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Today in rock history: On this date in 1993, Us3, a collective of musicians that mixed hip-hop with classic jazz, released its debut album, Hand on the Torch. By cleverly melding the two genres, the group scored a massive hit with this innovative album and its lead single, “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)," which sampled Herbie Hancock’s 1964 classic track, “Cantaloupe Island.” Combining live musicians with samples that saluted the works of jazz greats like Thelonious Monk, Grant Green and Donald Byrd, the record spawned a movement that conjoined hip-hop and classic jazz flawlessly. Released on renowned jazz record label Blue Note Records, Hand on the Torch was so popular and well-received that it led to the release of a compilation entitled The Ultimate Hand on the Torch which collected many of the original recordings that were sampled for use on Us3’s groundbreaking debut album.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 2006, Queen’s 1981 Greatest Hits collection was deemed the best-selling album of all time in England. A steady seller since its early 1980s release, the compilation album exceeded sales of 6 million copies in Great Britain alone. Abba’s Gold hits collection, the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Adele’s 21 have all exceeded sales of over five million copies sold in England, and rank directly behind this greatest hits compilation on sales charts.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1974, soul and R&B genius Stevie Wonder continued his reign on singles sales charts with the release of the “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” the funky, second single released from his brilliant Fulfillingness' First Finale album. More of an outright funk song than the title might imply, Wonder played every instrument on the track including drums, organ, harmonica and the Moog synthesizer that gave the song its funky groove. “Boogie On Reggae Woman” topped Billboard’s R&B singles chart for two weeks and climbed as high as No. 3 on Billboard’s pop singles chart.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1968, Electric Ladyland, the third album from The Jimi Hendrix Experience, entered the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s pop albums chart where it would remain for two weeks. The last album to be released during the guitarist's lifetime, Ladyland was first of his albums to make it to the top spot in America. Largely misunderstood and received indifferently by some rock critics, the album is now considered one of the greatest records of all time. The double LP featured Hendrix's rousing rendition of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower,” which is the only Hendrix single to crack the Top 40 on U.S. singles charts where it peaked at No. 20.
This article appears in Nov 15-22, 2018.