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Us3
Questions and
Answers
by Abraham Kuranga
Copyright ©
2005 PopEntertainment.com.
All rights reserved. Posted: June 2, 2005.
You’ve heard the song a thousand times and probably didn’t know
to whom you
were listening. The hip-hop meets jazz feel of “Cantaloop (Flip
Fantasia)”
undoubtedly made you move to its infectious rhythm. The name of
the group, in case you were wondering, is called Us3 (pronounced Us Three)
and they are back with a new album and a fresh perspective on music today.
The
mastermind behind Us3 and its infused sound is Geoff Wilkinson, a talented
and very opinionated jazz producer from London. Wilkinson, along with
production partner Mel Simpson, scored a smash hit with “Cantaloop” which
contained a clever sample of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island.” The hit
came as a surprise to all involved, according to Wilkinson. “It was only a
single deal,” said Wilkinson or the group’s first label deal with Blue
Note. “It started in Japan and made its way around the world. It caught
everyone by surprise.”
Who
exactly is Us3, though? The formula is very simple. Along with witty jazz
samples, toss in a unique singer and a talented rapper all mixed together
with innovative hip-hop beats and you have Us3. As perfunctory as it may
sound, its not that simple, confesses Wilkinson. “There were never really
three people in the group,” says Wilkinson. “I always intended to change
vocalists, including the lyricist.” Over the years, Us3 has employed
lyricists Kobie Powell, Rahsaan Kelly and Tukka
Yoot on Hand to the Torch. Also lending their talents to the
collective were
New York
rappers KCB and Shabaam Sahdeeq on the aptly entitled Broadway and 52nd.
The following album, 2001’s An Ordinary Day in an Unusual Place found
another change in vocalists, with Alison Crockett and rapper Michelob coming
on board. It was this constant change and less formulaic approach
that, according to Wilkinson, gave the public relations staff at their
record labels a headache. The ever-changing line up was not the only thing
that confused the companies -- as well as fans.
The
eclectic sound attributed to Us3 led to confusion on how to market them.
“We got tagged as jazz at first,” says Wilkinson. “Though I’m bound by
no restrictions, I consider the music hip-hop jazz, with a little soul
influence.”
With
their music containing much variety, Us3 contributes such a quality to their
surroundings. “I consider London a cultural melting pot,” says
Wilkinson. “Unlike New York City, where all the ethnic groups are
separated in Chinatown, Little Italy, Jamaica, everyone lives together in
London, contributing to a very diverse musical background.”
After
fifteen years and four albums, and many label changes, Us3 has returned with
Questions. “This album was made at a strange time,” confesses
Wilkinson, whose daughter had just been born prematurely. “My daughter’s
birth and complications made me question everything.” Questions is
full of Us3’s trademark jazz, with a surprising twist to its 1994 hit
entitled “Cantaloop 2004: Soul Mix.” But, why re-record your first smash
hit ten years later? The answer is very simple. “I could do it,” reveals
Wilkinson. He later goes on to explain that when signing a recording
contract, there are certain re-recording restrictions and in this particular
case, it was a ten-year restriction. “I also wanted to keep up with the
jazz tradition,” says Wilkinson. “Jazz musicians redo their music all the
time.”
Questions boast
the vocal talents of South African singer Mpho Skeef and
Brooklyn rapper Reggi Wyns. Their individual influences can be
heard throughout the album but it is Mpho, who adds the most intriguing
ingredient to this collection -- soul. “Mpho is very R&B and I wanted to
showcase that on this album,” says Wilkinson. In his own right, Reggi Wyns’
talent doesn’t go unnoticed. “He’s a phenomenal free-styler,” boasts
Wilkinson. “He is non-stop. Can free-style for ages.” Combined, these two
talents interpret songs that embody what Wilkinson says is a snapshot of
moments in his life. “It truly represents what I am feeling,” says
Wilkinson. “I’m a huge subscriber to the belief that life is a journey, not
a destination.” Songs like “A New Beginning” represent the brave step of
releasing the album independently. “The Healer,” written about is
daughter’s complications, is another song that Wilkinson feels truly
represents life.
Wilkinson now feels that Us3 is on the path he had envisioned more than a
decade before. In 1990, the group released a single entitled “Where Will We
Be in the 21st Century,” and according to Wilkinson, he is “much
further along” than he imagined. “Which is nice,” he says. With many
projects on the horizon, including a new label, Kwerk Records, a few
compilation albums as well as touring the states with his band. When it’s
all said and done, Wilkinson doesn’t want his name to linger just because of
a hit record. “I’d like them to think I was a great producer,” says
Wilkinson, speaking of his memory. “I hope to leave behind a great body of
work that truly represents the arts and feeling.”
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