Snarky Puppy: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watch Snarky Puppy play "Tarova" and "Xavi" at the Tiny Desk.
More from NPR Music:
Tiny Desk Concerts: www.npr.org/tinydesk
Twitter: / nprmusic
Instagram: / nprmusic
Nov. 20, 2019 | Colin Marshall -- Seconds before we hit record, Snarky Puppy's bandleader, Michael League leaned in to ask if he could "do a little crowd work." I suspect he waited until the last second on purpose, but it's been easy to trust this band when they have an idea, judging by the three Grammy Awards they get to dust off at home after every tour run.
What resulted was a Tiny Desk first: League divided the audience into two sections, one side clapping out a 3/4 beat and the other half a 4/4 beat, creating a polyrhythm that I'm sure a handful of coworkers didn't feel so confident trying to pull off. But this band pulls you in with simple instruction and a little faith.
Snarky Puppy has been a force for a while now, earning the ears of millions for more than a decade. And their secret sauce? A long-simmered recipe of jazz, funk and gospel. The band started as college friends in the jazz program at the University of North Texas back in 2003. But the formative era came a few years later, after League became a part of the gospel scene in Dallas and eventually brought the jazz students to church, where music plays a different role than it does in the classroom. In the pulpit, it's a channel for spiritual healing, a communal experience between players and congregation. As an experiment, League pulled his jazz friends and his gospel bandmates into one ensemble, where the two groups bonded together and established ground-zero for building the sonic identity of Snarky Puppy.
Thirteen albums later, you can still hear these gospel and jazz orbits crashing into each other. They're masters of theme and variation, offering anyone with a listening ear a place to grab hold. And people do. They're a band whose lyric-less melodies are still yelled (sung back) to them at their concerts around the world, as a shared catharsis for everyone in the room.
SET LIST
"Tarova"
"Xavi"
MUSICIANS
Michael League: Bass; "JT" Thomas: drums; Nate Werth: percussion; Shaun Martin: keys; Bobby Sparks: keys; Justin Stanton: keys, trumpet; Jay Jennings: trumpet; Chris Bullock: saxophone, flute; Chris McQueen: guitar; Zach Brock: violin
CREDITS
Producers: Colin Marshall, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Bronson Arcuri, Jack Corbett, CJ Riculan, Morgan Noelle Smith; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Emily Bogle/NPR

[@nprmusic]

Want to play your own Tiny Desk concert? Unsigned musicians, enter the 2024 Tiny Desk Contest between Jan. 23 and Feb. 21. Learn more: npr.org/tinydeskcontest.

[@twentylush]

This is like a band entirely consisting of all of the cool substitute teachers you've ever had

[@TheJC379]

UNDERRATED COMMENT

[@LukeTheringMusic]

LOL

[@Joaniecjo]

20Lush LOL!!!!

[@worthyfoe]

where is the lie

[@curtylou]

LOL

[@jackreteneller9483]

I think tiny desk is finally understanding who their demographic is: musical nerds that want to hear music tighter than our budgets

[@highlyvenomoustoad]

for real

[@fcleffox]

Hey, I resemble that comment!

[@HueNost]

which is a bit of a shame, i think. Tiny Desk should be about discovery

[@jerbear97]

_im in this picture and I don't like it_

[@fcleffox]

@@HueNost while I certainly feel like Jack's comment applies to me, I also love the thrill of finding a new act I would never expect to like. Tiny desk has a knack of scratching many different kinds of itch for me, I just appreciate that this type of music is one of them!

[@Cr4z33_YT]

The hidden hero here is the sound engineer. Every SINGLE live of Snarky Puppy sounds great as if it was recorded in a studio!

[@phuongdh]

Because their studio albums were recorded live anyway!

[@designtechdk]

So good in fact, that their performance of Xavi got copyright claimed, lol

[@OdaKa]

I'd love to see the NPR Tiny Desk house engineer and the Snarky Puppy engineer swap notes

[@ghameleon]

@@OdaKa That's worth to see

[@bmuhamad]

@@designtechdk by The Snarky's, right?

