Artist description UnityGroup is an exciting and captivating instrumental world music ensemble. This unusual band incorporates jazz elements of creative improvisation during its dynamic performances. UnityGroup's distinctive original compositions highlight rhythms and melodies from around the world, including Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia. The band’s musicians play many unusual and amazing instruments from exotic places, which adds spice and intrigue to the music. The unique result is a passionate, energetic music of spirit and celebration. Audiences from eight to eighty love the stylistic variety, and are touched by the heart-felt emotional intensity. The steel pans have become a great favorite, signaling a party for everyone to participate in. We get people jumping, dancing, stomping, clapping, singing, and having a rousing good time, while providing some very high energy music, all spontaneously created. For us, unity is the opportunity to honor and bring together the six directions, as is done in Native Lakota ceremonies: above (sky), below (earth), north, east, south, and west. To do so, we are prepared to play anything from anywhere, as the mood strikes us.

Music Style World-Fusion

Musical Influences jazz, latin, west african, caribbean, middle eastern, power rock

Similar Artists Bela Fleck, Weather Report, Santana, Fela, Pat Methany

Artist History Rob Weinberger was active in the New York lower East side scene in the 1980s, playing blues and rock & roll with Jono Manson, The Worms, Joan Osborne, Blues Traveler, and other jammin' folks. He spent a year living and playing in Puerto Rico, then joined a great world beat band from New York, Sylvain Leroux and the Maintenance Crew, which was great fun. Rob moved up to the land of Binghamton in the mid '90s, and decided to form a band to play a combination of all the great stuff he had been playing for 20 years. There are some absolutely solid musicians everywhere, and in short order, he had the best creative folks to help put this unique sound together. We play anything from anywhere, sometimes all of it during the same tune. For the past 4 years, UnityGroup has been touring around the northeast sharing its music of spirit and celebration with everyone we meet, all ages, all backgrounds, in concerts, festivals, schools, even church services, though we are not connected with any religious organization.

Group Members Robert Weinberger: Harris Thor: Guitars, dundun, percussionJim Rosati: Drums, percussion, dundun, dan giongNate Brown: Congas, timbales, djembe, steel pan, vocals Joseph Perkins: Bass, percussionJoseph Burton: Congas, bongos, DjembeTom Sorber: Keyboards

Instruments Saxes, Flutes,Guitars, Bass, Drums, Steel Pans, African and Latin Percussion, Djembes, Didgeridoo,

Albums UnityGroup, Live at the Haunt, One World

Press Reviews “Take a journey around the world with UnityGroup!”—Binghamton Press Wonderfully positive up beat music that you can't sit still to. The energy level is high, the enthusiasm is contagious... so different from other music you hear. FUN!--Joel Smales, Binghamton Symphony Unity Group creates music that is both fascinating and incredibly infectious. . They can easily move between an ethereal sound and high-energy rhythmic grooves. A performance by Unity Group is a memorable experience in poly-cultural music. --George Graham, WVIA Television UnityGroup’s facility with global musical styles is a testament …to their commitment to letting music communicate in ways that transcend national, cultural, or language barriers…a joy to experience. --K Matthew Dames, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin

Location Binghamton, New York - USA

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