Ghost-Note

Biography

Ghost-Note is a percussion-based funk, hip hop, and jazz fusion group from Dallas, Texas, founded in 2015 by Robert "Sput" Searight and Nate Werth, both multi-Grammy-winning drummers and percussionists from the jazz band Snarky Puppy. The group emerged from extended drum and percussion solos that Searight and Werth performed together while touring with Snarky Puppy. After fans consistently asked how long they rehearsed these collaborative pieces, the duo decided to explore their unique "connection through rhythm" by creating a dedicated band focused on percussion-driven "conscious funk." Both musicians studied jazz at the University of North Texas; Searight built his reputation on the Dallas gospel scene working with Kirk Franklin before joining Snarky Puppy, while Werth joined Snarky Puppy almost directly after graduating from UNT.

Ghost-Note operates with a rotating membership model, featuring a core ensemble that includes bassist MonoNeon (Dwayne Thomas Jr.), keyboardist Dominique Xavier Taplin, and a top-notch horn section with saxophonists/flutists Michael Jelani Brooks, Jonathan Mones, and Sylvester Onyejiaka. The band's debut album, Fortified (2015), reached number one on the iTunes Jazz Chart and featured contributions from Snarky Puppy members including keyboardist Shaun Martin, vocalist N'Dambi, and guitarist Mark Lettieri. Their second album, Swagism (2018), also achieved the number one position on iTunes Jazz Charts, while their third album, Mustard n'Onions (2024), solidified the band's evolved sound and featured guest appearances from legendary musicians including Marcus Miller and Bernard Wright.

Ghost-Note's musical style blends groove-based funk, EDM, hip-hop, jazz, and rock, drawing influences from James Brown, J Dilla, and Herbie Hancock, as well as West African, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian rhythmic traditions. The band has mounted successful headlining tours across the United States, Canada, and Japan, and performed at high-profile international music festivals. As Sput explained regarding their 2024 album, the band matured from their earlier freewheeling approach on Swagism, where "we didn't have a sound; we didn't know what we were gonna sound like," to finding a more solidified identity and dedicated squad approach.

Fun Facts

• Ghost-Note originated from extended drum and percussion solos that Searight and Werth performed together while on tour with Snarky Puppy; fans would approach them after shows asking how long they rehearsed these collaborative pieces, which inspired them to form the dedicated band.
• The band's rotating membership model includes musicians who have worked with major artists including Prince, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, and Marcus Miller, creating a supergroup-like ensemble of world-class musicians.
• Ghost-Note's first two studio albums, Fortified (2015) and Swagism (2018), both achieved the number one position on the iTunes Jazz Chart, demonstrating significant commercial and critical success in the jazz market.
• The band's third album, Mustard n'Onions (2024), marked a maturation of their sound, with Sput noting that on their earlier 2018 release Swagism, 'We didn't have a sound; we didn't know what we were gonna sound like,' contrasting with their more solidified identity on the newer release.

Members

• Vaughn “V Keys” Henry
• Robert Searight
• Dominique Xavier Taplin
• Dywane Thomas Jr.
• Nate Werth
• Daniel Wytanis

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Kirk Franklin - Gospel music mentor who worked with Robert "Sput" Searight on the Dallas gospel scene before Searight joined Snarky Puppy (God's Property (gospel choir affiliated with Kirk Franklin)) [Pre-2005]
• University of North Texas Jazz Program - Educational institution where both Searight and Werth studied jazz and developed their foundational skills (Jazz education and training) [1990s-2000s]

Key Collaborators

• Snarky Puppy - Parent band where both Searight and Werth performed together through seven albums before forming Ghost-Note (Nine albums recorded by Snarky Puppy) [2005-2015]
• MonoNeon (Dwayne Thomas Jr.) - Core bassist and former Prince sideman; key member of Ghost-Note's ensemble (Fortified (2015), Swagism (2018), Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2015-present]
• Dominique Xavier Taplin - Core keyboardist with credits including work with Prince and Toto (Fortified (2015), Swagism (2018), Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2015-present]
• Sylvester Onyejiaka - Core saxophonist/flutist and arranger; also known as Sly5thAve (Fortified (2015), Swagism (2018), Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2015-present]
• Shaun Martin - Snarky Puppy keyboardist who contributed to Ghost-Note's debut album (Fortified (2015)) [2015]
• Marcus Miller - Legendary bassist and Miles Davis collaborator who contributed to Ghost-Note's third album (Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2024]
• Bernard Wright - Keyboardist who contributed to Ghost-Note's third album (Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2024]
• Karl Denson - The Greyboy Allstars saxophonist and flutist who contributed to Ghost-Note's third album (Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2024]
• Eric Gales - Blues guitar great who contributed to Ghost-Note's third album (Mustard n'Onions (2024)) [2024]

Artists Influenced

• James Brown - Stylistic influence on Ghost-Note's funk foundation and groove-based approach (General influence on Ghost-Note's musical direction) [Ongoing influence]
• J Dilla - Hip-hop producer influence on Ghost-Note's rhythmic and production sensibilities (General influence on Ghost-Note's musical direction) [Ongoing influence]
• Herbie Hancock - Jazz fusion pioneer influencing Ghost-Note's jazz and funk synthesis (General influence on Ghost-Note's musical direction) [Ongoing influence]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #funk, #hip-hop, #jazz