[@suddenpenguin]

trying to teach the audience a 4:3 polyrhythm live is the ballsiest thing ive ever seen on tiny desk

[@davidgarlitos8848]

eat your daggum spinach

[@suddenpenguin]

@@davidgarlitos8848 go away popeye you arent welcome here anymore

[@weemsmusicgroup7546]

Exactly!!!!!!!!

[@davidgarlitos8848]

@@weemsmusicgroup7546 pass the melting butter?

[@flyingisland7583]

@JM Coulon J’imagine trop bien un public français qui se foire totalement à cet exercice 🤣🤣🤣😩

[@aidandammit]

The audio engineer DESERVES A RAISE! There's like 15 people up there and I can hear every single one

[@TheRedOctoberProject]

No kidding. NPR's sound mixing is usually good but mixing SP properly is some next level ishh because they have like... well, you see all of them 😩

[@jamosensei]

Obi Wan Rogosin...he is our only hope!!!

[@katedoesthings]

i'm pretty sure someone comments this on every video lol. you're not wrong tho!

[@allenlark]

Yeah snarky puppy has no experience recording live performances, they really needed the help.

[@jamosensei]

Allen Lark Now THAT’S snarky!!!

[@billyedwards4045]

Set list "Tarova" "Michael teaches a polyrhythm" "Xavi"

[@HComfy]

shoulda put timestamps

[@MountainmadeofSteam]

„You get a solo, you get a solo, EVERYONE GETS A SOLO!!!“

[@bro.michaelsmith7659]

That's right... That way you don't need a big set list lol

[@raphaelhowse9712]

i think you just described jazz

[@drummerboy6788]

Words cannot express how tasty that percussionist is. Adds just the right amount of crispy rhythms to the texture. I love it.

[@my_commenting_account]

Nate Werth is so talented and not talked about enough. He's a fantastic kit player too. Great listening skills showcased in this video - like everyone michael league recruits for snarky puppy

[@HollyPopper]

Yes, CRISPY is the word I was looking for, thank you

[@funkbiscuit]

Matthew Perry's doppelgänger.

[@siddharthsingh7747]

Each day we're getting closer to a Vulf Tiny Desk.

[@twobirdsstonedatonce]

Vulfpeck in da house man!!

[@crisdd0302]

Or a Theo Katzman one too

[@GBee-ti2qw]

Wait. Didn't they play Lost My Treble Long Ago at Tiny Desk?

[@siddharthsingh7747]

@@GBee-ti2qw what, when?

[@MalloryGrahamSlams]

One day!!

[@iwantrevengex]

The real struggle was on the Camera crew trying to find who was soloing!

[@jessereeks8520]

Diego López lol my thought exactly 17:57

[@Meyons1424]

was about to comment the same thing lol not their best camera work

[@hunterseufert8066]

I've always been unclear on this, is it considered a solo if there is accompaniment and a single player is emphasized?

[@Andreas-cs6wg]

@@hunterseufert8066 yup

[@hunterseufert8066]

@@Andreas-cs6wg kk ty

[@PDexters]

For health reasons, I have to watch this video weekly.

[@timmol7742]

Michael League may just be the coolest dork alive. Love his energy.

[@francesschaefer]

IKR? He is totally dorky and beyond cool 😎!!

[@ChuckSilva]

Dork is the new kool!!!🎉

[@nueat6]

Whoa snarky puppy a room full of talented af musicians.

[@xavierjonez]

Shoutout to the engineers, techs, and sound guys. This mix is squeaky clean.

[@seanlayer4409]

Such an awesome mix

[@ynotw57]

Absolutely!

[@ninjastah]

*Snarky clean!

[@allenlark]

Yeah snarky puppy has no experience recording live performances, they really needed the help.

[@sausas8209]

The aduio engineer's name is Josh Rogosin, check out the videos of him explaining how he mics the set.

