Grammy-winning Texan improv collective Snarky Puppy are back with the ambitious Empire Central, which was recorded live in front of a studio audience. The double album celebrates the rich musical history of Dallas and captures the troupe at their most powerful. Bandleader Michael League and keyboard player Bill Laurance tell Prog the story of its creation.

Words: Jeremy Allen

Snarky Puppy: bringing the word “collective” to a whole new level!

Portrait: Francois Bisi

Dallas may not be synonymous with jazz in the same way as New Orleans or New York but, on recent evidence, it’s getting there. Snarky Puppy’s 15th album, Empire Central, is a celebration of the third-largest city in Texas – also the place where it all began for bassist and founder Michael League, who’s led the progressive jazz-funk collective through thick and thin since 2004.

“So many formative musical experiences in my life happened in Dallas,” says League, on a Zoom call from his new home just outside Barcelona. “The more I did my research, the more I realised that Texas has birthed a disproportionately large number of musical innovators, especially over the last few decades: Robert Glasper, Chris Dave, Jason Moran, Eric Harland, Kendrick Scott, Erykah Badu, Norah Jones…” He continues to list yet more names, before adding: “It’s really insane.”