Robert Searight
Robert Searight | |
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![]() Searight in 2015 | |
Background information | |
Also known as | Robert Searight II |
Born | c. 1975 (age 48–49)[1] Dallas, Texas, United States[1] |
Origin | Dallas |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) | Drums, piano, keyboards |
Years active | c. 1996–present |
Labels | Independent |
Member of | |
Formerly of | Toto |
Robert "Sput" Searight (born c. 1975)[1] is an American drummer, composer and producer best known for his work with jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy and as co-founder of the percussion-based band Ghost-Note. His background spans several genres including jazz, funk, hip-hop and gospel. He has toured and recorded with a variety of artists including Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Erykah Badu and Toto. He has received a Grammy award for his work on the album God's Property.
Life and career
Searight was born and raised in Dallas, Texas.[1] He grew up in a musical family with a variety of instruments in his childhood home.[2] His mother, Linda Searight, was an operatic singer and music teacher.[3][4] He received his first drum kit at the age of five and started playing drums. He grew up listening to gospel music exclusively, but that changed at age eight with access to a diverse library of vinyl albums. He started taking music lessons in junior high school and, later, attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts, where he played piano and received his first exposure to improvisation in the arts.[2][3] He names gospel drummer Joel Smith as his biggest early influence.[2]
In 1992, while in high school, Searight and his mother Linda founded the gospel choir God's Property.[5] He studied jazz-piano and drums in junior college and then attended University of North Texas and majored in percussion.[1] Soon after, in 1997, God's Property and Kirk Franklin collaborated to produce the eponymous album God's Property, for which Searight won a Grammy award in the category Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album.[5][6] He started touring extensively in support of the album and settled in Los Angeles.[3] There, he worked as a drummer and producer with a variety of artists, including Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar and Timbaland.[1][3]
In mid-2000s Searight moved back to Dallas and performed in the Dallas R&B-gospel music scene, working with Erykah Badu, Tamela Mann, The Clark Sisters and others.[3][7] In weekly jam sessions he met members of the jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy, at the time a Dallas-based band.[1][2] Around 2006, he joined Snarky Puppy, first as a keyboardist and then as a drummer.[7][2] He has received three Grammys with the ensemble.[8][a] In 2014, Searight and Snarky Puppy percussionist Nate Werth founded Ghost-Note, a percussion-based funk-hip hop-jazz band. He has released two albums with Ghost-Note, Fortified in 2015 and Swagism in 2018.[9] From 2020 to 2023, he joined Toto as the band's drummer and toured with the band.[10]
Discography
- Fortified (2015)
- Swagism (2018)
with Snarky Puppy
- Bring Us the Bright (2008)
- Tell Your Friends (2010)
- GroundUP (2012)
- Family Dinner – Volume 1 (2013)
- Sylva with Metropole Orkest (2015)
- Family Dinner – Volume 2 (2016)
- Culcha Vulcha (2016)
with Toto
- With a Little Help from My Friends (2021)
Sessions and production credits selected works[11]
Artist | Album |
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Kirk Franklin |
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Kendrick Lamar |
|
Shaun Martin |
|
Bill Laurance |
|
Terrace Martin |
|
Kamasi Washington |
|
Myron Butler & Levi |
|
Tamela Mann |
|
Marvin Sapp |
|
Ted Winn |
|
Notes
- ^ Searight is credited for Grammy Awards for the song "Something" and albums Sylva and Culcha Vulcha.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Ken Micallef (April 2013). "Snarky Puppy's Robert 'Sput' Searight". Modern Drummer. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Alain Merville (April 22, 2020). Legendary Musician Opens Up About His Life Experiences (Robert 'Sput' Searight interview) (Video). Yousicplay.com. Event occurs at 1:15–2:12, 3:05–4:15, 7:55–9:15, 11:40–11:50, 23:45–26:20. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d e Nick D'Virgilio (March 20, 2018). Interview: Robert 'Sput' Searight of Snarky Puppy (Video). Sweetwater. Event occurs at 7:25–9:00, 9:50–12:10, 14:47–15:25, 16:40–17:10. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022 – via YouTube.
- ^ "New Arts Six – The Ensemble". newartssix.org. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ a b Steve Leggett. "AllMusic: God's Property – biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ "Grammy Awards: Robert Searight II". grammy.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ a b Ken Micallef (November 2015). "Robert 'Sput' Searight". Modern Drummer. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ "Grammy Awards: Snarky Puppy". grammy.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ Matt Collar. "AllMusic: Ghost-Note – biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ Toto 2020 to 2023:
- Jeremy Hallock (October 20, 2020). "Toto adds Dallas drummer Robert 'Sput' Searight to its lineup". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- Buddy Iahn (November 30, 2021). "TOTO announces Dogz of Oz World Tour 2022". themusicuniverse. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- Alan Sculley (February 7, 2023). "TOTO: Back together for tour, grateful for new fans". connectsavannah. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ "AllMusic: Robert 'Sput' Searight – credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
External links
- Robert Searight on X
- Snarky Puppy drummers: Interview and gear, Modern Drummer magazine, 2016
- American jazz drummers
- American funk drummers
- Rhythm and blues drummers
- American session musicians
- American male drummers
- Songwriters from Texas
- Musicians from Dallas
- 21st-century American drummers
- 21st-century American male musicians
- American male songwriters
- African-American drummers
- Living people
- 1970s births