by Holli Stephens

Members of opener Philip Lassiter and Snarky Puppy strolled by me as I sat in a small desk area in WXPN’s headquarters 30 minutes before the start of the show. My eyes always seem to gravitate toward the floor and a pair of beat up black Converse shoes soon appeared in front of me. As I scanned upward I realized from his brown curly locks that Michael League was in my presence. League smiled as he took a seat opposite me and our interview really delve into the mind of what I believe to be one of our generation’s greatest musical thinkers.

Snarky Puppy’s latest album, We Like It Here, was filmed in the Netherlands alongside the Metropole Orchestra in the presence of a live audience. The band often posts these as Youtube videos which League believes to be vitally important to the music experience. “Most people are consuming video and music simultaneous this day so it works as a medium.”

There are 64 people who can be seen and heard playing on the album, a lot different from the 7-10 people League brings with him on tour. “I was writing with that ensemble in mind so it really allowed me to go in some direction compositionally that I usually don’t go in.”

League met many of his current band mates while studying at University of North Texas over a decade ago which has really helped his music develop in a creative fashion. “It started with a group of friends and not professionals trying to have a career.” If you have ever gone to a Snarky Puppy concert it’s apparent that everyone on stage is having a great time.

In 2011, in correlation of the Ground UP album, League started his own label, GroundUP Music. The label is home to an eclectic group of genres from artists Banda Magda, FORQ, Bill Laurance, Philip Lassiter, The Funky Knuckles, Bukuru Celestin, Hildegunn Gjedrem, Three Metre Day, Alison Wedding, and Maz. League claps his hands together before saying, “Just missing indie rock and metal and we’ll be all set.”

Coming back to play at World Café Live a second time makes it more of a “home” experience for League. “I like playing in cities that have a history of musical influence because you get an audience educated about what good music is and have taste and enthusiasm for it.”

The tour is just the start for League’s plan for the rest of this year and next year. The world tour brings the band everywhere from China to Singapore. The band plans to make another album with the Metropole Orchestra in April and go to New Orleans and create Family Dinner Volume 2 with musicians that League is currently keeping a secret. Next summer they’ll be traveling to Dallas, TX and making another album where League also plans to make a documentary on Texas musicians.

By this time it was around 8 pm and I felt that I was more anxious than League as that was the written show time start. As the sounds of instruments jamming out from within WXPN got more intense League politely said his goodbye and I made my way to the stage area to find a spot where I could best view the show.

Opening was the comedic Philip Lassiter who was a blend of soulful, jazzy pop. He wore bright red pants and during his set would often reference them as his “cool pants”. Backing him were a variety of musicians from singers to a tenor saxophonist. Lassiter was able to keep the crowd energy high, but in the back of my mind I wondered how Snarky Puppy would top their show from my last World Café Live experience.

I never know how to define Snarky Puppy’s style of music. It is honestly something that can best be explained in watching a live performance. I guess jazz fusion would be the best word but that fusion encompasses all musical genres. I recognized some of the musicians on stage to be League on bass, Justin Stanton on trumpet, Chris Bullock on tenor saxophone, Nate Werth on percussion, Bob Lanzetti and Mark Lettieri on guitar, Mike Maher on trumpet and Cory Henry on keys.

The actual set consisted of old and new material from the crowd favorite “Shofukan” that got everyone in the audience ooing along, to “Celebrity”, “Young Stuff” and “What About Me?”. What I love about Snarky Puppy is their ability to interact with their audience and each other just by playing a single note. You can obviously see them getting into it and feeding off each other’s energy on stage by their smiles and laughs but their music is something that vibrates through any room and gives anyone a more personal experience.

