#sly5thave

[culturalappreciator]

I've Got You Covered!

Original

Kendrick Lamar- Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe (2012)

Cover

Sly5thave & The Clubcasa Chamber Orchestra- (2015)

[burlveneer-music]

Sly5thAve - Liberation - leading a whole orchestra on his new album

‘Liberation’ is the third solo LP from composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly5thAve. Layered with orchestral arrangements, jazz improvisation and Hip-Hop production, ‘Liberation’ is an accomplished record of courage, musical conviction, and growth. Known for his sophisticated compositions, Sylvester Uzoma Onyejiaka II AKA Sly5thAve’s first experiences with large scale arranging were with the Club Casa Chamber Orchestra and recording instrumental covers of popular modern songs. Notably, his orchestral tribute to Dr. Dre, ‘The Invisible Man,’ garnered widespread praise and attention, even earning the admiration of Dr. Dre himself. Through these recordings Sly5thAve felt he had found a way to make people connect with orchestral music; “I’ve long felt orchestras around the world are inaccessible to most people – whether it be the programming or the cost, or the location”. The LP is Sly5thAve’s first full album of original orchestral arrangements and features the musicianship of Sly5thAve’s collaborators and Ghost Note bandmates - headed by Snarky Puppy's multi-Grammy–winning percussion duo Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth, alongside previous collaborator Roberto Verástegui. MUSICIANS Sly5thAve – Bari Sax, Tenor Sax, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Aux Keys, Synth Bass, Drum Programming Roberto Verástegui – Keys (A1, B1, B3, C1, C3, C4, D2, D3) Todd M. Simon – Trumpets (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Robert “Sput” Searight – Drums (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Peter Knudsen – Guitar (A1, B1, B2, B3, C1, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3) Nate Werth – Percussion (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Jelani Brooks – Tenor Sax (A1) Michael Campagna – Trumpet (A1, B1, B2, C1, D1) Marío Cortés García – Contrabass (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Malik Taylor – French Horn (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Lemar Guillary – Trombone (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Jonathan Mones – Flutes & Sax (B1, B2, D1) Jay Jennings – Trumpet & Flugelhorn (A1, B2, B3, C1, C4, D2) Ibanda Ruhimbika – Tuba (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) MonoNeon – Bass (B3, C3, D2, D3) DominiqueXavier – Keys (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Domenica Fossati – Flute & Piccolo (A1, B1, B2, C1, D1) Dave Richards – Trumpet (B2, C4, D1) Daniel Wytanis – Trombone (B2, C4, D1) Ben Burget – Flutes, Clarinet & Alto Sax (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Antoine Katz – Bass (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) Alex Wasily – Trombone (A1, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1) MacKenzie – Vocals (C3) Kyle Rapps – Vocals (B3) STRINGS (A1, B1, B2, B3, C1, C4, D1, D2) Salomón Guerrero Alarcón – Cello Israel Torress Araiza – Violin Carols Roberto Gándara García – Violin Anna Arnal Ferrer - Viola

[nofatclips]

C-Side by Sly5thAve featuring Denitia, live at Grand Performances in California Plaza

[power-chords]

Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.

[noondaytune]

Year in Review: California Love - Sly5thave (feat. Cory Henry)

Covers, acoustic renditions, orchestral tributes, acapella reworkings, reggae-tinged tributes, accordion remixes, I tend to love them all. At the very least I’ll listen to them a couple of times, and if they’re grand, add them to my “We’ve got you covered” playlist.

So it’s little wonder my two of my five most-played tracks on Spotify in 2017 were -- you guessed it -- covers. At number two I had Local Natives’ cover of Kanye’s “Ultralight Beam”, while Deepthroat Choir’s take on Little Dragon’s “Ritual Union” came in at number five.

Felix Leband’s “The Savage Bush Hotel” -- which took bronze -- gets an honorable mention because it samples “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” by Irma Thomas so heavily.

And this one? Well, Sly5thave’s album “The Invisible Man: An Orchestral Tribute to Dr Dre” was only released in mid-November 2017, so it’s not had time to sneak only my top 100. Like the Easy Star All-Stars numerous albums covering iconic albums, Sly5thave’s tributes to Dr Dre remind me just how strong the source material is. Some of the hooks are so familiar I’d recognise them if they were played on a kazoo.

Recognisability isn’t the be-all and end-all for covers (I’m still not sold on Alt-J’s go at “House of the Rising Sun” -- some tracks should be left alone -- and Cat Power’s “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is effective because it drops the most familiar part of the original), but the moment you hear something that sparks recognition there’s a little rush of endorphins, and in an otherwise pretty dark 2017, I was pleased of those wherever I could find them.

Here’s to 2018 and the remixes, reworkings, sampling and mashups it’ll doubtless bring... and to getting those little pick-me-ups wherever we can.

Contributed by @craigwilson.

[nofatclips]

“NYC Edit” version of Right Here by Sly5thAve featuring Denitia, also featured on the EP What It Is - Live Before the Lockdown

[nofatclips]

More Or Less by Sly5thAve (featuring Marlon Craft) live in New York, also featured on the EP What It Is - Live Before the Lockdown

[nofatclips]

Expatria by Sly5thAve (featuring Thalma de Freitas) from the album What It Is