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Donald Fagen steers the ship these days since the 2017death of musical partner Walter Becker, but not unlike someone like, say, Brian Wilson, he’s positioned as a creator presenting his works as delivered by a cast of helpers.Īnd those “helpers” are no small part why Steely Dan cooks on the stage these days. That was a fine table-setter for Steely Dan, the studio denizen of the 70s that’s been a road regular since 1993. League complimented the Pine Knob audience on its attentiveness at one point, and the opener well-earned a rare standing ovation by the end. The Michael League-led collective rolled through a generous 45-minute set of its nimble instrumentals, balancing precision arrangements with adventurous improvisations that at times visibly surprised the musicians themselves. Snarky Puppy won a lot of new fans with its 45 minute set, previewing material from its upcoming album “Empire Central” (out Sept. It was at this time that the group absorbed musicians like Robert “Sput” Searight (drums), Shaun Martin (keyboards), and Bobby Sparks (keyboards), and were heavily influenced by legendary keyboardist Bernard Wright (Miles Davis, Chaka Khan, Marcus Miller).Photo by Mike FerdinandeSteely Dan performs Saturday night, June 18, at the Pine Knob Music Theatre (Photo by Mike Ferdinande) Three years later, a serendipitous intersection with the Dallas gospel and R&B community in Dallas transformed the music into something funkier, more direct, and more visceral. The band was formed by bassist and primary composer Michael League in 2003, starting inconspicuously enough as a group of college friends at the University of North Texas’ Jazz Studies program. But more than the cultural diversity of the individual players, the defining characteristic of Snarky Puppy’s music is the joy of performing together in the perpetual push to grow creatively. Japan, Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico all have representation in the group’s membership. At its core, the band represents the convergence of both black and white American music culture with various accents from around the world.
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They each maintain busy schedules as sidemen (with such artists as Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, and D’Angelo), producers (for Kirk Franklin, David Crosby, and Salif Keïta), and solo artists (many of whom are on the band’s indy label, GroundUP Music). Snarky Puppy is a collective of sorts with as many as 25 members in regular rotation. 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.” It’s not a fusion band, and it’s definitely not a jam band. But as the category names for all three of the band’s Grammy® awards would indicate (Best R&B Performance in 2014, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 20), Snarky Puppy isn’t exactly a jazz band. The last four years have brought dramatic changes for Snarky Puppy.Īfter 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. “Maybe you didn’t notice, but this is Snarky Puppy’s world, and the rest of us only live in it." - The New York Times Visit our website for more information!.No weapons of any kind are allowed in the building.
#Smarky puppy tour free#
Free parking lot directly south of the theatre across 23rd street.
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