Snarky Puppy bringing its unusual sound and structure (and name) to Tri-C JazzFest

At first, the name jumps out at you.

After that, however, it’s the nature of the group that intrigues. Based in New York but constructed in Texas, Snarky Puppy is relatively a “collective” of musicians who get together for an energetic mix of jazz, rock, blues, funk and other genres.

At the center of this fusion confusion is bassist and primary composer Michael League, who formed the outfit in 2003 with a group of friends in the University of North Texas Jazz Studies program. Snarky Puppy has evolved from there, with latest studio release “Culcha Vulcha” illustrating the musical bite of this dog.

Snarky Puppy is one of the acts playing a headline show at this weekend’s Tri-C JazzFest at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square.

Because of a throat issue, League took part in an email interview, to discuss the band and the upcoming gig.

Q Many musical acts are frustrated when labels get put on them by outsiders because, they would argue, it gives too narrow a description of what they are. What’s it like when Snarky Puppy — which sounds at times like a mad scientist’s concoction of jazz, rock, R&B and more — gets a simple label such as “jazz band” slapped on it?

A I feel strange calling Snarky Puppy a jazz band sometimes. The style of composition is more similar to pop (verses and choruses, breakdowns and outros, singable melodies), but I suppose that the improvisational impulse in the band comes from the jazz tradition.

Q Explain to us how the band — 25 or so members affectionately called “the Fam” —works. Are we safe to assume you rarely have 25 members of Snarky Puppy on stage and that’s not what the Cleveland audience should expect?

A It has about 25 in rotation, normally 9 or 10 at a time. We try to give everyone pretty equal touring time, with the core members playing almost every show. The constant changing of players keeps the music and the attitudes fresh. It’s like a surprise every night.

Q Do you ever miss a show?

A I haven’t yet. But to be honest, there are four or five guys who play better bass (or keybass) than me in the band, so it wouldn’t be much of a loss.

Q How, in your eyes, has the act evolved since the early days? This collective of sorts once numbered around 40, correct?

A The band started much more acoustic, much jazzier. We were white college students from the suburbs who had grown up in garage rock bands and got swept away by jazz. I think this is evident in our first few albums. But when we started playing on the predominantly black gospel/R&B scene in Dallas (and when people like Bernard Wright, Robert “Sput” Searight, Shaun Martin and Bobby Sparks joined the band), the sound of the band changed dramatically. It got funkier. We started focusing more on groove and melody rather than complex harmony. But I think the most important change was that we became more communicative and, consequently, more accessible to audiences.

Q Is there a mindset you and the group had going into your latest studio release, 2016’s “Culcha Vulcha,” an incredibly full-sounding production with — not that this should be a surprise given the nature of the group — different flavors and areas of exploration?

A I think we’re always taking music aesthetics or concepts from different cultures around the world and manipulating them in our way. We try to be respectful of the initial idea without trying to recreate or imitate it. This record is no different. I think the main element of “Culcha Vulcha” that makes it so unique is the sonic palette. We had the time and resources to really explore different sounds on this one. It definitely has a character that I find to be moodier, darker and more restrained than anything we’ve done before.

Q It was your first full studio album in some time, correct? Is it too early to be thinking about a next recording?

A Not at all! We’ll be back at the same studio we recorded “Culcha Vulcha” in at the end of August.

Q What are people in store for in terms of Snarky Puppy live on stage?

A We’ll play a combination of songs from pretty much all of our instrumental albums. We never really play the same set twice, and we have a lot of tunes... so there are so many possibilities for the setlist. As far as expectations go, I try not to go into situations with preconceptions about how things will be. We want to create a unique experience for everyone in the room based on the atmosphere, the vibe, the sound, and everything else which is shaping the moment.

Q Is there anything your particularly enjoy about being part of an event such as Tri-C JazzFest?

A Every venue, every festival has their own flavor. Each experience is unique. Our job is to get in touch with that and try to provide something special for the crown on any given night.

Q Have you played the event before or, if not, performed in Cleveland?

A We’ve played in Cleveland many times (maybe eight?). I really love it. One of my favorite musicians, Jamey Haddad (my bandmate in Bokanté), is from there, and he opened the whole place up for me. It has so much more going on, both now and historically, than I was aware of previously. I’m excited to bring the band back for another round.

Q At the end of the day, what’s your favorite thing about Snarky Puppy?

A One of my favorite things about Snarky Puppy is the way in which we improvise as a group. The same song can be almost unrecognizably different from night to night based on a single thing that a single player contributes in a single moment. Everyone’s ears are open, receptive to the subtleties floating around the stage from each individual player, but without disrespecting the essential content of the composition itself. This allows us to consistently deliver the emotional content of the songs each night while allowing the music the grow and breathe, creating a unique musical experience each night (for better or worse!).

Snarky Puppy

When: 6 p.m. June 30.

Where: Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square, 1511 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.

Tickets: Sold-out.

Info: 216-241-6000 or PlayhouseSquare.org.

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