Musician/Producer Reacts to "What About Me?" by Snarky Puppy 

This guitar solo doesn't get near the credit it deserves. Brilliant.

It’s a snare’d Tom. It’s a technical trick that Robert “sput” Searight showed to Larnell.

This is my most favorite track by Snarky Puppy. Incredible funkiness and such touching riffs. Great balance between accessibility and technical showcase.

6:03 Corey's face is like a kid in a sweet shop lol

I think my favorite track from this collection is Shofukan. Seriously underrated song. Lingus gets all the love, as well it should, but there's something about Shofukan's groove that's just addictive.

If you're checking out more of their stuff I recommend 'Something' feat Lalah Hathaway and 'The Curtain' from their album with the Metropole Orkest

Honestly, these guys don't make a groove. They create a ditch. The bassist from what I hear is the main composer and does most of the arraignment. This whole band is unreal.

This song gives me police chase vibes from like a 70s TV show, or maybe… Starsky and Hutch or something to this effect lmfao!! The places music can take us hahaha!! ✨

This type of music really works best when you use both eyes and ears. The interaction adds so much to the experience - as do you! 👏🏻🤩

Oh, and don't forget the performance by Nate Werth percussion. He has a knack of knowing which instruments to play and what rhythms to use for each section or passage in a song. Go back and listen how he helps build the tension during Bob Lanzeti's guitar solo. I mean, he and Larnell were in LOCK STEP, and during Larnell's closing solo check both of them on the cow bell. GENIUS!!!

Man, I love your reactions. I am glad that you found them right after Dirty Loops. And Larnell Lewis (the drummer) has indeed two snares, but the one you mentioned is his (quote) “secret weapon” a “snom” : A tom with snare-wires which he can attache or detach at any time. To me he is(besides Aaron) one of the hottest Drummer out there. I am not sure, if anybody has mentioned that: But Larnell was at this point not the regular drummer of Snarky Puppy. The usual drummer had to take a break a few days before the recording (which took place in the Netherlands). So Larnell gets a call one day before the recording “Man, can you come?”. He took a plane, learned all the songs (which he never played before) on the 8 hours flights, gets into the studio and records all that without ever played any of that before. WHAT?!

The highest shelf of musicians ever assembled...imo. Larnell Lewis learned all the music as best he could on flight across the Atlantic. These guys will make you weep with consistent jaw drops and chills. Almost beyond our comprehension....

This is the best Channel, period.

Oh, and I almost forgot, the drummer Larnell Lewis was called last minute to substitute for the original drummer for this session. He learnt almost the whole 10-song-set on a 7h flight from the US to Europe. The band wasn't feeling the songs when they rehearsed without the drummer, but Larnell lit the sh*t on fire when he came to the set, as you noticed😁 And yeah, he has two snares, but the one on the right is tuned to be used as a tom without the mat and as a low snare when the mat ia on.

Now this my wheelhouse

There are so many influences in their music

Glad you picked Snarky. They have been together for I think since early 2000's. So their chops are solid

Thank you for this video Jeff. This one of the Snarky Puppy videos that blows me away every single time! Also, I am glad you noticed Larnells use of two differently tuned snares. As others have said it's a tom with a switchable snare head and he smoothly flips it on and off while he's playing. In my opinion that sound really added to the character of his performance and "made" this song as much as the riffs did! Thanks again!

4:24 love that moment when the hired orchestra has no idea what's happening...

And with Snarky Puppy, this is just the beginning 🤣🤣🤣, you’ll never stop listening their music 🤪

Here is one you may not have heard, Snarky Puppy 'Sing to the Moon.'

Larnell and Michael League are the putty to tie all this ingenuity together - grand! Love them -> contemporary Fusion Big Band stuff to it´s finest.