[@Fleeg_]

My god, man. That violinist popped OFF during Xavi.

[@satan15107291]

I love their funky sound even though they're missing 80% of the band. 0:00 - Tarova 11:53 - Xavi

[@TurtleRocker12]

So I'm like oh a talk box I totally gotcha. Then black batman starts bending notes with a bicycle kickstand and I'm like what?

[@adetoye]

Devin Hanson 😂😂

[@dwoollery]

I'm weak.

[@theonygard5694]

IM DYYYYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG IM ON THE FLOOR MAN YOU REALLY PUT WORDS ON MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS

[@shegofittv]

This comment has me in literal tears!!!! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@Jonotheproducer]

Devin Hanson kickstand 😂😂😂😂

[@srbbd6890]

The fear was REAL on some of those faces during the clap!! 😂 This was dope from every angle 🔥🔥🔥

[@adamjones7701]

@Adam Thuman 💀💀💀, then what about the excellwnt band that was playimg

[@metalforlife4ever]

@@adamjones7701 Yeah exactly! Adam Thuman, what about all the white people playing such amazing music?

[@wouldntyaliktono]

3 people on keys who never step on each other in the arrangement.

[@RCDTV101]

I always come back to this; Nate werth is an incredible percussionist.

[@jackkeruac8177]

Unreal! You can feel the chemistry and how perfectly they play together without trying to outshine each other. So many incredibly talented individuals

[@mogglie]

Jack Keruac that’s like the secret sauce with SP. don’t know how they do it. But I think it comes down to Michael Luegues leadership skills.

[@gustafsone]

@@mogglie He's definitely the foundation of the band and possibly the best leader you could hope for when playing this type of music. I love watching Mike League watching his bandmates when they are soloing. He's been playing with most of these cats for years now and he still has that look of astonishment on his face when one of them is soloing as if he can't believe what he is witnessing.

[@Spaccaspecchi]

@@gustafsone Cats? I thought this was Snarky Puppy?

[@dephkhan1833]

KEY FACTORS!!!

[@chrish9485]

Nice comment, racist.

[@madrazproductions5776]

How npr gonna sneak drop this BOMB man this band is galaxies apart from anything else

[@dariencharlton4773]

Facts!!! My eyes lit up!!!

[@mrhabster]

They REALLY snuck it in there didnt they... Goosebumps

[@madmo453]

Go down the rabbit hole of a search for Snarky Puppy on KZbin. It will consume your life, but it will be so worth it.

[@carltonwhite9682]

Yes sir, dropped the BOMB they did...straight GoGo from "Trouble Funk." A little E-U Freeze!

[@thezoexperience1]

It’s been on their site for like a week lol

[@onixtheone]

Bruh, that guy has a whammy bar on his keyboard........I'm done.

[@marone0324]

never seen it and immediately want it

[@jorkles4691]

Whammy bar clavinet

[@harry_mair]

@@marone0324 castlebars cost more than my car

[@John_Kealiinohomoku]

I refer to it as "Wiggle Stick"

[@sethbrown8912]

I would love to have been in the room when the engineer said, "You know we could put a whammy bar on the keyboard."

[@rk41gator]

True jazz with a layer of FUNKINESS. Playing off each other is so hip. Real musicians playing LIVE. No cute tricks in the editing room. JUST straight up jazz.

[@cakredi4132]

When hearing Snarky Puppy, even the toughest man becoming Smitten Kitten.

[@calkel2]

Meow

[@tgomez69]

The wit in this pit is legit.

[@ricardoarce9229]

My new band name... Dioe

[@levilyle3241]

I love kitten mittens

[@ZoneZero253]

A cunning linguist!

[@aidanritchie6128]

Tiny Desks we NEED: Vulfpeck, Hiatus Kaiyote, California Honeydrops, Benny Greb, Broken Brass Ensemble

[@faceless360]

Connan mockasin too !

