Us3
Us3 is a British jazz rap band formed in London in 1991 . The band mixed within the sampling mainly jazz pieces of the American Blue Note - Labels with hip-hop elements.
Career
In particular, the single Cantaloop , released in January 1993, with elements from the Herbie Hancock piece Cantaloupe Island (from June 1964) was an international success. The creative head of the band, Geoff Wilkinson, had been given access to the archives of the record company Blue Note Records and was given permission to create samples from the old multi-track tapes. The result can be heard on the single Cantaloop as well as on the CD Hand on the Torch , released in 1993 .
Wilkinson has mixed parts of an original Birdland announcement Pee Wee Marquettes from February 21, 1954 as well as parts of the piano part of Herbie Hancock's recording from 1964 as samples for Cantaloop . Combined with newly recorded instrument parts, rap passages and drum and bass sounds from the computer, this resulted in a jazz-influenced mix. In German-speaking countries, the title was also sold as The Song of Manhattan , as it was used in advertising for the Manhattan ice cream from Nestlé-Schöller .
Band members
- Geoff Wilkinson: since 1992
- Tukka Yoot
- Mel Simpson: 1992-1996
- Rahsaan Kelly: 1993-1995
- Akalla: 2011
- Akil Pasan
- Alison Crocett: 1999-2002
- Shabam Sahdeeq: 1996-1999
- Kobie Powell: 1993-1999
- Sene: 2009
- Adeline: 2007
- Gaston: 2005-2007
- Reggi Whyns: 2003-2005
Discography
Studio albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DE
|
 AT
|
 CH
|
 UK
|
 US
|
|||
| 1993 | Hand on the torch |
DE29 (13 weeks) DE |
AT11 (13 weeks) AT |
CH21 (10 weeks) CH |
UK40 (7 weeks) UK |
US31  (33 weeks)US |
First published: June 1993
|
| 1997 | Broadway & 52nd |
DE80 (2 weeks) DE |
AT28 (2 weeks) AT |
CH48 (1 week) CH |
UK93 (1 week) UK |
- |
First published: February 1997
|
More albums
- 1999: hits and remixes
- 2001: An Ordinary Day in an Unusual Place
- 2003: The Ultimate
- 2004: Questions
- 2006: Schizophonic
- 2007: Say What !?
- 2009: Stop. Think. Run.
- 2011: Lie, Cheat & Steal
- 2013: The Third Way
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
CH
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1992 | Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) Hand On The Torch |
DE22 (30 weeks) DE |
AT3 (17 weeks) AT |
CH7 (25 weeks) CH |
UK23 (5 weeks) UK |
US9  (27 weeks)US |
First published: October 1992
|
| 1993 | Tukka Yoot's Riddim Hand On The Torch |
DE97 (2 weeks) DE |
AT24 (3 weeks) AT |
CH26 (12 weeks) CH |
UK34 (6 weeks) UK |
- |
First published: June 1993
|
| 1994 | I Got It Goin 'On Hand On The Torch |
- | - | - |
UK52 (3 weeks) UK |
- |
First published: May 1994
|
| 1997 | Come On Everybody (Get Down) Broadway & 52nd |
- | - |
CH49 (2 weeks) CH |
UK38 (2 weeks) UK |
- |
First published: January 1997
|
| 2001 | You Can't Hold Me Down An Ordinary Day In An Unusual Place |
- | - | - |
UK94 (1 week) UK |
- |
First published: October 2001
|
More singles
- 1994: Eleven Long Years
- 1997: I'm Thinking About Your Body
- 2002: Get Out
- 2007: Say You Belong To Me