He reminds me of Alex Acuna from weather report back in the day 👍👍

Absolutely gifted creative group

More snarky puppy reactions keep them coming😁😁😁

Looks like ou liked it 🤷‍♂️🤗

aaaaaah great !! suggestion going fast here

The drummer, Larnell Lewis, had to learn all of these songs on the flight over to this session.

The drummer learned the entire set on the plane ride over lol.

Jeff, thank you for being responsive to your fans. you are so sincere and love your site.

This song is just a bag of candy! Easy to digest and easy to get blown away by!

Jeff - what I love about this reaction is that you caught everything Larnell was doing - the 32nd fill, the half time, the cowbell, the kick drum 4s, the two snares, etc. Great reaction! Thanks! Please do Snarky's new tune - "Bet." That tune is outstanding.

Sorry to keep lighting up the comment section but I had to let you know you earned my subscription and I gladly gave it. The look on your face was musical joy, and that's rare as so many of us musicians seem to be jaded from hearing so much music and knowing enough about how it's made to get that way. You have quickly become my favorite music reaction channel because you not only have a depth of knowledge as to how it's done but you seem to love music in general. Keep up the good work.

“Is that a snare?” Yes. He has a hybrid snare/floor tom which he turns on and off multiple times on the fly.

Steve Jordan was using twin snares and 2 hi hats on Steve Khan's Eyewitness album. Cobham used an additional snare on a few albums but would have a phaser going through it. There aint nuttin' new in the land of drumming.😃

Again Larnell Lewis the magician is just RIDICULOUS ! Obviously the whole orchestration is incredible, pure pleasure to here this again and again ( never despair ahah : Neo Funk by Anthony Brancati, great with Larnell !)

Great reaction! Please try “The Curtain” from Snarky Puppy with the Metropole Orkest next in your Snarky Puppy Journey!!!

Might I say, one of the best drum intros for ANY song. Great content, my friend!

I have been beating my brain out of my head trying to figure out how in heaven they managed to record all those instruments and everything come out so well mixed. There must have been DI boxes everywhere. The sound engineer had his work cut out for him and the guitar tones blew me away they had to been using amp sims the distortion is so even across the strings. And I'm even going to think about bleed into the horn section and drums from all the sound being made in that room.

Have you ever seen them live? Awesome!

I love to see the guys in the booth bouncing off the walls!

Not sure how I missed this one! I’m so glad I found it it is so good!

"Snarky Puppy - Sleeper", is another great track with a very different vibe to the others, i think you would really enjoy it.

Wicked tune. One of my favourites when I see them live.

Their ability to jump between genres and constantly surprise (in a positive way) is like Zappa or Dirty loops. It keeps your interest even when the songs are 10 minutes +.

It’s soo an underrated channel.. you sir just got a new subscriber 😉

Snarky Puppy is a great band!

oh yeah! I actually forgot I like this one too haha, excellent review as always Jeff😁

3:36 it's snare and tom. He can open and close it like normal snare, but its very low pitched. It was snare at start but he putted hydraulic head on it and tuned it very low.

The whole album recording video is friggin awesome and Ground Up album recording video too. I don't think these guys do anything less than Excellent.

Haha, you looked just like me when I heard this for the first time (many since then, by the way).😂

Yes Tower of Power

that guitar solo

Have not listened to Snarky Puppy before but know they are much liked 😊 So it was interesting to see your videos. Sofar it is more of an intellectual than emotional experience for me. They are really great musicians (!) but it doesn’t get to me emotionally and to me that is the most important thing with music. I will listen to some more and who knows, maybe I change my mind! Either way experiencing new music is always fun 🙂

It's a tom with snare wires, I guess you'd call it a Snom. lol He talks about it in one of his videos... it's like that secret piece of magic he can throw in.

