Snarky Puppy, a fusion influenced jam band founded by Michael League in 2004, is a “collective of sorts with as many as 25 members in regular rotation.” Nearly 15 years after releasing their debut album Live at Uncommon Ground, the music talents are considered one of the most entertaining bands in all of music.

Their legacy, which includes several critically acclaimed albums and three Grammy awards, has impacted on the lives of millions all over the world.

Kyle Fauber not only listened to Snarky Puppy growing up, but he also says they inspired him to get into music. During his junior year at Salem High School, he and four friends – Codey Logan, Cassidy Wilson, Mark Raines and Noah Galbreath – decided to create their own band. They knew early on that they had the talent to do something special, but also knew that a lot of work needed to be done to reach their full potential.

Kyle, Codey and Cassidy all went to James Madison University after graduating from high school while Noah matriculated at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Mark is currently a senior at Salem High who is scheduled to attend Virginia Tech in the fall.

The quintet collectively decided to call themselves “Outer Realm.” Marmalade and Quintet Tarantino were some other names that were briefly considered.

About four years ago, Outer Realm recorded their first song. That experience taught them a lot, namely which role each member needed to play to maximize their talents. “We did a very rough version of one of our originals called ‘Hammerstone Runaround’ at my house using a cajon, a tambourine, a bass, a keyboard and a tenor sax,” Noah said. “That song has come a long way since then.”

By September 2017, the band had released multiple songs – “Red Hot Evening,” “Minor Distraction” and “Blue Marlin.” Knight Meet, their four-track EP, appeared on iTunes and SoundCloud afterward. “We offer a little something for everyone,” Noah said. “Our ultimate goal is to go on a world tour one day.”

Just like his fellow band members, Kyle Fauber likes to push the envelope as a musician. “We each bring something different to the table, but collectively we make it work,” he said. “I play sax and keyboard, Noah plays sax and drums, Mark plays guitar and drums, Cassidy plays drums and Codey plays the bass and trombone.”

Mark Raines added: “This band has inspired me to keep on practicing, and they’ve led me to try new things in my solos and other aspects.”

When asked how often he works on his music, Cassidy Wilson said at least a few times each week. “For our album, we practiced together for two hours at a time just to refresh ourselves on the songs,” he said. “I think our work ethic is second to none.”

Approximately 10.000 hours are required to master something, according to author Malcolm Gladwell. Outer Realm understands that if they are going to reach all of their goals, they are going to have to outwork the opposition. “We are proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, but feel like we have a lot more to offer,” Codey Logan said. “We are excited to see what the future brings.”