Rap's New Jazz Messengers Us

By CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY

The young music fan was lying happily on his couch, listening to Hand on the Torch, the new CD by US 3, when he drifted into a dream about the late jazz drummer Art Blakey, leader of the influential Jazz Messengers.

"Mr. Blakey!" the fan exclaimed. "I love your work! The things you did to nurture young jazzmen like Terence Blanchard -- just amazing! But you should really hear what's happened to jazz since you, ah, passed on. There are all these young performers -- such as A Tribe Called Quest, Freestyle Fellowship and now US 3 -- who are combining rap and jazz. You know rap: it's a kind of rhythmic recitation, done to a strong beat."

"Now I'm a little out of the loop on these things," Blakey interrupted. "So let me get this clear. While jazz music is playing, these clowns are talking? In my day we called that heckling, not music."

"Hold on, hold on. Just let me tell you about this great new group US 3. It was started by two British producer-musicians -- Mel Simpson and Geoff Wilkinson. Each US 3 song features a variety of English, Jamaican and American jazz musicians and rappers."

"US 3? I don't get it."

" 'Us two' are the producers. The rappers and musicians collectively count as one more. Add 'em up and you get US 3."

"Hmmm," said Blakey. "Well, let me hear some of this U2 stuff."

"US 3."

"Whatever."

The fan played his favorite track on the album: Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia).

"Interesting," said Blakey, tapping his toes. "But a total rip-off. That part in the beginning -- it's from A Night in Birdland, Vol. 1, by my own quintet. And then it flows into excerpts from Herbie Hancock's Cantaloupe Island."

"We call that sampling. On this song, US 3 plays bits from old jazz songs. Rapper Rahsaan speaks over the music -- not staccato-style like most rappers, but easy and loose, like another instrument. Then, topping it all off, there's a live trumpeter, Gerard Presencer. His solos slink through the track, linking the parts."

"You know," said Blakey, "I think I like it! This rocks! Play more."

The youngster played Lazy Day, a Sunday stroll of a song, with a drowsy trumpet and laid-back raps by Kobie Powell. In the background were R. and B. vocals, gliding over the song like a bird though a blue sky. "Isn't it great?" the fan said. "US 3 takes jazz-rap to a new level of sophistication. The Blue Note jazz label let the producers use its entire catalog as source material."

Next the young fan played The Darkside, a track built around Donald Byrd's Steppin' into Tomorrow. It starts with a grim, pulsing bass, followed by hard lyrics about urban life: "Come take a trip through the eye of a black man/ Looking out at life like he really doesn't give a damn."

"I see the possibilities here," said Blakey. "This hybrid combines verbal and musical expression."

"Right. Simpson, the US 3 producer, says jazz-rap should no longer be called a hybrid. It's become its own branch of music."

Blakey looked lost in thought. "So how popular is this music?"

"Last week, US 3 was playing in the background on Melrose Place."

"Melrose Place. I think I did a club gig there," said Blakey, wistfully. "I'll have to remember the name of this group of yours, We 3."

"US 3, Mr. Blakey. US 3."

"Whatever."

Then the young fan woke up.