[@alzahir]

Great picks all, mat. Jazzanova! FKJ! Guaco!

[@MalloryGrahamSlams]

Yes yes YeS!!!!

[@jessebell03]

Benny Greb would be amazing

[@bannanapancake]

Aidan Ritchie - Hiatus all the way, could watch Nia/Perrin and the group all day long!! Good call!!

[@linusporter1091]

Me: "oh snap, how have I loved Snarky Puppy this long and not realized they did a Tiny Desk show?" _puts it on in the background while doing homework_ _first 30 seconds_ Me: "oh snap, this isn't background music, this is a freakin' *experience* ."

[@raitisvein]

Me: Yeah, I'll just put this on and be productive with something else. * Me bops the entire time in ecstasy.

[@aidey]

Yep me too - it's that good... every time...

[@justinchey2281]

LITERALLY. I have a chemistry lab open in front of me 😂

[@dawnl.7792]

I'm supposed to be grading papers right now, but I CAN'T, i'm dancing too much.

[@brady_est.8814]

This comment explains how all our brains can recognize greatness and how much attention needs to be paid to it to appreciate it. Love this! They say if it’s instrumental you can study to it, but this legendary funk proves otherwise. The brain is attracted to the complexities and melodies like a moth to a thousand flames.

[@boblemon3467]

Severus snape do be chilling in the back

[@YannickBlaettler]

They didn’t leave a single chance for someone to comment “needs more cowbell” with a freaking cowbell solo in the first one 😂😍😍🚀

[@spreefeech7634]

Just when i was thinking would Snarky Puppy ever feature on NPR and voila !!!

[@anguishingquark]

It’s a violin

[@Sanderopop]

I've been listening to Snarky Puppy for many years and they really are of the highest caliber of musianship. It still blows my mind to this day

[@wurstfinger3289]

then you might be ready for hiromis sonicbloom =)

[@shivmarkkumar2534]

That violin solo in the second song. Masterful

[@MrSexygent]

Love the percussionist...at the 5:32 mark he is like "who me, solo???...ok" then he proceeds to nail it with a groove all his own....great music, great group..

[@angelofrago3096]

Nate Werth working his magic

[@Nic_La]

6:20 Look at Michael's face

[@HiroForever]

Every musician seems utterly relaxed, yet, plays with ABSOLUTE surgical precision and function with purity AS A TEAM.

[@woroGaming]

The magic in playing in a band is that you follow the drums/bass, and for the rest you do your own thing. If everybody does that - not thinking about the rest but focus on your own piece - you get a cohesive sound. Slight cues from certain riffs aid in this, but it's trusting each other to do your thing that enables the magic.

[@HiroForever]

woro truly

[@kyleadams7034]

Relaxed? My man on Clavinet (batman shirt) looked like he was at his minimum wage day job. Ridiculous.

[@HiroForever]

Kyle Adams haha. EXACTLY

[@iocomposer]

How anyone can groove this hard so early in the morning is just beyond me.

[@v.i.pdance8903]

i can't really describe it but this genre of music always feels like it's the last period of a great day full of energy

[@arthurazoubel5344]

oh I feel the drummer. Sitting way behind everyone else, doing his thing, carrying for no one, keeping everybody together, making every single soul in the audience on the same syncrony. Cameras don't even noticed him, but that's our life. I feel you man

[@b0geman117]

thats jason jt thomas back there. check him out he's a killer

[@CouchEconomyTX]

Drummers get more attention than bass players

[@mathrockmaniac7643]

@@CouchEconomyTX true lol

[@kraterkop]

It's Chandler

[@brownie3454]

Guitarists, Bassists, Keys: We must be aware of chords, keys, provide harmony, and even melody at some points. Drummers: Haha drum go brrrrrr

[@blossm4002]

Her: what instrument do you play Me, an intellectual: wawa mouth tube thing

[@bassmangotdbluz3547]

That's a GoldenThroat MouthTube by Electro-Harmonix just like Peter Frampton used on "Do You Feel Like We Do?" circa 1976.

