Snarky Puppy

Featuring Varijashree Venugopal

Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 7pm

Expected Run Time:
Varijashree Venugopal at 7pm: 40 minute set; Intermission; Snarky Puppy at 8pm: 90 minute set

Michael League: Bass Guitar

Keita Ogawa: Percussion

Mark Lettieri: Guitar

Justin Stanton: Keys and Trumpet

Bobby Sparks: Keys

JT Thomas: Drums

Chris Bullock: Saxophone and Flute

Jay Jennings: Trumpet

Bob Reynolds: Saxophone

Zach Brock: Violin

Snarky Puppy, the five-time Grammy-winning collective, “has always been a band that prioritizes the sound of the music,” says bandleader and bassist Michael League. Displaying a wide array of influences, including funk, rhythm & blues, hard rock, classic soul, modern gospel, new technology, fusion and jazz, Snarky Puppy isn’t exactly a jazz band, nor is it a fusion or jam band. It’s probably best to take them for what they are, rather than judge them for what they’re not.

“Our soundscape has expanded dramatically over the years,” says 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.”

In January 2025, the band collaborated once more with the Metropole Orkest, the Netherlands-based hybrid ensemble renowned for fusing jazz, classical and popular music on a symphonic scale. Captured live over three nights (January 17–19, 2025) in Utrecht, the project reunited the two groups a decade after their first joint effort, Sylva, an orchestral suite released in 2015 that earned the Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album the following year. The result of this collaboration, Somni, was released in November 2025 via GroundUP Music.

“It’s by far the most ambitious project we’ve ever done … and it was one of the smoothest records we’ve ever made,” he says. “Every individual team just absolutely did their job with so much care and love, from the camera operators to our production team.” That spirit was reflected in the room. “The instant feedback was the warmest we’ve ever had. It was encouraging to know that after 22 years of doing what we do, the music is reaching people.”

Always evolving in its musical output, each new record brings a new vision and progressive direction. “Our rule is that it can’t sound like it sounded before,” comments League. “The music has to feel like it’s moving somewhere.”

This also raises the question: Where will Snarky Puppy go next? For Snarky Puppy fans, the answer is a very exciting prospect.