Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest – Somni (GroundUP Music, 2025)
Somni, Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest’s second collaborative album, was recorded live during three nights in Utrecht, Netherlands, from January 17–19, 2025.
Somni explores the world of dreams. Band leader Michael League He began writing the album during a month-long stay in rural Japan, where he worked in isolation before expanding the material with Snarky Puppy and the more than 50-member Metropole Orkest.
The album delves into various aspects of the dream state, including shifting identities, surreal stories, and lingering emotions after waking up. Although entirely instrumental, League said the absence of lyrics allow listeners greater freedom to interpret the music. Despite the project’s scale, League described the production process as unusually efficient. He called Somni the most ambitious undertaking in the band’s history.
Somni masterfully combines jazz-rock fusion, funk, western classical music elements and orchestral grandeur with intricate arrangements, and expert coordination of both ensembles. Throughout the album you’ll find impeccable musicianship with dazzling, stellar solo performances, inventive and accessible improvisational sections, along with a massive, exquisite, cinematic sound.
“Waves Upon Waves” sets the tone of the album, lush, orchestral, cinematic and with a fantastic, multifaceted rhythm section. It presents a series of solos: saxophone, elegant flügelhorn and trumpet, breathtaking violin, and flute.
“As You Are But Not As You Were” opens with a marimba intro and soft drums that lead to an extraordinary violin and keyboard duel that has a timeless Jean-Luc Ponty jazz-rock fusion flavor. Another highlight is the electric piano (Rhodes) solo that would make Herbie Hancock proud. Later in the track we enter into solid Snarky Puppy territory with impressive full ensemble brass and trumpet and flugelhorn solos.
“Chimera” is possibly the most recognizably Snarky Puppy-style tracks, driven by spectacular heavy funk grooves, powerful brass blasts, scorching funk-drenched keyboards and masterful, phenomenal electric guitar and clavinet solos.
“Between Worlds” offers mesmerizing soft brass and string work, gorgeous violin, a touch of world music and a saxophone solo.
Improvisation, minimalist piano and rums characterize “Recurrent” with a series of piano, trumpet, and sax solos. Later, it becomes the centerpiece for the drum section with a series of top-of-the-line drum solos.
“Drift” itakes you into a spellbinding deep dream state with a soulful, emotive organ solo.
“Only Here and nowhere else” is another enthralling track that captures your imagination with magnificent bass work and a sensational electric guitar solo.
Lastly, “It Stays With You” is an emotional, sweeping finale that effectively utilizes the full ensemble and puts the focus once more on jazz-rock fusion with virtuosic keyboard lines and an epic electric guitar conclusion.
Aside from the exceptional musicianship, Somni is also a marvel of sound engineering. The sound is spectacular and I highly recommend the physical edition of the album. The double disc set includes the audio CD and a Blu-ray disc with the video version of the concert.
Led by bassist and composer Michael League, Snarky Puppy has earned an international reputation through its mix of jazz, funk, rock, soul, and world music influences. The collective has earned five Grammy Awards, including four wins for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Sylva (2016), Culcha Vulcha (2017), Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2021), and Empire Central (2023). The band also received a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance for its 2014 collaboration with Lalah Hathaway, “Something.”
Meanwhile, Metropole Orkest, founded in 1945, combines symphonic instrumentation with the flexibility of a big band. Throughout its history, the orchestra has collaborated with artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Brian Eno, Gregory Porter, and Jacob Collier. It also shared the GRAMMY-winning success of Sylva alongside Snarky Puppy.
Snarky Puppy:
Michael League on electric bass, Minimoog Model D, Turkish saz; Jay Jennings on trumpet; Mike “Maz” Maher on flügelhorn; Chris Bullock on flute; Bob Reynolds on tenor sax; Zach Brock on violin; Justin Stanton on Rhodes MK8, Minimoog Model D, piano, synthesizers, trumpet; Bill Laurance on piano, Mellotron, Wurlitzer, synthesizers; Bobby Sparks II on Hammond B3 organ, clavinet, Minimoog Model D; Bob Lanzetti on electric guitar; Mark Lettieri on electric guitar; Chris McQueen on electric guitar; Keita Ogawa on percussion; Nate Werth on percussion; Marcelo Woloski on percussion; Mason Davis on Kraken, marimba; Larnell Lewis on drums; Nikki Glaspie on drums; Jamison Ross on drums; and Jason “JT” Thomas on drums.
Metropole Orkest:
1st Violin – Federico Nathan, Vera Laporeva, Jasper van Rosmalen, Sarah Koh, Pauline Terlouw, David Peijnenborgh, Raquel Marin Garcés, Gideon Nelissen, Annerieke Nentjes, Linda Lukas.
2nd Violin – Merel Jonker, Ewa Zbyszynska, Ruben Margarita, Róbert Bába, Valentine Blangé, Maartje Kraan, Michelle Brunt, Herman van Haaren, Michelle Brunt, Herman van Haaren.
Viola – Norman Jansen, Julia Jowett, Iris Schut, Isabella Petersen, María Ángeles Chaparro Fuentes, Rani Kumar.
Cello – Joel Siepmann, Emile Visser, Annie Tångberg, Jascha Albracht.
Contrabass – Erik Winkelmann, Benjamin de Boer, Dobril Popdimitrov.
Flute – Mariël van den Bos, Janine Abbas, María Cristina González Perez.
English Horn/Oboe – Maxime Le Minter
1st alto saxophone, clarinet – Marc Scholten
2nd alto saxophone, clarinet – Paul van der Feen
1st tenor saxophone, clarinet – Leo Janssen
2nd tenor saxophone, bass clarinet – Sjoerd Dijkhuizen
Baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet – David Kweksilber
Horn – Pieter Hungeld, Hugo Freitas, Elisabeth Otra Sangenaro
Trumpet – Ray Bruinsma, Nico Schepers, Koen Smits
Trombone – Peter Delannoye, Robinson Khoury, Jan Bastiani
Bass Trombone – Martin van den Berg
Tuba – Ries Schellekens
Percussion – Murk Jiskoot, Frank Wardenier
Harp – Sanne Bakker
Buy Somni.