[@barmypharmacist]

Bassmangotdbluz Frampton sucks, so many other great musicians have used it

[@blossm4002]

@@barmypharmacist there a clip of steve wonder using it

[@memomgirl]

Roger Troutman used this too. Man, I miss that guy.

[@memomgirl]

called the talk box too

[@Diego24fps]

It's always a compliment when one of the most-replayed parts of a performance is the very beginning. I could listen to the first 2 minutes of this recording on loop.

[@wiggletonthewise2141]

I saw them live last year, I met the bassist and violinist, they are as friendly as their music is groovin

[@reinaldoazevedo6846]

People tend to say that nowadays the music is garbage.. Yeah, i know the ''pop'' industry is different these days, but c'mon every decade has bad ''pop'' music too and you know what? That is okay... All the decades (talking about artists of the Ocident, that i know of, specially beautiful brazilian bands) had good music, for me especially the 70's, but man the 2010's are BOMBING with good music and artists, partly because of the gift of internet, it gave a lot of space to independent good artists and musicians to shine, and i think the tendency is just to get better, the new 20's jazz age is coming and we are just in the beggining of a whole new century.. Literally thousands, on every genre, specially genre bending music are reshaping the musical scenario. The human potential for creating beautiful music is so touching, it really is something powerful!

[@bluefoxfox1459]

Exactly

[@JasmineLajeunesse]

beautifully said!

[@RoaryTime]

Reinaldo Azevedo great comment. 1million % agree

[@bapdiddlyboom3074]

With each day that goes by there will always be more to influence to current musicians, beautiful!

[@narvul]

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

[@ZackPennington]

NPR: So you know the standard format. You have 20 minutes to play 3 songs and talk about your music, your process, anything you want. SP: Yeah dawg, that's not gonna work for us. We're just going to play 2 songs and teach the crowd polyrhythm.

[@koho]

Yep.

[@ericcarter16]

Absolutely... talk is cheap.. Learning polyrhythm will provide a wealth that surpasses all understanding.. 😎

[@estelleteh2068]

Loving the KZbin comments segment for this.

[@michaeleagle2]

@@koho Polyrhythms are the mystic beats that make the world go round. But i'm a percussionist sooooooo...

[@dancewomyn1]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[@austingregg323]

Can we just all understand how this has to be the best tiny desk of all time?

[@achrafarf1064]

this is so amazing , that 4/3 poly rythm is actually called "Dekka Lmerrakchia" Greetings from Marrakech, Morocco ❤️

[@MsaybOMayl]

This is african 3/4 polyrithem in general. Drum pattern is Moroccan Chaabi, Dekka Lmerrakchia is actually different from Chaabi. They nailed the naming part : Xavi

[@RadicalChristian777]

@@MsaybOMayl your not going to explain why? 😂👀 I’ve waited 6 months for this!!

[@josepijamas1214]

Can you give examples of songs that use dekka or chaabi?? I would appreciate it a lot!

[@emmanuelmassarotti5535]

Slmlkm khoya. This is a gnawa inspiration tune. Sufi branch in Maroc

[@kaziiqbal7257]

I’m assuming you would say that phrase in a 4/3 polyrhythm

[@benhobby17]

I don’t think enough people appreciate how hard the percussion solos at 5:30 go

[@ianstewart8243]

I can totally appreciate it. It's seriously goooood!!!!

[@isabeast101]

SERIOUSLY!

[@davidchaparro2517]

I do

[@TriumphAventura]

it has more cowbell than a texas cattle ranch

[@DatBamaBoy01]

Best solo out of all of them. A lot of work and coordination went into that solo.

[@mskcrc]

how does snarky puppy make enough money to sustain having 130 members

[@brettbarry2665]

Lol they tour A LOT.

[@crimjqt83]

I always wondered that as well, but I know they rotate every 3 months.