The band ended the groovy night with a ten minute rendition to “Quarter Master” that began with a solo League on stage playing some improvised material on bass. I have always admired League for his dedication and commitment to music and being able to discuss music with him and watch him play will be a memory that I’ll never forget.

by Holli Stephens

Members of opener Philip Lassiter and Snarky Puppy strolled by me as I sat in a small desk area in WXPN’s headquarters 30 minutes before the start of the show. My eyes always seem to gravitate toward the floor and a pair of beat up black Converse shoes soon appeared in front of me. As I scanned upward I realized from his brown curly locks that Michael League was in my presence. League smiled as he took a seat opposite me and our interview really delve into the mind of what I believe to be one of our generation’s greatest musical thinkers.

Snarky Puppy’s latest album, We Like It Here, was filmed in the Netherlands alongside the Metropole Orchestra in the presence of a live audience. The band often posts these as Youtube videos which League believes to be vitally important to the music experience. “Most people are consuming video and music simultaneous this day so it works as a medium.”

There are 64 people who can be seen and heard playing on the album, a lot different from the 7-10 people League brings with him on tour. “I was writing with that ensemble in mind so it really allowed me to go in some direction compositionally that I usually don’t go in.”

League met many of his current band mates while studying at University of North Texas over a decade ago which has really helped his music develop in a creative fashion. “It started with a group of friends and not professionals trying to have a career.” If you have ever gone to a Snarky Puppy concert it’s apparent that everyone on stage is having a great time.

In 2011, in correlation of the Ground UP album, League started his own label, GroundUP Music. The label is home to an eclectic group of genres from artists Banda Magda, FORQ, Bill Laurance, Philip Lassiter, The Funky Knuckles, Bukuru Celestin, Hildegunn Gjedrem, Three Metre Day, Alison Wedding, and Maz. League claps his hands together before saying, “Just missing indie rock and metal and we’ll be all set.”

Coming back to play at World Café Live a second time makes it more of a “home” experience for League. “I like playing in cities that have a history of musical influence because you get an audience educated about what good music is and have taste and enthusiasm for it.”

The tour is just the start for League’s plan for the rest of this year and next year. The world tour brings the band everywhere from China to Singapore. The band plans to make another album with the Metropole Orchestra in April and go to New Orleans and create Family Dinner Volume 2 with musicians that League is currently keeping a secret. Next summer they’ll be traveling to Dallas, TX and making another album where League also plans to make a documentary on Texas musicians.

By this time it was around 8 pm and I felt that I was more anxious than League as that was the written show time start. As the sounds of instruments jamming out from within WXPN got more intense League politely said his goodbye and I made my way to the stage area to find a spot where I could best view the show.

Opening was the comedic Philip Lassiter who was a blend of soulful, jazzy pop. He wore bright red pants and during his set would often reference them as his “cool pants”. Backing him were a variety of musicians from singers to a tenor saxophonist. Lassiter was able to keep the crowd energy high, but in the back of my mind I wondered how Snarky Puppy would top their show from my last World Café Live experience.

I never know how to define Snarky Puppy’s style of music. It is honestly something that can best be explained in watching a live performance. I guess jazz fusion would be the best word but that fusion encompasses all musical genres. I recognized some of the musicians on stage to be League on bass, Justin Stanton on trumpet, Chris Bullock on tenor saxophone, Nate Werth on percussion, Bob Lanzetti and Mark Lettieri on guitar, Mike Maher on trumpet and Cory Henry on keys.

The actual set consisted of old and new material from the crowd favorite “Shofukan” that got everyone in the audience ooing along, to “Celebrity”, “Young Stuff” and “What About Me?”. What I love about Snarky Puppy is their ability to interact with their audience and each other just by playing a single note. You can obviously see them getting into it and feeding off each other’s energy on stage by their smiles and laughs but their music is something that vibrates through any room and gives anyone a more personal experience.

The band ended the groovy night with a ten minute rendition to “Quarter Master” that began with a solo League on stage playing some improvised material on bass. I have always admired League for his dedication and commitment to music and being able to discuss music with him and watch him play will be a memory that I’ll never forget.