Zildjian Live! - Larnell Lewis

"Rim Action" lolol

That power riff! It's like Led Zeppelin meets Mahavishnu Orchestra... killer

I spent years trying to count out wtf is going on in that "power riff" section and then somebody told me it's in 4/4. Which, technically, if you tap/count in 4 against this (good luck) yes, you eventually will end up back on a downbeat as it goes into the next section, but... lol there's no way in hell that's in 4/4 🤣 It's Schrödinger's time signature

Larnell...legend

ok so does anyone know when he switches off the alternate snare? i have listened to this hundreds of times and don't know how he managed it

I saw other people ask for it, I'll do the same: PLEASE react to their song "the curtain" with the Metropole orchestra, you'll absolutely love it.

Again a very nice reaction. You should consider doing ‘Sleeper’ - that’s one of their absolute finest in my honest opinion. 🙏

All they are wizards! Larnel is the Chief Wizard.

When you were questioning the snare, the percussionist keeps pretty busy too ( and also writes good music on his own as well. )

Love your channel and all of this new Fusion. You should check out Matrix King Weasel Stomp and Galadriel. Maybe do some review/reaction to some older stuff like Return to Forever Romantic Warrior. Sorceress is really cool.

On a different note, nice shirt man.

Larnell Lewis is the real deal! Also love Yes especially the Fragile album and their earlier stuff with Bruford on drums!

Also listen to "Don't You Know" of the family dinner vol 2 album featuring Jacob collier

I think you'll really enjoy Love is the Message by Yussef Days x Alfa Mist. Some really great musicianship and effects in that song!

You should absolutely thank out my mate Simon Grey - Takuma this is something else, I would love to see a reaction video of this one when you hear this song for the first time, I tell you this : fasten you seatbelt cause you are going on a ride buddy believe you me, stay blessed cheers/ Marko

Have you listened to Dream Theater much? If not, I have a few suggestions for reactions: Dream Theater - Trial Of Tears (live at Budokan) Dream Theater - Breaking All Illusions (live Breaking the Fourth Wall) Dream Theater - The Dance Of Eternity (live Breaking The Fourth Wall) [If you want to really melt your brain] Then you have a instrumental only band with 3 out of the 5 members of Dream Theater called Liquid Tension Experiment. I have a couple for them as well: LTE - Key to the Imagination (Album version) LTE - When the Water Breaks (live 2008) There are so many great songs by DT and it's hard to just choose a couple but I think you'd like these songs. Enjoy!

Yeah, what zatoichiMiyamoto said, it's a snared tom. He's actually sporting 3 snares, there's another to the left of his hat/main snare, has a splash laying on it. :-)

I think this was Larnell’s audition.

as a composer it should be interesting to watch "larnell lewis hear a song once then plays it perfectly" on drumeo love the reactions keep em comin

you should react to Zildjian live with Larnell lewis

Always love your reactions!! Anyway I recommend 'David Ryan Harris feat. John Mayer and Friends - YSD Jam Session - Hotel Café' in case you haven't checked yet

The build up on the guitar solo gives me chicken skin! Keep up the great reactions!

Love your Shirt, gotta react to Aja Steely Dan ;)

Have you listened to Mark Lettieri and his band?? excellent

Larnel is an alien

To me 5:30 always sounds like Cupids dead by Extreme.

Listen to "Something" by SP with Layla Hathaway... It's so good

Nice shirt 😉

I have a fever....

Great stuff, man! Your channel is absolutely wonderful! You should check out their album Sylva with The Metropole Orkest. It is rarely reacted to, even though it is my favourite from them. The Curtain (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jLRw-Ahq22k.html) would be the one to start with. 17min of pure joy of music. Would love to see your reaction! Cheers all the way from Finland! (P.S. definitely subscribed💪)

Try to listen to that guitar solo and not move your head or smile

A lot of hype around SP, no doubt great instrument performer, but still I miss something in term of taste and musicality. If I have mood for fusion, I prefer listen to Chick Corea Electric Band, Steps Ahead ft Michael Brecker: you have as well skills but as well emotions and more musicality in their solos. Just my opinion. anyway SP are great instrument players.