Sly Johnson:
From Human Beat Box
to Soul Sensation
Sly Johnson’s debut solo album, 74, marks his evolution from acclaimed beatboxer – known as The Mic Buddah of the French hip hop/rap collective Saïan Supa Crew – to a bona fide soul singer. Demonstrating his versatility and vocal depth, Johnson has been on tour in support of the album, sharing stages with music superstars such as Erykah Badu, Manu Katché, Meshell Ndegeocello and Erik Truffaz.
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Released in the US in May, the album resonates the beloved 70s Motown sound, replete with funk and jazz inflections, and features a stellar crew including powerhouse jazz/rock drummer Cindy Blackman (Lenny Kravitz), legendary bassist TM Stevens (Miles Davis, James Brown), guitarist Sherrod Barnes (Roberta Flack) and Soulive’s guitarist and keyboardist Eric Krasno and Neil Evans, with a guest appearance by Nigerian-German singer-songwriter Ayo. Jay Newland (Norah Jones) produced, and “Philly Sound” arranger Larry Gold (The Roots, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu) expertly arranged strings and horns on several tracks.
The bulk of the material on 74 was written by Johnson. More melody- than beat-driven, it showcases not only his strong, soulful vocals but also his songwriting skills. The album opens with “Slaave 2” (borrowing from Grace Jones’ “Slave to the Rhythm”); Slum Village share lead vocals with Johnson, the track’s sparse, catchy beat enhanced by his signature beatboxing and scratches. “I’m Calling You,” reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On,” reflects Sly’s social consciousness:
“My friend, don’t you see Earth’s in distress? Too many lies…
My friend, don’t you hear babies crying for food supplies?
My friend, don’t you feel the pain of a million souls in despair?
My friend, we need to stop all these crimes of human beings;
Don’t let our children deal with the consequences of our sins.
Some people say that it’s bad timing
But the sky’s still blue, and the sun keeps shining.
It’s time to change our way of thinking
That’s why… I’m calling you.”
Ayo’s rich, enchanting vocals respond to Johnson’s heartfelt call, TM Stevens holding down the groove. In addition to his own songs, Johnson offers two covers, reflecting the depth and breadth of his musical interests: Otis Redding’s “Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)” gets a fresh rendition while staying true to the spirit of the original; James Warren’s 80s pop hit “Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime” (made famous by The Korgis) is revived with an intimate take that makes the tune entirely his own, his yearning lead supported by tender backup vocals and strings, Stevens anchoring with a deep funk bassline.
I caught Sly earlier this summer at the Montreal Jazz Festival – his fifth visit to the city (previous performances included a duo with French jazz trumpeter Erik Truffaz at the FrancoFolies festival). Johnson and his tight 74 unit – Manu Dyens on drums, Benjamin Molinaro on bass, Edouard Ardan on guitar and Jean-Max Mery on keys – performed a solid, sexy-funky-jazzy set; Valérie Delgado on backup vocals was the perfect foil for Sly, who – sounding somewhere between Musiq Soulchild and Bilal – pushed beyond nu-soul, exploring the full range of his instrument, from straight up soul to beatboxing to Bobby McFerrin-style pyrotechnics. The crowd was captivated by his immense creativity, visibly enjoying his dynamic, charismaticpresence, the diverse colorings of his voice, and the intimate, interactive vibe.The following day Sly and I sat down for an interview, shedding light on his early beginnings, his musical influences and future plans.
Let’s start with your name: I assume the shift from Sly The Mic Buddah to Sly Johnson symbolizes your transition from beatboxer to full-fledged vocalist.
Yes, that’s right.
And how did this evolution unfold?
My friend Ayo was one of the first people who told me, ‘Sly, you’re a very good MC, a very good beatboxer, but you’re not only that; you’re a singer. You were born to sing.’ I felt I was hiding behind the beatboxing, behind the ability to capture the voices of others and their individual nuances; now, there’s no more hiding. It’s very difficult to hide when you sing soul music… Now I feel more fulfilled. I’m so happy to be me!
Your given name is Silvère – where did Sly come from? And Johnson – nor particularly a French-sounding name for a Parisian…
Silvère is my real name, but my friends have called me Sly for a long time. Everyone does; growing up, even my father called me Sly sometimes. Johnson comes from my grandfather, who’s from Sierra Leone – which used to be a British colony.
What were your musical influences coming up?
My early influences were hip hop. I was a hip hop kid. That was my inspiration. Then, my favorite singers – Donny Hathaway, who to me is one of the greatest – he makes me cry every time… I really love Rachel Ferrell; the first time I saw her on French TV, I said ‘O Lord!’ She so free.’ I was searching for that freedom. When I was a kid my father used to listen to a lot of jazz: Jerry Mulligan, Fats Domino, Jimmy Smith, Louis Armstrong, Buck Clayton, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald… I grew up with a lot of jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms: Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, The Fania All-stars – stuff like that. Then I discovered The Fat Boys and got into beatboxing.
Tell me about the title for the new album – 74 – I know that’s your year of birth; is there any other significance to it?
7 and 4 are my favorite numbers. Yes, it’s my year of birth; also, there were 7 members in the Saïan Supa Crew; 7+4=11 – and there are 11 songs on the album…
How did you get all these high-profile musicians – Cindy Blackman, Ayo etc. – to play on the album?
I met Cindy Blackman through Lucky Peterson. I was on his project The Organ Soul Sessions, singing Ann Peebles’ song ‘I Can’t Stand the Rain.’ He had a show in Paris and called me to do the song, and Cindy was on drums. I immediately knew I wanted to play with her. I introduced myself backstage. She thought I was funky… and when I asked her if she’d play on my album she said yes. Ayo has been my good friend for about ten years, since she came to Paris. We’ve performed and done jam sessions together – it was natural for me to have her on the album. Recording with these musicians was a magical musical experience.
And the 74 band that’s on the road with you now – they’re French musicians?
Yes, French musicians from the suburbs of Paris. Very talented young people. Valérie Delgado, my backup singer, sang on the album. To me she’s one of the most beautiful voices in France.
The last track on the album – “26.06.74” (the date of your birth) – features very personal spoken word in French. Can you tell our readers what the lyrics are about?
This is a very special song; I talk about me and how I grew up without my mother [who passed away]; how my father survived with small children; how music was helpful to me – like a mother. This is why I love music so much.
What’s on the horizon?
We’ve been on tour since September 2010, when the album came out in France, and we’re ending in August. It’s been great to see a surprising new public appreciating my music – people of all ages: very young to very old, and people of all colors: black, yellow, brown, red… incredible. I’m working on some new music, and I also collaborated with Lulu Gainsbourg on “Couleur Café,” a song on her upcoming homage album to her father, Serge Gainsbourg. Ayo and M [French pop/rick singer Matthieu Chedid] are on it too.
Johnson has another album already in the works, with new tunes fusing both his musical personas – Sly The Mic Buddah, human beatboxer, and Sly Johnson, soul singer. A truly original talent that will be interesting to follow.
Interview by Sharonne Cohen
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