Us3

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the jazz-rap band. You may be looking for U.S. Highway 3.

Us3 is a jazz-rap group founded in London in 1991. Their name was inspired by a Horace Parlan recording produced by Alfred Lion, the founder of Blue Note Records^[1]. On their debut album, Hand on the Torch, Us3 used samples from the Blue Note Records catalogue, all originally produced by Lion.

The group was not originally a trio, but from their second album on they have indeed been "us three" as in 3 members. Geoff Wilkinson is the only permanent member, and has also produced all the albums. For each new recording two new rappers/vocalists have been introduced, see below.

1 Members
2 Members, Us3 live band
3 Discography
4 Trivia
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Members

Geoff Wilkinson
Mel Simpson (- 1996)
Rahsaan Kelly (- 1996)
Kobie Powell (- 1996)
Tukka Yoot (featured on the song "Tukka Yoot's Riddim" on Hand On The Torch)
KCB (1996-99)
Shabaam Sahdeeq (1996-99)
Michelob (1999-2003)
Alison Crockett (1999-2003)
Reggi Wyns (2003-2005)
Mpho Skeef (2003-2005)
Akil Dasan (2005-)
Gaston (2005-)

[edit] Members, Us3 live band

Chris Storr (trumpet)
Ed Jones (sax)
"Level" Neville Malcolm (double bass)
DJ First Rate (turntable)
Ernie Cranenburgh (jazz guitar)
Mike Gorman (piano)
Sean Hargreaves (piano)
John Crawford (piano)

[edit] Discography

1993 Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) (EP)
1993 Hand on the Torch
1994 Tukka Yoot's Riddim (EP)
1994 I got it goin' on (EP)
1997 Broadway & 52nd
1999 Flip Fantasia: Hits and remixes (box)
2001 An ordinary day in an unusual place
2003 The Ultimate Hand on the Torch
2004 Questions
2006 Schizophonic

[edit] Trivia

Among the samples featured on the debut album Hand On The Torch is "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)", sampling Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island". The song received much attention, approaching platinum status in the United States and being adopted as the theme music to the WBUR public radio program The Connection.