HAMPTON — Anthony Johnson, founder of Kustom Made, calls the group “a national traveling band.”
In the past month alone, Johnson and his bandmates have played from New York to Phoenix. But he’s really excited about the chance to play in his back yard at the Hampton Jazz Festival, which is scheduled for June 22-24 at the Hampton Coliseum.
“I’m from the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited about it,” he said. “It’s good to be home.”
The group has never played the event, but one of Johnson’s goals this year was to perform closer to home more often. (The group played The Gala of Hope at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in April).
“So when I got the phone call about the Jazz Festival, I said, ‘Of course,’” Johnson said.
It was even better when he learned he would be on the opening night bill with Charlie Wilson, Jazmine Sullivan and Gregory Porter.
“Charlie Wilson is one of my favorite artists,” he said. “I’m also a big fan of Jazmine.”
Johnson is working on finalizing his set list, but admits some concessions will have to be made because his band is scheduled to play for just 30 minutes.
“The tour package is about 16 pieces, 16 members, but that night we will run about 11 members,” he said.
But no concessions will be made to the quality and atmosphere.
“It’ll be a great show, very energetic, upbeat,” he said. “We’ll give them some party vibe, set the scene for the other artists. So we will be high energy.”
Band’s name says it all
Johnson formed the band in 2011, and at the time, was touring with other groups. But he wanted to create a group with national experience – “as if you were hiring any of your national platinum artists” – yet at an affordable price.
“So I picked a hand-pieced package, that’s why I call it Kustom Made, because the band was actually customized (with) some of the top talent in the area,” he said. “I just wanted a dynamite variety package.”
And that’s what he thinks he has put together.
“We have a group of talent that I feel some of the vocalists could win ‘The Voice’ or at least compete at a high level if they didn’t win it,” Johnson said. “That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to bring a package like that so no one would get the local experience. It’s why we don’t consider us a local act for the work we do.”
Kustom Made, whose forte is high-end weddings, festival and corporate events, does everything from Frank Sinatra to Bruno Mars to Beyonce, and much more.
But Johnson said it’s more than just performing songs by those artists.
“If we have an artist doing Patti LaBelle, they sound like Patti LaBelle,” Johnson said. “If we have an artist doing Michael Jackson, it’s very similar to Michael Jackson.”
He added they also perform songs by Justin Timberlake, the Temptations and The O’Jays.
He said he probably will have four men and three women on vocals that night. But all of the performers are diverse in their talents. Johnson, for instance, is a vocalist as well as a musician, having started off playing the drums.
“A lot of our vocalists are musicians, even on my front line, even though you won’t see them on instruments that night,” he said. “And most of our musicians are strong vocalists. It’s just a plethora of talent, which you will see that night.”
More ahead for the group
But the excitement for Kustom Made won’t end that night. Johnson said the band, which also does original songs, is aiming to release its first single by the end of the year.
“Hopefully, we will have it out by November or December,” he said. “It will be an R&B feel with some good horns. I’d say more like a modern day Frankie Beverly or something similar.”
While it’s the first single by the band, many of its members have recorded with other artists.
“Some of them have toured with Earth, Wind & Fire, Rick James, Teena Marie. The list goes on and on,” Johnson said.
Schedule and ticket information
- Friday, June 22: Kustom Made, Charlie Wilson, Jazmine Sullivan and Gregory Porter.
- Saturday, June 23: Maze (featuring Frankie Beverly), Boyz II Men, Avery Sunshine and Lakeside.
- Sunday, June 24: Kenny G, Xscap3, Lalah Hathaway and Con Funk Shun.
- Tickets: The cost is $76 per seat per day. They can be ordered by phone at 800-745-3000, or at the Coliseum box office. For information, call 757-838-4203 or visit the event website.