[@daltontaylor988]

mxsxkxcrc these are music lovers not after the money.... they obviously spend all their money on new sound devices...... such nice instruments

[@zdjsssjux8734]

I wanted to give you a thumbs-up but you're exactly at 130 so there's that

[@langster125]

Most of them have other projects they are a part of or solo work or other bands

[@Sam-cd9jz]

the sound engineering on this is superb. things layer in and fade out so seamlessly

[@Dan-jz3ui]

I'm not sure when they had the idea to add a violin player, but he really brings something special to the overall sound 🔥

[@AnthonyJones-xk8ue]

He's actually been with them since the beginning. If you go back and watch their earliest vids like 'Flood' you'll see him.

[@Dan-jz3ui]

@@AnthonyJones-xk8ue wow I didn't know that, but maaaaan he adds that extra spice I didn't know I needed!!

[@dz_ca]

@@Dan-jz3ui His solo is particularly oozing Jean Luc Ponty vibes this time around, so tasty

[@dmsanct]

"So my PTSD began after michael league asked me to clap the beat for a snarky puppy song"

[@damnfractal]

Imagine how I felt when I met them at a gig afterparty and one of them asked me to sing. Spent two years after that trying to get decent pitch.

[@Selectric251]

Oh trust me mate, I saw them in London and he went for the same exact experiment. The only difference was that there were 6000 people attending. At the Royal Albert Hall. I was in the 4/4 beat half, it was insane

[@joshbrucks]

@@Selectric251 that might be easier to do. More people around you doing the same rhythm to follow and not get thrown off by the other side.

[@omesius]

Everyone in this set is really feeling themselves. Meanwhile, my dude in the Batman shirt jamming out like a line cook. 😂 Looking stoic-looking af!

[@tashaaal7179]

omesius 😭😩😂

[@davisginn1298]

Yeah! Bobby Sparks killed it here!!

[@noblejernigan8337]

😂fr, he’s probably just counting or focusing hard

[@paprgl]

Snarky Puppy is the music I never knew I absolutely loved. Loved.

[@pablofichaje]

0:01 Tarova 6:44 introduction 8:16 Michael explains the polyrthym 11:52 Xavi

[@Daniel-yz3zf]

Snarky Puppy and Jordan Rakei soon... you guys are spoiling us!

[@morkmon]

Oh nice Jordan Rakei! someone at NPR is paying attention

[@TPLlocs]

I cannot wait for Jordan Rakei's episode oh my gosh!!!!

[@Kat_ZeroTheOne]

So much yes ! I was expecting Rakei but Snarky Puppy caught me by surprise - so glad it happened !

[@laffytaffyinc]

Jordan is coming?? ahh no way!! :D

[@samuelmiller5749]

I just saw this pop up while on the train and let out a little scream of excitement 😂 Don't mind me people, ima just enjoy me some snarky puppy

[@AquaMarino]

same same here

[@chiefsallday842]

Hope you washed your hands when you got home boy

[@isaiahyoungbrown]

For real

[@MazBringsby]

Oh man, feel like a kid at a candy store

[@stewiepid4385]

@Samuel Miller Should have shared it with them. Turn the whole train into clapping happy people.

[@kellynkarr]

JT holds it down like no other drummer on earth. He's incredible

[@Joe-zk7ps]

Larnell gets so much (deserved) attention, but JT, Jameson, and Sput are all fantastic too. Not to mention Nate and the other percussionists.

[@sukumarparitossh]

Such dirty funk got my enjoyment stinkface onnnn!!!

[@thevinyltruffle]

Paritossh Sukumar stankface

[@shelly_lee]

mine too

[@chrisold2517]

bass face

[@VXReef]

Dude, hardly ever hear anyone use the term dirty with funk. It’s my favorite kind. So fricken dirty.

[@paulthomas8262]

Dirty Jazz funk fusion.

[@DxpeKeys]

we definitely like it here! nothing compares to a well orchestrated live arrangement.

[@palesabashman1232]

Caught that haha!

