Page 39 - ION Indie Magazine MayJune 2018 Issue

With the burgeoning success, did Snarky Puppy sign on to some label? No, they created their own label,
Ground Up Music. And this is where their quasi-collective of a band became more like a community. Creating
unique and thrilling music isn’t their only goal. The band reaches out musically in other ways – often to
benefit education programs, and even more in identifying young talent and bringing them into their realm.
Here they give new artists a platform, share musicians, produce their vision, and promote them heavily, even
bringing some artists to every show. When you get fully immersed in admiring the music of Snarky Puppy,
it’s even more impressive that they are humble enough to focus on spreading their own joy however they
can.

Two of their albums (“Family Dinner” Vols. 1 & 2) are all about showcasing guest artists, with a featured
guest on every track playing their own music with Snarky Puppy providing the back-line. The styles range
from far to familiar, with names recognized (Lalah Hathaway and David Crosby, to name a couple) to the
newly discovered. These are a departure from their own original music, but the overall story aligns with their
mission. Similarly, these recordings also benefited a music school for kids.

Pictured: Snarky Puppy appearing
with special guest vocalist Sirintip