Snarky Puppy

w/ Varijashree Venugopal

Snarky Puppy

Snarky Puppy, the five-time 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.”

Varijashree Venugopal

GroundUp artist Varijashree Venugopal is a Bangalore-based Grammy®-nominated singer, flautist, composer, songwriter, and music educator. She is celebrated for blending the techniques and essence of Carnatic music with global musical traditions, using her voice as a versatile instrument. Varijashree has collaborated with acclaimed artists including Bobby McFerrin, Michael League, Snarky Puppy, Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten, Anoushka Shankar, and many others.