[@benegeserit1]

Can’t get enough of Snarky Puppy!

[@BobSchoepenjr]

Who wants to give 3 big hands for the sound engineer (s)? 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 WHAT AN AMAZING BAND! 🙀

[@achenarmyst2156]

I give 4 against it. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😼

[@jonathanbaker2789]

Violin player is straight up shredding, incredible. 15:40

[@frankmayerstudios2161]

You might want to check out the Mahavishnu Orchestra with Jean-Luc Ponty on violin, if you like violin shredding, you'll be served.

[@kellergilbert]

The way he’s shredding it is obviously a chin guitar. Sounds like a guitar to me therefore CHIN GUITAR

[@tonympirrotta]

man the sounds he was able to make is crazy

[@jermainbrown8994]

Tom misch has a live performance with a mean violin solo you would definitely like 👍

[@user-fs7eq8lq4w]

@@frankmayerstudios2161 this

[@12tayloaush]

This is the most musical skill they've ever fit behind this tiny desk.

[@zachlogan2058]

Love Snarky a TON but the Tedeschi Trucks Band would beg to differ

[@Odawg96]

@@zachlogan2058 Among others...

[@FesteringGhoul]

What an arrogant comment. Have you even heard of Chick Corea? That guy is more impressive and original by himself than all of snarky puppy combined.

[@dylandecker_music]

What about Jacob Collier though

[@wallawizardz]

@@dylandecker_music True that ^

[@papa.alfredo]

the very best band of the word, nothing compares with these music monsters!

[@salmon1s]

I still can't believe I saw them live. It's in my top three live shows. And Michael League is the coolest guy ever...

[@Bef090]

oh my god. THIS is the reason why I love Tiny Desk. Never heard of these guys, but come on, y'all are seriously awesome. Will listen to again, I guarantee that.

[@Bobbias]

Check out Lingus, featuring Cory Henry, and Something featuring Lalah Hathaway. Cory's solo in Lingus is absolutely mind bending, and Lalah does some truly incredible things with her voice.

[@nziziray]

HOW?

[@MoonWalkerTexsRanger]

Bobbias: Cory Henry, Larnell Lewis and Mark Lettieri: the holy trinity

[@aramthaggard7241]

"What about me" has a top 5 nastiest drum solo I've ever seen

[@alexandereisen3486]

Welcome

[@yohanolives4279]

Tiny desk: what instruments do ya'll play? Snarky Puppy: yes

[@Zraknul]

Nah, they're missing lots of different instruments.

[@FloridaCactus]

@@Zraknul nope

[@baldilocksmcfedders6335]

@@Zraknul Tuba? Pan flute? Accordion? C'mon, man. There's a Fleugelhorn and keys with a whammy bar.

[@tbee1575]

Yes! This literally made me laugh out loud.

[@dancewomyn1]

@@tbee1575 Me too...Hilarious!

[@EricAustinYun]

Everyone is so insanely talented that I genuinely can't pick a favourite. What an incredible group of musicians

[@DanJisei]

Just pure amazingness! Love you Michael League and Snarky Puppy! Keep up the good music!

[@DogZy9]

So there is a hope for Hiatus Kaiyote after all? Please NPR, get them in there, they deserve it!

[@jamailamfers7571]

DogZy yesssssss 👏🏻👏🏻

[@NicoAneiva]

There's also hope for Cranky Canine

[@mogglie]

The world deserves to be blessed by HK.

[@phumudzomuvhango4193]

FIRST THING I THOUGHT

[@aischao1468]

pleeeeeeaaaaaaasee for my Life!!!!!!

[@wijdanejouhari8956]

I'm from Morocco and I just loved and enjoyed that clapping part!! it sound familiar and so well done!! 😍 10:20

[@frasermoore9986]

This is phenomenal, thank you so much to everyone who made this happen

[@pandawata]

A dream of a thousand of people has just come true on this channel

[@chicoaria]

this guys are truly amazing BUT the recording deserves a GRAMMY! so clean, so balanced! everything there! Bravo NPR!

