GroundUP Music Label Favorites - Live Song Compilation (MP3)

Enjoy some of the GroundUP Music Label Team’s favorite live performances over the last few years.

Snarky Puppy Crew consists of: Matthew Recchia and Michael Harrison (sound and engineering), Rosanna Freedman and Felicity Hall (tour and production manager), Mason Davis (drum and percussion tech) and Clare McEnerney and Francis Clegg (lighting engineer)

Binky (May 3rd, 2017 @ The Sage in Gateshead, United Kingdom) 

Sleeper (June 1st, 2017 @ E-werk in Cologne, Germany)

What About Me? (February 14th, 2018 @ Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia)

Ready Wednesday (March 2nd, 2018 @ SF Jazz Center in San Francisco, California)

Big Ugly (July 13th, 2018 @ North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands)

Quarter Master (June 4th, 2019 @ Commonwealth Room in Salt Lake City, Utah)

Bigly Strictness (June 12th, 2019 @ Minglewood Hall in Memphis, TN)

Flood (June 15th, 2019 @ Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, New York)

Lingus (November 30th, 2019 @ Löwensaal in Nuremberg, Germany)

Eric Lense

Quarter Master (June 4th, 2019 @ Commonwealth Room in Salt Lake City, Utah)

“During the summer of 2019, I spent a week on the road with the band and this show left me absolutely floored. There was a playfulness throughout the entire show that weaved from song to song. But as the song crescendoed to its typical peak, JT swung the groove to a sassy Texas blues shuffle. And then Mazzy Beb took the reins for a brief cover but smokin’ of SRV’s “Cold Shot” that isn’t to be missed.”

Bigly Strictness (June 12th, 2019 @ Minglewood Hall in Memphis, TN)

“When Michael first delivered “Immigrance” to the label, I had the hardest time understanding where this song fit in. So angular and seemingly rigid, it felt abrasive against the rest of the record. But when I finally heard this song live, everything about it clicked. And this recording from Memphis is one of my favorites. Maz’s solo rips the song in half and the groove JT and Keita settle into before Zach plays one of the most beautiful, layered and soulful solos I’ve ever heard him lay down. This recording is the exemplification of how this jagged song has one of the most beautiful payoffs League has ever composed, and has become one of my favorite Snarky Puppy songs.”

Lingus (November 30th, 2019 @ Löwensaal in Nuremberg, Germany)

“It’s always a treat when Michael gives himself the spotlight; it’s not a common occurrence. And in this version of Lingus, Michael lets himself loose. Starting with a well-paced, playful dispersement of notes, League leads the audience through a rhythmic masterclass before letting Bobby join in on the fun. The song comes to a close with League laying down a funkbomb for the ages, letting everyone in the room know that he’s still very much the boss.”

Cassidy Nalbone

Binky (May 3rd, 2017 @ The Sage in Gateshead, United Kingdom)

“Binky gets a little dark and weird (in the best way possible) during this show.”

Ready Wednesday (March 2nd, 2018 @ SF Jazz Center in San Francisco, California)

“A gorgeous Bill Laurance introduction to prepare for the long version of Ready Wednesday.”

Flood (June 15th, 2019 @ Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, New York)

“A smooth intro by Lettieri coupled with a high energy show.”

Jamie Margulies

Sleeper (June 1st, 2017 @ E-werk in Cologne, Germany)

“While I wasn’t at this gig, I teared up when listening back to this track. Bobby Sparks left the planet on this one. We had just found out Trump was leaving the Paris Agreement. It felt like a very dark day in US history but this recording along with Michael’s final words left me with hope.” 

What About Me? (February 14th, 2018 @ Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia)

“This was Snarky Puppy’s first official gig in 2018 (after the GroundUP Music Festival and Carnegie Hall performances, of course). I really don’t know how the crew survived the beginning of that year. I remember catching up on work in the green room during this show and feeling the energy of the crowd; you could feel the band feeding off of it. What finally convinced me to shut down the laptop was Justin Stanton’s solo in What About Me? She’s a doozy.”

Big Ugly (July 13th, 2018 @ North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands)

“This show is a hidden gem. It’s the first time I saw Snarky Puppy, The Metropole Orkest and Jules Buckley playing live. This was also the moment I fell in love with Big Ugly.”