Empire Central – Snarky Puppy

Some cities remain in the music long after the musicians have moved away. Dallas holds that place in the story of Snarky Puppy, the collective founded in 2004 by bassist Michael League. It was there that its members found a community that transformed their understanding of rhythm, improvisation, and collective music-making. With Empire Central, recorded live before an audience, they return to the city to honor the people who helped shape their musical identity.

The gathering brings together 19 musicians and an extraordinary range of instrumental sounds. The guitars of Mark Lettieri, Bob Lanzetti, and Chris McQueen meet the keyboards of Bobby Sparks, Bill Laurance, and Shaun Martin, while the horns, percussion, and Zach Brock's violin expand the ensemble's possibilities. On “Keep It On Your Mind,” the bass establishes a pulse deeply rooted in Texas funk; “Cliroy” draws on the influence of Roy Hargrove, while “Fuel City” evokes the emotional intensity of the gospel music Laurance encountered in Dallas churches.

Yet the album's most personal memories belong to Bernard Wright, a keyboardist and mentor to several members of the band. His appearance on “Take It!” became his final recording before he died in 2022. On “Belmont,” League recalls the nights when musicians gathered to play, talk, and share experiences until dawn. Listening to both pieces reveals how a musical community is also built beyond the stage.

Empire Central draws its strength from that shared history. Blues, soul, rock, and jazz move among the musicians without erasing their individual voices, and each composition carries something of the places and people that inspired it.