DJ Jules hosts Corgi Cartel for a live in-studio session at KGNU, where the band shares details about their upcoming Denver shows, including a performance at the Black Buzzard, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and a planned album release at Lost Lake. Formed about a year and a half ago through connections in the local music scene, the group blends influences from jazz, funk, metal, and artists like Cory Wong and Snarky Puppy to create a high-energy, genre-mixing sound. During the interview, they perform original songs from their upcoming album and highlight their goal of reaching new audiences while contributing to Colorado’s open-minded, supportive music community.
(Air Date: 4/21/26)
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Transcript:
DJ Jules: Live in-studio performance in the Boulder studio. I have Corgi Cartel here. Hello, guys.
Corgi Cartel: Hello, Jules.
DJ Jules: How are you doing?
Corgi Cartel: Happy to be here.
DJ Jules: We’re so happy you’re here for a live in-studio session. What brings you in for today’s special show?
Corgi Cartel: We’ve got a show coming up a week from Thursday, April 30th, at the Black Buzzard, opening for local band Hand Turkey. More generally, we’re trying to get our music out to more audiences, so we’re excited to be here and hopefully pick up some new fans.
DJ Jules: We love that. That’s kind of our whole thing here at KGNU—supporting local musicians and getting their music out to more people. This is perfect.
Corgi Cartel: Thank you so much for having us.
DJ Jules: You’ve got a show next Thursday—where can people find more information?
Corgi Cartel: You can find us on Instagram at Corgi Cartel Band, and on YouTube with the same name. For that show, check the Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues website. They’re in downtown Denver.
Looking ahead, we’re also playing the Cherry Creek Arts Festival on July 5th, and we’re planning an album release show for our upcoming record at Lost Lake in Denver on August 2nd. We’ll post everything on our Instagram.
DJ Jules: Perfect. Instead of looking things up, let’s give people a treat right now. What are you starting with?
Corgi Cartel: This is a new tune called “Breakthrough.” I’m John Gower, the trombone player. It was co-written with our guitar player, Saw.
Corgi Cartel: This is “Breakthrough.”
Corgi Cartel: Music.
DJ Jules: That woke everyone up. You’re bringing great energy. How long have you been playing together?
Corgi Cartel: About a year and a half. We started around fall 2024.
DJ Jules: Who else is in the band?
Corgi Cartel: Everett Sutton on drums, Josiah Contreras on bass, Dean Hugart on sax, and James Singer on trumpet.
DJ Jules: How did the band form?
Corgi Cartel: Sara and I met in another band that’s no longer active. We wanted to go in a different direction, so we started Corgi Cartel. We met the rest of the group through the Denver music scene—jam sessions, friends, and connections—and built the band from there.
DJ Jules: It’s a great group. That first song has me excited for more. You mentioned new music—what’s coming up?
Corgi Cartel: We have an album coming out around August. The next two songs we’ll play are from that album.
DJ Jules: Let’s hear it.
Corgi Cartel: This one’s called “Hand Grenade,” inspired by the drink in New Orleans.
Corgi Cartel: Music.
DJ Jules: I almost jumped in too early there. That was just a tease.
Corgi Cartel: We like to bring the audience down before bringing them back up.
DJ Jules: Balance is important. That last song has me wondering—what are your influences?
Corgi Cartel: We come from a wide range of influences. Someone once said we were a Turkish rock band online, so we leaned into that idea for fun. Personally, I come from a metal background—Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden—along with guitarists like Satriani and Marty Friedman. More recently, artists like Cory Wong.
We also draw from bands like Lettuce and Snarky Puppy. Many of us are jazz-trained, and that leads into funk, soul, Motown, and more. Colorado audiences are very open to blending genres, which lets us explore all of that freely.
DJ Jules: I can hear it. I went to a Cory Wong show recently, and I’m also on a Rage Against the Machine kick—this feels like a perfect blend.
Corgi Cartel: That’s exactly what we aim for.
DJ Jules: What’s the last song you’re playing?
Corgi Cartel: This one’s inspired by Cory Wong—groovy, rock and roll, with some edge.
DJ Jules: Let’s go.
