Us3 is basically my musical baby. It started out in '92 as an experiment to fuse hip hop and jazz using the
Blue Note back catalogue as a sampling resource. I didn’t want it to be a totally retrospective thing though so I mixed it up using US rappers and a variety of young jazz musicians from the burgeoning jazz scene in London. My original theory was that there were three elements to
Us3 music; the old jazz samples, the boom bap with the rap, and young cats soloing on top. This acknowledged the past, was firmly rooted in the present, and looked forward to the future. I wanted to open up some heads. I wanted to hand on the torch.
What happened next is a very long story!
Click to read the full biography and discography of all 6 albums (plus singles & all the lyrics).
I’m now releasing my music independently and relishing the freedom it has given me. The new (6th!) album Say What!? features rappers Gaston & Akil (who also featured on the 2006 Us3 album Schizophonic) alongside new 21 year old R&B singer Adeline & a host of brilliant jazz musicians from the UK.