The 5x Grammy-winning jazz ensemble Snarky Puppy has added a date to their upcoming world tour – Sharkey’s Event Center in Syracuse, New York (on Sunday, June 25), with tickets going on sale Monday, February 20th. This is the group’s first Syracuse performance in several years (and will take place amidst stops at several major music festivals: Victoria Jazz Festival, Saratoga Jazz Festival, TD Toronto Jazz Festival, etc.). Tickets can be purchased via the following link:
 
https://syracusetix.com/event/snarky-puppy/
 
Snarky Puppy is an American jazz fusion band led by bassist Michael League. Founded in 2004, Snarky Puppy combines a variety of jazz idioms, rock, world music, and funk and has won five Grammy Awards – with as many as 20 members in regular rotation. At its core, the band represents the convergence of both black and white American music culture with various accents from around the world. Japan, Argentina, Canada and the United Kingdom, all have representation in the group’s membership. 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.
 
September 30, 2022 saw the release of their 14th album, Empire Central, which earned rave reviews in AllMusic, Jazzwise, and JazzTimes. “Our soundscape has expanded dramatically over the years” says the band’s bassist, Michael League. “When the band started, we were jazzier, brainy and music oriented. Moving into the Dallas scene we became groovier, more emotional, deeper in a sense. We focused more on communicating a clear message, understandable to a listener without dumbing things down.”
 
“Snarky Puppy has always been a band that prioritizes the sound of music,” says League. “On this record the songs ended up being a lot more direct and funkier than those on our previous records. I think it reflects the many moods of the city’s scene”. “Our rule is that it can’t sound like it sounded before” he continues, “the music has to feel like it’s moving somewhere.”
 
Snarky Puppy’s sound now rises like a skyscraper from a 21st century orchestra comprising three guitarists, four keyboardists, two brass, two reeds, a violinist, a bassist, multiple percussionists and drummers. And it’s destined to rise even higher on their upcoming world tour – and their just-added Syracuse show.