Sly Johnson À La Maroquinerie

Self-taught and a child of hip-hop culture, Sly Johnson has spent more than twenty-five years forging a singular path between rap, soul and jazz. A founding member of Saïan Supa Crew, he established his voice and his sense of rhythm before striking out as a solo artist. He will be at La Maroquinerie in Paris on April 30, 2026, for a concert centered on his world, his collaborations and his highly personal way of making groove and melody converse.

Since his first solo album, 74, released in 2010 on Universal Jazz/EmArcy, Sly Johnson has refined his textures, explored new harmonies and expanded his sonic palette. In the studio he is working on Mr. JOHNSON, announced for March 2025, co‑composed with Nicholas Vella, a pianist emerging from the new French jazz scene. The project brings together writing nourished by jazz harmonies, a stylized soul timbre and rhythmic foundations drawn from hip-hop.

Onstage, Sly places the voice front and center, moving between a smooth flow, deeply felt singing and minimal pulses that prop up the set. At La Maroquinerie, expect a journey through his repertoire, punctuated by recent songs and nods to his roots, where each piece finds its place without ostentation, with the attention to detail and groove that define his approach.