Snarky Puppy
April 23, 2026
The Agora (Cleveland, Ohio)
By Rob McCune
Sporting a full orchestra of instruments from keys and strings to brass and percussion, the 10-plus-piece ensemble Snarky Puppy doesn’t need a vocalist.
The improvisational, instrumental collective set the vibe early and then rode it like a cowboy on the back of a comet, vibing to tracks that ranged from surrealistic jazz to funky.
Supported by opener Sofia Rei, an Argentinian singer/songwriter, this was truly a celebration of music, with a spectrum of sound represented on the stage. Rei’s bright, soul-stirring set needed no translation, either – though the singer provided some context to a few of the tracks for the non-Spanish-speaking members of the crowd.
For its part, Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy brought dog-with-a-bone playful energy to a set punctuated with favorites from the band’s 11 albums. The global appeal of their music can’t be denied, as Snarky Puppy next heads out on a world tour, starting in Japan and touching all corners of the globe.
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