It’s difficult to pin down the legendary live band ensemble Snarky Puppy. The genre-defying 25-piece collective, helmed by bassist and composer Michael League, functions more like a living organism than a traditional band; constantly evolving, mutating, and responding in real time to the audience, and most importantly, one another.
Over the past decade, they’ve crafted some of the most arresting live moments in modern jazz, not through theatrics or showmanship, but through raw musicianship that bends rules and expectations. These Snarky Puppy clips document how jazz and improvisational music can still surprise, still feel dangerous, and still move people. In a world of backing tracks and quantized performances, Snarky Puppy remains gloriously and recklessly human.
Here are the moments where they have solidified themselves to be one of the most sought-after live ensembles every music fan needs to see.
‘Lingus’ Keyboard Solos
One of those moments came during their now-legendary performance of “Lingus” at the 2014 We Like It Here DVD footage, where they are seen performing inside a live studio in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The track, a staple in the band’s repertoire, is already known among musicians as a kind of rite of passage. But on this night, keyboardist Cory Henry turned the tune’s solo section into something far beyond the page. Trading lines like a heavyweight boxer, Henry worked his organ and clavinet with fierce percussive phrasing. The improvisation stretched further than usual — never indulgent, just increasingly alive.
The ‘Shofukan’ Sing-a-long
Equally commanding was the band’s performance of “Shofukan” at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles in 2018. The song’s celebratory horn lines and Afrobeat-influenced rhythms had long been a crowd favorite. But something unique happened that night. As the track approached its climax, the entire venue stood in unison. No one was asked to sing. No cue was given. But the crowd began humming the central horn line, hundreds of voices swelling together in harmony with the band. It wasn’t orchestrated; It was communal, organic, and oddly spiritual.
Wild ‘What About Me’ Solos
That capacity for musical communion is a hallmark of the group, and nowhere was it more unexpected than during a 2014 showcase in the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, during the golden hour. Midway through “What About Me?” – a dense, high-energy number with odd meters and a relentless groove – the band took it up a notch. As the band leaned into a rhythmic breakdown, the lead guitars started to meld together with the horn sections. The two-minute solo build-up leading to the climactic drum solo was a spectacle to behold. They resumed with even more urgency, locking into the crowd’s energy as though they’d rehearsed it all along.
The ‘Tio Macaco’ Fusion
In their performance of “Tio Macaco” at the 2014 We Like It Here DVD footage, Snarky Puppy showcased their trademark tightness and groove. The band, with bassist League on the lead, laid down a relentless rhythm, drawing the audience into the intricate layers of the composition. The percussion session laid down syncopated beats that were also a worthy standout, keeping the momentum building as each section of the song unfolded. The chemistry between the musicians was palpable, with the brass and keyboard sections weaving in and out of focus, creating a dynamic that was both fluid and precise. It was a masterclass in modern jazz fusion.
