This week Alex welcomes Michael League, one of the most accomplished musicians of the last two decades. Michael is best known as the founder, bandleader, and bassist for the New York-based instrumental group Snarky Puppy, and in this conversation you’ll hear him tell Alex about the band’s genesis and musical evolution. Michael tells Alex about Snarky Puppy’s “no power chord” rule, how necessity led to him taking on the role of producer, and why it’s crucial to never “quit failing.” Towards the end of the conversation, Michael tells Alex about improvements to his creative and personal life that he’s enjoyed since moving to Spain, and shares equally important stories of success and failure.

Michael League is a 4-time Grammy® Award-winning, 5-time nominated producer and musician based out of Catalonia, Spain. He is the creator and bandleader of instrumental music ensemble Snarky Puppy and world music group Bokanté, founder of the record label and music curation source GroundUP Music, and artistic director of the GroundUP Music Festival. Snarky Puppy has amassed three Grammy Awards over the last 8 years, an incredible feat for a jazz-based instrumental group in the modern musical climate. He has worked with a wide range of legendary artists including David Crosby, Erykah Badu, and Joe Walsh, and continues to push musical boundaries through the endless number of projects that he is a part of.

Michael’s new album, So Many Me, can be listened to here.

Listen to the playlist from the episode on Spotify.

Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Brad Stratton. Editing and mixing by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd.

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