The Unifics
UNIFICS -- the show-stopping soul group from the Washington, D.C. area, was established at Howard University in 1966 by Al Johnson and Tom Fauntleroy, two students from Newport News, VA.
The Unifics helped pioneer an exciting brand of stage shows with intricate hand movements, white gloves, black lights, and dapper attire, all topped with honeyed harmonies and soul piercing songs.
With songs like Beginning of My End, and Court of Love(both songs arranged by a young Donny Hathaway), the Unifics would thrill eyes and sooth ears.
The Unifics are back at it again, just like before, performing and recording, exciting audiences and resurrecting memories. Visit them at their new web home.
Daniel “Danny Gold” Goldstone has been a recording artist since 1966. Since that time he has fronted several singing groups, including Peace, Justice, & Equality; The Deceptions; Royalty; Danny Gold & Co., and other groups. His records, including, "Of All the Hearts," are sold all over the planet and are collector’s items in Japan, Italy, France, England, and other countries around the world. He has been a drummer, a performing singer, a songwriter, a producer, a manager and more.
Goldstone has written and produced for a number of artists.
Goldstone has also launched 4 record labels:
Stone Gold Records
TSOV (The Sounds of Virginia)
8th Ave Records
Peace Records
Daniel has also owned and operated several record stores under the banner of “Rings and Things,” had a One-Stop, and been an independent record promoter for some of the biggest names and hottest acts in the country. He was mentored in the music business by two of the greatest record promoters to ever live, Joe Medlin, and Leroy Little, Sr. If you didn't know "Danny," you weren't in the music business.
Currently this versatile entrepreneur is involved in real estate, coordinates a web based store, is operating a record label and developing new talent.
Victor Wooten and his brothers Regi, Rudy, Roy, and Joseph, had a band known as The Wooten Brothers since Victor was 5. The brothers attended Denbigh High School in Newport News, VA. They were a phenomenal band which toured locally and nationally, working with artists such as Curtis Mayfield and acts like War.
Victor is often cited as one of, if not the, best bass player in the world. Bass Player magazine awarded him the title, 3 years in a row. Wooten won two Nashville Music Awards for Bassist Of The Year. He has recorded and performed with a wide variety of artists like Branford Marsalis, Mike Stern, Bruce Hornsby, Chick Corea, Dave Matthews, Prince, Gov’t Mule, Susan Tedeschi, Vital Tech Tones (with Scott Henderson and Steve Smith), the Jaco Pastorius Word Of Mouth Big Band, and the soundtrack of the Disney film Country Bears.
He is also known for his role as a founding member of Bela Fleck & The Flecktones.
“Wooten utilizes one of the most unique and complex approaches ever devised in the electric bass guitar's short history. He visualizes his thumb as a pick and through a series of rapid-fire up-and-down strokes, uses it to punch out some of the most intricate and eloquent sounds ever heard from the instrument. By comparison, most bassists only hit strings on the downstroke. Wooten's technique enables him to perform solo on his bass exactly the same way a guitarist would—with all of the same flexibility, subtlety, warmth and lyricism.”
--Anil Prasad--
In 2008, Wooten joined other bass legends, Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller, to form SMV.
Watch for the Steve Miller-Kenny Chesney episode of "Crossroads" later this year.
General Jo has been involved with various aspects of the music business since 1978. He has been a bodyguard, DJ, writer, producer, performer, manager, consultant and more. In 1984, he started Dangerous Jams Records with Larry Bolin of DJ’s Records & Tapes. There he wrote and produce a number of songs for various groups such as Virginia’s Precious Metal featuring Lina Brown, Tripple B Co., plus his own group, General Jo & the Intergalactic Empire.
A pioneer in Electro music, his records are treasured collectors items in Europe and the United States with vinyl collectors and club DJ’s. The ballad, “Never Fall In Love Again,” was a regional hit and was on radio station, WRAP’s, Top 6 at 6, for 6 weeks straight. 20 years after it was released, “The Base Rock,” was a hit in German dance clubs.
He is currently writing and producing for Stone Gold Records.
Lenis Guess was one of the pioneers in the Norfolk recording scene. This self-taught vocalist and musician was cranking out records from his 35th Street studio in Norfolk for many artists, including his own and himself. This, producer, singer, musician, performer was at the forefront of the Norfolk sound.
With songs like, “I was Born to Be A Drummer,“ his Funk band, The 35th Street Gang, were mainstays of the 70s in and around the Hampton Roads area. Lenis himself had hits like, “I Keep Coming Back for More,” and “Working for My Baby.”
Lenis live in Europe,
Guess moved to the heart of New York and opened "Lenis Guess Productions” located in Manhattan, 612 8th Ave. There he got busy writing, recording, producing, and performing R&B, Gospel music, plays, TV shows, while also directing and starring in movies for video/DVD. He has adoring fans who seek him out, even from across the ocean in the United Kingdom.
