Snarky Puppy Shows ‘How To Make Music For Both Brain And Booty’ In New Short Film

NPR‘s Jazz Night In America series follows Snarky Puppy through the band’s hometown of Dallas for a sold-out show at The Door. The nearly 40-minute documentary features live performances, interviews from band members, their professors at the University of North Texas, and other musical collaborators, as viewers get a glimpse into the touring aspect of the two-time, Grammy-winning gigantic instrumental band.

“Hearing things wrong can be a moment of opportunity,” explains bassist and bandleader Michael League about his song-writing process. Specifically speaking of how the song “Shofukan” was first imagined, when he misheard the rhythm of a pop song while walking through a department store, later recording his misunderstanding into a masterpiece we are all now familiar with. 

League’s explanation on the folkloric grooves versus the American tendencies to mathematically analyze music perfectly bridges the understanding of what makes Snarky Puppy’s compositions so interestingly groovy. It truly is “Music for Both Brain and Booty.”

Watch the clip where he explains the thought-processing of “Shofukan” here: 

And the full video, courtesy of NPR, can be viewed here: