Snarky Puppy is a jazz rock world fusion collective from Denton, Texas that is based in New York City. It’s led by multi-instrumentalist Michael League.
Snarky Puppy in New York City
Snarky Puppy collaborates with four great Latina voices: Silvana Estrada (Mexico), Silvia Pérez-Cruz (Spain), Gaby Moreno (Guatemala), and Fuensanta (Mexico); for the World Music Institute at Kings Theatre in Flatbush, Brooklyn; on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 8pm. From $35. worldmusicinstitute.org 🇬🇹 🇲🇽 🇪🇸 🇺🇸
Each of these artists is notable for their ability to transcend the boundaries of musical labels. All are famous on their own, but also collaborate with many great artists.
Silvana Estrada is a Latin alternative singer-songwriter from Xalapa, Veracruz, México. Veracruz, Mexico’s Caribbean gateway city, is known for its Son jarocho call-and-response and dance traditions. 🇲🇽
silvanaestrada.com | @silvanaestradab
Sílvia Pérez Cruz is a Catalan Spanish pop, jazz, and folk singer-songwriter from Palafrugell, Spain on the Mediterranean Coast north of Barcelona. Being Catalan, her music is loved in both Spain and France. She also works in film and theatre. Uruguayan Academy Award and Grammy Award-winner Jorge Drexler called her “a voice that marks a generation.” 🇪🇸
silviaperezcruz.com | @silviaperezcruzzzzz
Gaby Moreno is a Grammy-winning Latin alternative singer-songwriter from Guatemala City, Guatemala. She sings in both English and Spanish. Gaby recently produced Buena Vista Social Club legend Omara Portuondo’s farewell album and tour. Omara can work with anyone, but said she felt a great connection with Gaby. 🇬🇹
gaby-moreno.com | @gaby_moreno
Fuensanta Méndez is a singer-songwriter and bassist from Veracruz, Mexico, now based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She is known for her poetry. 🇪🇸
fuensantamendez.com | @fuensanta.mendez
Women’s voices are super important because women are the guardians of culture. These are Latin women so they draw from many musical traditions. And this is a good time for women, who are leading the creative fields. Women don’t just make music, they make culture, and build instant community. It’s quite striking really.
New York Venues
Snarky Puppy
Michael League; now plays bass, guitar, and keyboards; but says he founded Snarky Puppy in college because he wasn’t good enough (then) to get into any of the University of North Texas bands. That’s probably a good thing because Snarky Puppy keeps winning Grammys and influences the music world far beyond their own music.
They are sort of a garage band that turned out to be great, and keeps on going. In the manner of a big salsa orchestra, some 20 band members rotate in and out.
In 2012 League started his own label GroundUP music. In 2017, they started the GroundUP Music Festival. GroundUp works with an eclectic group of jazz, rock, flamenco, and Latin artists.
A Texas jazz rock band is one thing, but Snarky Puppy is more like a World Music jazz rock band, and industry force of nature. Their following recalls the Deadheads. Fans really love this band.
Albums
These are Snarky Puppy’s Grammy winning albums:
- “Empire Central” (2022) won the 2023 Grammy for “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.”
- “Live at the Royal Albert Hall” won the 2021 Grammy for “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.”
- “Culcha Vulcha” won the 2017 Grammy for “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.”
- “Sylva” won the 2016 Grammy for “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.”
- “Something” (2014) from the album “Family Dinner – Volume 1,” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, Jazz Album chart, and Contemporary Jazz Album chart. It won the 2014 Grammy for “Best R&B Performance.”
More Information
snarkypuppy.com
X (Twitter) @RealSnarkyPuppy
Facebook @snarkypuppy
Instagram @snarkypuppy
YouTube @groundUPmusicNYC