Known for his sophisticated compositions, Sly5thAve, aka Sylvester Onyejiaka II, sound is shaped by his faith in hip-hop, and deep understanding of soul, R&B and jazz.

Sly5thAve is fresh from multiple sold out shows at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, a North American tour with Alfa Mist, and arranging/conducting for Questlove and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

This live performance will feature special guests and drums from fellow Texan Jackie Whitmill Jr., as Sly5thAve celebrates his catalogue of original compositions and reworkings, and his new music set for release in 2024.

With a core underground following, Sly5thAve is a Grammy award-winning horns player, whose projects have been backed by Jarobi White (A Tribe Called Quest), Gilles Peterson, Downbeat magazine, Noisey, NPR, The Fader, Jazz Times, Martin Freeman, Lauren Laverne, Cerys Matthews and more. He has attained respect from his work with highly- fêted musicians including Prince, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight. Also part of Ghost-Note and a collaborator with Roberto Verástegui.

Sly5thAve’s musical inspirations span the worlds of jazz and hip hop, with icons like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Cannonball Adderley influencing his artistic journey. His orchestral tribute to Dr. Dre, ‘The Invisible Man’ (Tru Thoughts) garnered widespread praise and attention, even earning the admiration of Dr. Dre himself.

SLY5THAVE

Sly5thAve, is the project of multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, and composer Sylvester Uzoma Onyejiaka II, blends hip hop with soul, R&B, and jazz. His critically acclaimed release, ‘The Invisible Man: An Orchestral Tribute To Dr. Dre,’ set the stage for his 2020 album, ‘What It Is,’ featuring Denitia, Marlon Craft, Melissa McMillan, and Grammy-nominated Thalma de Freitas. In 2022, he collaborated with composer Roberto Verástegui on ‘Agua de Jamaica’ and MC JSWISS on ‘Somebody’s Gotta Do It.’ His 2024 album, ‘Liberation,’ showcases his first full album of original orchestral arrangements and features Ghost Note bandmates, including Snarky Puppy’s multi-Grammy-winning percussion duo Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth.

With a dedicated underground following, Sly5thAve’s projects have been supported by Jarobi White (A Tribe Called Quest), Gilles Peterson (BBC 6Music), Downbeat magazine, NPR, The Fader, Jazz Times, and more. He has earned respect working with legends such as Prince, Questlove, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Taylor Swift, Janelle Monae, Freddie Gibbs, and Quantic.

Born in Austin, Texas, Sly5thAve was exposed to a mix of West African music, soul, and jazz by his Nigerian father and Detroit-native mother. He pursued formal training at the University of North Texas, where he performed with Grammy-nominated ensembles. Mentored by jazz musician Philip Lassiter, Sly5thAve was scouted by Prince for his saxophone talent, joining Prince’s New Power Generation band for two years.

Moving to New York, Sly5thAve collaborated with many future partners at The Clubhouse in Brooklyn. He released his debut solo album ‘Akuma’ in 2014, followed by the ‘Vein Melter’ EP with Jesse Fischer in 2015. His ‘Composite’ EP in 2016 and ‘The Invisible Man: An Orchestral Tribute to Dr. Dre’ in 2017 garnered widespread acclaim. Continuing his collaborative spirit, Sly5thAve’s work spans genres and showcases his versatile musicianship.