grammy® winning collective, “has always been a band that prioritizes the sound of the music,” says bandleader and bassist Michael League. Displaying a wide array of influences including funk, rhythm & blues, hard rock, classic soul, modern gospel, new tech, fusion and jazz, Snarky Puppy isn’t exactly a jazz band, it’s not a fusion band and it’s definitely not a jam band. It’s probably best to take Nate Chinen of the New York Times’ advice, as stated in an online discussion about the group, to “take them for what they are, rather than judge them for what they’re not.”

“Our soundscape has expanded dramatically over the years” says League. “When the band started, we were jazzier, brainy and music oriented. Moving into the Dallas scene we became groovier, more emotional, deeper in a sense. We focused more on communicating a clear message, understandable to a listener without dumbing things down”.

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Snarky Puppy

Count Basie Center for the Arts

Roadrunner

Union Transfer

Hiatus Kaiyote’s smoky, psychedelic soul and heavy funk have made them a fiercely adored live band, and a go-to sample source for Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and other rappers looking to bring smooth grooves to their music. On their most recent album, 2024’s Love Heart Cheat Code, the three-time Grammy nominees venture deeper into the mystic world of psych-rock without abandoning the swinging, exploratory jazz-funk at their core. The Financial Times called it “expansively romantic, alluringly weird, and irrepressibly joyous,” as well as “a party soundtrack for hazy days and hot nights.”

Hiatus Kaiyote • Snarky Puppy

Hollywood Bowl

In a very special show mirroring their “Family Dinner” series, five-time Grammy winners Snarky Puppy are joined by three of the most remarkable singers in the Spanish-speaking world: Silvana Estrada, Silvia Pérez-Cruz, and Susana Baca. Please note: the NSO does not perform on this program.

A Special Evening with Snarky Puppy & Friends

Kennedy Center

Becca Stevens is one of our generation’s greatest songwriters who has written and toured with artists such as David Crosby, Snarky Puppy, Brad Mehldau, Jacob Collier, Chris Thile, and Louis Cole. She’ll be opening a window to her songwriting process and leading exercises with the audience.

Colloquium with Becca Stevens

Princeton University

Empire Central is an homage to Dallas, with many of its songs inspired by the collective’s time in the city. And like the city, the eclectic 19-piece electric ensemble is big and bold, chill and laid back, rooted in its native culture while reaching forward. Led by Michael League on bass, Snarky Puppy was formed in 2004 by 10 friends who were enrolled in the jazz program at the University of North Texas. With 13 albums in 18 years that have garnered four Grammy Awards, Snarky Puppy has attracted international fandom for its detailed arrangements of fetching melodies, texturally layered harmonies, exciting solos, ear-candy synth effects, and propulsive beats. Its distinctly Southwestern influences — blues, hard rock, classic soul, modern gospel, percolating funk, new tech, fusion, and jazz — never sound derivative but conjure music that’s fresh and original.

Snarky Puppy Performance

University of Michigan

After over a decade of relentless touring and recording in all but complete obscurity, the Texas-bred quasi-collective suddenly found itself held up by the press and public as one of the major figures in the jazz world. But as the category names for all four of the band’s Grammy® awards would indicate (Best R&B Performance in 2014, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2023), Snarky Puppy isn’t exactly a jazz band. It’s not a fusion band, and it’s definitely not a jam band. It’s probably best to take Nate Chinen of the New York Times’ advice, as stated in an online discussion about the group, to “take them for what they are, rather than judge them for what they’re not.”

Opening Day Concert

Sigmund Stern Recreation Grove

Snarky Puppy, the five times Grammy® winning collective, “has always been a band that prioritizes the sound of the music,” says bandleader and bassist Michael League. Displaying a wide array of influences including funk, rhythm & blues, hard rock, classic soul, modern gospel, new tech, fusion and jazz, Snarky Puppy isn’t exactly a jazz band, it’s not a fusion band and it’s definitely not a jam band. It’s probably best to take Nate Chinen of the New York Times’ advice, as stated in an online discussion about the group, to “take them for what they are, rather than judge them for what they’re not.”

Snarky Puppy

Oct 13, 2026

Snarky Puppy

Apr 16, 2026

Snarky Puppy

15 - 17 Apr, 2026

Snarky Puppy

Snarky Puppy