SNARKY PUPPY — GroundUP (review)

SNARKY PUPPY — GroundUP album cover Live album · 2012 · Nu Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
Like a lot of modern jazz bands, it isn’t easy to stick a genre tag on Snarky Puppy. At first listen to their latest album, “groundUP”, its easy to notice their blend of trip-hop cool with an orchestrated 60s retro-lounge sound that places them with today’s European nu jazz scene, but then other times they can get fairly heated along the lines of contemporary stateside jazz funksters like Lettuce and Soulive. Although regional musical stereotypes don’t always hold true, possibly the Pups can be seen as the “American” version of the nu jazz sound with a stateside tendency towards the bright and bold. On the plus side, this energetic approach can recall classic horn driven funky fusion groups like the Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham and Tower of Power, but the more glib side can sound like a late night talk show house band keeping the audience awake during a commercial break.

Most of the music on here is more or less of a groove type nature with the Pups skillfully blending hip-hop, African pop, contemporary RnB, funk-jazz and other related rhythms. They top this with a sophisticated jazzy orchestra sound spiced with cool retro analog synthesizers and lots of quality solos from the horns, keys etc. No doubt Puppy is one of those rare jazz ensembles that has learned how to entertain folks outside the realm of jazz fandom and have no problem packing the dance floor at clubs and festivals all around the world. “GroundUP” may not be the most serious jazz recording, but it’s the quality of the arrangements and the solos that raise Snarky Puppy above the pack of groove-jazz wannabes.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Green Puma / Tropical Dandy Jazz Related Rock
THE LINK QUARTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Vinny Golia Quintet : Can You Outrun Them? 21st Century Modern
VINNY GOLIA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Bow Code Fusion
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Anthem For No Man’s Land Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ANDREAS SCHAERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Paper Plane Pilot
MIKE DE SOUZA
js· 2 hours ago
Green Puma
THE LINK QUARTET
js· 2 hours ago
Heavy Cream
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
js· 4 hours ago
Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 17 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed