Line-up

Headliner
Snarky Puppy Last time in Helsinki: First time!

Venue

Allas

Kajatanokanlaituri, 00160, Helsinki, Finland

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Snarky Puppy biography

Snarky Puppy are an American instrumental fusion band, known for the diversity and eclecticism of their instrumental approach. They were formed in Denton, Texas in 2004.

Led by the Grammy-winning bassist, composer and producer Michael League, Snarky Puppy are a collective that boast eighteen full-time members, expanded to almost forty for their live shows. Currently based in Brooklyn, New York, the group were formed around the music scene at the University of North Texas, where many of the band’s members were once students. They’re known for the flexibility and breadth of their instrumental setup, with the standard sonic palette for rock music present and correct – think guitars, bass and drums – as well as more niche equipment that includes woodwind and brass sections as well as pianos, keyboards, percussion and strings. Since 2006, when they dropped their debut studio effort ‘The Only Constant’, they’ve released nine studio albums, including a 2015 effort, ‘Sylva’ that was recorded with The Metropole Orchestra.

They’re also known for their unusual approach to recording; for their 2014 album ‘We Like It Here’, they decamped to Utrecht in the Netherlands to lay down the entire LP totally live at the Kytopia artistic compound. In early 2014, they clinched their first ever Grammy win, when their rendition of Brenda Russell’s ‘Something’ saw them take home the prize for Best R&B Performance. Later that year, they signed to Impulse! Records.

Live reviews

Snarky Puppy are a band based in Brooklyn, New York. They aren’t the typical band as they are made from almost 30 musicians, all studying at the same college. Individually they have played alongside world famous musicians such as Justin Timberlake, Marcus Miller and Snoop Dogg. Guitars, woodwinds, pianos, keyboard, percussion, brass and strings are just a few of the various instruments that the band play on. With their vast range of instruments, they cover genres such as jazz-fusion, jazz funk, nu jazz, instrumental rock and progressive rock. Their career kick-started in 2006 with their debut album ‘The Only Constant’ whilst still in college, and with their infectious sense of jazz they carried on to release seven more albums with labels Sitmom and Ropeadope, their most recent being ‘We Like It Here’ in 2014. ‘Amkeni’, released in 2013, is a unique collaboration album featuring Bukuru Celestin contains traditional Central African vibes mixed with their own personal take. Unlike most other bands, Snarky Puppy’s live DVD was filmed behind the scenes in the studio. When asked why they simply replied ‘people kept bugging us to make a live album’, which exploded with positive feedback from their audience! So, if you want to hear and see some new faces of Modern Jazz, check them out.

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