Musician reacts to SNARKY PUPPY What About Me?

This Snarky Puppy reaction is genuinely my first time ever seeing their performance of "What About Me?" from We Like It Here. Mind blowing musicianship as per usual. Larnell Lewis is an absolute monster on the drums. Some brilliant moments throughout this performance by the Snarky Puppy group.

0:00 Intro
0:46 Start of song
7:07 Summary

When I do my reaction videos I don't press pause because I don't want to interrupt the natural flow of the music as it was originally intended by the artist. I try to vocalise my thoughts in real time as I listen to the song, and then summarise my reaction afterwards.

Please do recommend songs or other artists for me to checkout in future by commenting on this video! I'm constantly on the lookout for great new music and things I've never heard before.

[familyphotoshoot]

That guitar solo might actually be my favorite guitar solo of all time. Love the soundscape experimenting at the beginning and how it just slowly builds to that massive shred at the end. Just an incredible piece of playing.

[abysssss]

I wanna say the guitarist was deliberately 'quoting' a style from one of their legends during the intro to his solo, and then I saw him _refer_ to it when he started shredding! Setting up for the pitch, as it were

[BongoBaggins]

The thing about solos like this, is you trust these guys. You know that although not every note is planned, they know exactly where they're going, and the darker the night, the more you appreciate the day.
Bob took that guitar down to the depths, and you have to appreciate just how original every single solo on this whole album is. While not quite experimental, it's always surprising. That's so refreshing to me.
Then the guitar comes up, everyone joins in and then they're rocking. They're properly, full-on rocking. And the way Bob hits the fills perfectly in time when we thought he'd lost the rhythm...
It's difficult to put into words just how good some of this is.

I have to say I'm coming from the perspective that, first and foremost, I'm not a drummer.

[ChickenatorJr]

I believe the bassist here (Michael League) writes and arranges everything for Snarky what a beast

[IndustryPlay]

what's crazy is the drummer had only 8hrs to learn all the songs during this performance. 8 songs. Incredible.

[Cangaca]

Larnell is the real deal! it's just galaxy level.

[Luke]

Great reaction, you should do "Outlier" next time, from the same We Like It Here session

[KevinSmith-emzk]

Steve, did you know Larnell memorized all these songs on an 8 hour flight from Toronto to Europe?

[davidrichard]

Larnell Lewis is a beast and can do more with one hand (either) than many dtummers can do with two, though this one was prettty hard to tap a foot along with. I must say. Excellent take on this, Steve ! If you want to continue your journey here, you might consider Snarky Puppy feat. Jacob Collier & Big Ed Lee - "Don't You Know" (Family Dinner Volume Two), "Shofukan, and/or "Outlier" if you can ever find the time. Keep up the good work, please whever the journey takes you.

[ikshields]

Dude, it’s time to leave your “thing” behind, especially if it’s been limited to the cut-and-dried world of popular music. Most of the best music ever made is way past it, and you may as well let it do to you what it can, without preconceptions getting in your way.

The skies are waiting to open up, if you just spread the wings.

[zekebilbo]

I saw an interview with Larnell. He uses a hydraulic top head, with a thin snare head, on the bottom for the low snare/tom. He switches, the snare on/off, to switch modes.

[thage]

The beginning of the guitar solo reminded me of a track from Chicago’s first album called ‘Free Form Guitar’.
As for Larnell, please be advised he learned early all the tracks for this album ON THE PLANE RIDE OVER as he was a substitute for their usual drummer who couldn’t make the gig as hiss passport wasn’t in order (This album was recorded in Holland, if memory serves), so all Larnell had was a MIDI file from Michael League to learn from. Yes, Larnell is THAT awesome.

[dwnxx]

I beg you PLEASE listen to Marcus Gilmore Ziljian Live

[NastyNateB]

Second snare to the right and straight on til morning

[chawwn]

That was a tom with a switch to make it a snare, he had a video discussing who inspired him about that

[miff]

I think they did 4 performances of this over 4 consequetive days. Day 1 was the day Larnell arrived. I'd be intrigued to know which day's performance this was. Cory's sideways looks of mixed astonishment and glee at (i think) Larnell during this make me wonder if this was day 1. Or maybe day 1 and 2 weren't so hot so day 3 compared to 1 and 2 was the amazement.
I'm a cellist proficiency-wsie, but also can play some piano and a bit of guitar, some bass.
I party to psytrance. I tell you this because the "phrasing" of a psytrance mix (say an hour long set) is an interesting graph if you graph energy and tonal range against time. There's often a medium energy beginning to a set, and then a lull, then a build to high energy. This method syncs up the energies of the party-goers, which also ties into physical endurance/second wind type stuff.
I'm finding the Snarky Puppy solos are also following a graph that's quite slow to build, and I definitely key into it. For me, the slow guitar stuff at the beginning of the solo is bringing the energy down and focussed, and then rising energy and expansiveness with the solo plus the other instruments joining.
It's very interesting having you do these reactions Steve, thanks for another great one. I knew you'd like this one as Larnell is a big part of it.

For me to like a song, it needs enough "musical food" to nourish me. You and I have different tastes, so it's not as easy to recommend a song but I think each track from this session is likely to have enough musical food for you as well, because even I notice Larnell's fills and choices, and Nate's percussion layers.

So, I'm going to say "Sleeper" because I think there's enough Larnell technique and choices to give you the nourishment, plus there's the novelty of a man playing a hosepipe ;-)

[MoD]

Amazing vid as always! If you like some more of this, you should really react to The Curtain, one of their most interesting tracks imo

[Hetsr]

If you're looking for more from Larnell you should try "Coconuts". His soundscapes are so full and emotive. He's a master for sure.

[garygraham]

Although being somewhat hedonistic, they can really get you moving. As for Larnel.... If I could.... I would be....! Between Larnel and Aaron.... who does one pick to emulate?

[mattpobursky]

Being a drummer myself and a huge fan of Larnell Lewis, I highly recommend you check out Larnell Lewis Zildjian Live video.