Snarky Puppy Shows Us How to Build a Festival from the GroundUP!
If you wanted to plan an inaugural festival, you’d be hard pressed to come up with something more amazing that what Michael League and his Snarky Puppy compatriots have concocted for the first annual GroundUP Music Festival in Miami from February 10-12. The weekend of astounding music, great food, and interactive workshops takes place at the North Miami Beach bandshell, just steps away from the beach!
The festival name comes from the fifth disk in Snarky Puppy’s incredible discography, recorded in 2012. By that time they had their system down pat, starting with 2010’s Tell Your Friends, with a CD and a DVD of the live recording. We first encountered them in 2012 for two stunning performances at the Bear Creek Music Festival, and they are now a band without peer, creating a huge international sensation.
In addition to the hosts, who will play all three nights of the festival, the remainder of the lineup is so rich in talent that it blows the mind. Start with David Crosby, the brilliant vocalist and guitar player whose career has involved solo projects and iterations with Stills, Nash and Young in various combinations, and the remarkable Esperanza Spalding, bassist and vocalist extraordinaire.
Amazing guitarist Charlie Hunter performs in a trio setting featuring Jeff Coffin (reed man with the Flecktones and the Dave Matthews Band). The Lee Boys might be ‘locals,’ but they are the best sacred steel band on the planet, with the redoubtable Roosevelt Collier. And John Medeski’s Mad Skillet finds the keyboard wizard with a fine band.
Snarky Puppy keyboard player Bill Laurance has a set, as does trumpet titan Terence Blanchard. There is world music from Bokanté, with songs in French and Creole (and League and Collier in the mix), from House of Waters (Brooklyn), and from Rhythm Foundation, a Miami group. Mike “Maz” Maher is an SP trumpeter; his band will include some of his SP bandmates as well.
Chris Thile (mandolin) and Michael Daves (guitar) are a fine duo, while the Funky Knuckles are an exciting jazzy septet from Dallas. Michelle Willis of Toronto, a folk/jazz/soul singer, has toured with Zac Brown Band, Iggy & The Stooges, and Snarky Puppy (now there’s a range!). New York’s Lucy Woodward works in the same genres as Willis. Banda Magda is a stunning vocalist who floored us a year ago when she opened for SP, with League and colleagues as her band.
Add to all of that the Pedrito Martinez Group, Carlos Malta & Pife Muderno, Shelly Berg, Jacop Collier, Laura Mvula, and Forq, and you have a stunning first-time festival.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
We have just learned of more exciting additions, especially this half-dozen! Roosevelt Collier will also perform with Funk Factory, while South Florida’s jam masters The Heavy Pets are also on the bill. Excellent fusion purveyors Aaron Lebos Reality will be on hand, and Snarky Puppy’s Shaun Martin plans to host a Go Go Party! Nigel Hall, who has worked with Lettuce and other heavy hitters, brings his band to the fest, and Miami’s Emily Estefan is another late add!
We just hope Miami survives this onslaught of incredible music!