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Snarky Puppy – Family Dinner Vol. Two – Ground Up – Universal Music – CD+DVD

Snarky Puppy – Family Dinner Vol. Two – Ground Up – Universal Music – CD+DVD

by | Mar 24, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Snarky Puppy – Family Dinner Vol. Two – Ground Up – Universal Music B0024506-00 (CD + 16:9 DVD), *****: Eclectic fusion big band celebrates music in New Orleans with special guests. (Michael League – electric bass, ukulele, bass, Moog bass, vocals; Bill Laurence – piano, vocals; Cory Henry – keyboards; Shaun Martin, – keyboards, vocals; Justin Stanton – Keyboards, trumpet, vovals; Bob Lanzetti – guitars; Mark Lettierri – guitars; Chris McQueen – guitars; Jay Jennings – trumpet, Flugelhorn, vocals; Mike “Maz” Maher – trumpet, Flugelhorn, vocals; Chris Bullock – tenor saxophone, alto flute, flute, vocals; Robert “Sput” Searight – drums, percussion; Larnell Lewis – drums, percussion; Nate Werth – percussion; Marcelo Woloski – percussion; Candy West – vocals; Peaches West – vocals; Rachella Searight – vocals; with Nola International: Nigel Hall – vocals; Big D. Perkins – electric guitar; Ivan Neville – clarinet, vocals; John Gros – organ; Brian Coogan – piano, vocals; Big Sam Williams – trombone; Khris Royal – alto saxophone; Terence Blanchard – trumpet; Donald Ramsey – electric bass; Jamison Ross – drums; Terence Higgins – drums ; Mike Dillon – percussion; Jason Marsalis – percussion; with guest instrumentalists: Charlie Hunter – 7-string guitar; Jeff Coffin – […]

Snarky Puppy Vo. 1 – Sylva – Music of MICHAEL LEAGUE – Orch. cond. by Jules Buckley – Impulse /Universal CD + video DVD

Snarky Puppy Vo. 1 – Sylva – Music of MICHAEL LEAGUE – Orch. cond. by Jules Buckley – Impulse /Universal CD + video DVD

by | Mar 20, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Probably the top big band performing today. Snarky Puppy & The Metropole Orkest – Sylva – (nearly 40 musicians plus sym. orch.) Compositions of Michael League/ Orch. cond. by Jules Buckley (Vol. 1) – Impulse!/Universal Classics/Ropeadope B0023119-00 CD + 16:9 PCM stereo DVD *****: I had never heard of this group before but it turns out they have released eight CDs before this one, and have another new one (Family Dinner Vol. 2) this year (which we will shortly review too). Snarky Puppy is a Brooklyn-based instrumental fusion band led by electric bassist, composer and producer Michael League. Formed in Denton, Texas in 2004, it is a collective of nearly 40 musicians performing on a variety of instruments. Many of them were former students at the University of North Texas. Michael League really wanted to do an album with an orchestra, and after meeting two of the Metropole Orkest managers they were already planning to make a record together. The setting is in a suburb of Amsterdam (I was surprised everyone was speaking English) and there was a setting with original sculptures of various animals and fake trees and greenery to give a general feeling of a forest. That is […]