[@maranatha1115]

I love their percussionist!!! He knows the vibe at all times

[@Ronin-kxs]

Snarky Puppy made me subscribe… NPR, what you are doing for the music world is fantastic!

[@rmfaoe2]

The world is a better place since this guys started this band.

[@beatz04]

I like: 1) Their nod to D.C's Go-Go music in the first track 2) How Michael League is your friendly science teacher who nevertheless is serious with his instructions and wants the class to get it right.

[@gammerbeastandcoolbutchbut5908]

I was going to say, they are sounding like my City, Chocolate City, DC!

[@JTonthedrums]

Had to give the nod to DC! Respect! Give me that Go Go beat....

[@TheEnergy31]

The engineer did an amazing job...omg. That phat bass and the snare sound. WOW! Amazing

[@michelleb9808]

You guys are freaking AMAZING!!! Looking forward to seeing you ar Sweetwater 420 Fest 2022!!

[@lucasazambuja8382]

The trumpet guy almost exploded while performing his solo at the first music.

[@brunodizajner]

I lol´d

[@siya_theeacademy7108]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣fax

[@timothybenitez4781]

The legends have finally come to bless the Tiny Desk stage.

[@formfaktor]

I keep coming back to this. Just makes my day.

[@sauloviniciusf]

I heard about these guys today and I'm already in love with their music. GOD! They are so great!

[@davidchaletzky]

That Violin Solo! He sounds JUST like Jean Luc Ponty it is amazing

[@BeaSoulMusic]

They're too good! There's acid jazz and funk in a tremendous band. I feel lucky to have seen them live a few years ago!

[@rafarafina]

This is Fantastic NPR!!!Give us more!

[@RicardoNask]

There are no words to describe the quality of this band.

[@lollian8518]

Nate was giving me life during this performance. I forgot just how good he is.

[@Mrprettysic61]

Finally. I've been waiting for this video for YEARS.

[@hardhands2011]

Wow, they nailed this performance 😁🙏

[@jeanclaudevanweatherman1738]

These are all SUPERSTARS!!! and so are the people who made this NPR Tiny Desk concert possible!

[@jcoburn3590]

I swear, 16:26 - 20:16 is one my favorite bits of music of all time! If it weren't so long, I'd make it my ringtone.

[@IWkris]

mike league's arrangements are too insane. one of my fave Tarova versions now. you go thinking, wow that's a cool solo line, then suddenly they start playing in unison... as if telling you "yup, we planned that" and then proceed to continue blowing your mind

[@emilioguzmanalvarez420]

IWkris same. Thats what makes this version my fav between some other stuff

[@Soulventing]

This is fun, just what i needed, thank you ...amazing

[@davidreynolds3709]

Not enough video of Zach Brock the violinist during his solo. Absolutely face-melting

[@leonardoziche6816]

The audio is always at top levels. Love this format. Big props to the sound and video crew, from an Italian collegue not as talented as you.

[@andrewrafferty1194]

Bass and violin are undermiced

[@stewiepid4385]

@@andrewrafferty1194 There wasn't a hint of cowbell either.

[@dallia1]

The drummer looks like he walked into the wrong office, accidentally ended up on the drums and is just making the most of his opportunity

[@Tmiwithjazz]

😂😂😂

[@gospelgirl6383]

😂👐

[@narvul]

JT kills it....!

[@muddymerkutio]

Best comment

[@meadowshorerecords8138]

@Caleb JT is probably my fave drummer in the band, mad mad skills, pure pocket and then a fuckton more

[@edwardmartin6851]

Snarky Puppy are the Tool of Jazz. Amazing.

[@epicclub3868]

Summer's about to end and I wish you guys a great new year, full of productivity, success and happiness ❤️

[@misael2649]

I accidentally walked into there session at a studio I work at. Didn't know anything about them but what I heard that day was spectacular!!!