Snarky Puppy: Transmissions From Deep Ellum

Snarky Puppy is “the funkiest WhatsApp group you would ever hear”, according to band member Larnell Lewis. And he’s not entirely off - this band of 19 musicians who push what it means to be a band, to write songs, and produce truly original music. In March 2022, the innovative jazz collective descended upon Dallas to rehearse a selection of new songs. The group then took the stage for 16 shows over eight nights and recorded the material before a live audience for their new album, Empire Central.In this 3-part series, we take you inside the creation of Empire Central. From the unique songwriting process to the rehearsals, where the band performs songs for the first time without music sheets, to the recording process and final song selection, you’ll get an unforgettable look inside the creative process of one of the world’s most renowned jazz super groups.Produced by GroundUP Music and Osiris Media. Presented by Osiris Media.

How would you describe Snarky Puppy? In Episode 1 of this series, band members weigh in on the essence of the group as they prepare to record Snarky Puppy’s Grammy®-nominated album, Empire Central. Driven by band leader Michael League’s direction to write an album that pays tribute to Dallas, the city where the band got its start, “Texas Is Texas” brings you into the process of planning a post-pandemic album and returning to its “Family Dinner-style” projects.Snarky Puppy seamlessly fuses a deep knowledge and respect for musical tradition with sonic and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical- or most carefree- audience. After a decade of relentless touring and recording in all but complete obscurity, the Texas-bred/New York-based 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, and 2021), 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.”Transmissions From Deep Ellum is produced by Eric Lense and Jamie Margulies of GroundUp Music, and is narrated by Alex Ariff. Producers for Osiris Media: Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Audio Production: Matt Dwyer. Developed with assistance from Brad Stratton. Written by Eric Renner Brown. Artwork by Mark Dowd.This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. 

In episode three of Transmissions From Deep Ellum, the band finally takes the stage to record the Grammy®-nominated Empire Central and they have to ask themselves - do they still know how to record a live studio album? Descending upon Dallas' Deep Ellum Art Company to record, the bar is as high as ever - even for a band as accomplished as Snarky Puppy. You’ll hear from longtime audio engineer Mike Harrison on how he captures their complex sound and improvisational performance; and, get a firsthand account of the recording process as if you were in the room experiencing the unique character of the Empire Central sessions - not a proper studio recording session, but also not a traditional live gig. Perspectives from the band members guide you through how they communicate and collaborate during the process, to ultimately achieve the sound that is Snarky Puppy.Snarky Puppy seamlessly fuses a deep knowledge and respect for musical tradition with sonic and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical- or most carefree- audience. After a decade of relentless touring and recording in all but complete obscurity, the Texas-bred/New York-based 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, and 2021), 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.”Transmissions From Deep Ellum is produced by Eric Lense and Jamie Margulies of GroundUp Music, and is narrated by Alex Ariff. Producers for Osiris Media: Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Audio Production: Matt Dwyer. Developed with assistance from Brad Stratton. Written by Eric Renner Brown. Artwork by Mark Dowd.This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.