Tower Of Power

Tower Of Power - The Very Best Of Tower Of Power The Warner Years - 2001 - Rhino / Wea

From the band that’s practically synonymous with the badass horn section come 16 full-length versions of the funkiest jams and smoothest ballads from their 1972 - 1975 golden era on Warner Bros. Check out their great 1974 "Back To Oakland" album @ TOP/B2O/74

TRACKS

01. You Got To Funkifize
02. What Happened To The World That Day?
03. Down To The Nightclub
04. You're Still A Young Man
05. What Is Hip?
06. So Very Hard To Go
07. This Time It's Real
08. Will I Ever Find A Love?
09. Soul Vaccination
10. Time Will Tell
11. Below Us, All The City Lights
12. Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream)
13. Willing To Learn 14. Only So Much Oil In The Ground
15. I Won't Leave Unless You Want Me To
16. You're So Wonderful, So Marvelous

MUSICIANS

Chester Thompson - piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, Arp synthesizer
Lenny Pickett - flute, alto flute, soprano, alto, tenor & bass saxophones, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, lyricon
Lenny Williams
Mic Gillette - trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, bass trombone, French horn, baritone horn
Greg Adams - trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, bells
David Garibaldi
Stephen "Doc" Kupka - oboe, English horn, baritone saxophone
Francis "Rocco" Prestia - bass
Emilio "Mimi" Castillo - vocals, tenor saxophone
Skip Mesquite - flute, tenor saxophone

ALBUM / MUSICIAN CREDITS

Tower Of Power: Emilio Castillo (vocals, tenor saxophone); Lenny Williams, Rick Stevens, Hubert Tubbs (vocals); Bruce Conte, Willie Fulton (guitar); Lenny Pickett (flute, alto flute, soprano, alto, tenor & bass saxophones, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, lyricon); Skip Mesquite (flute, tenor saxophone); Stephen "Doc" Kupka (oboe, English horn, baritone saxophone); Mic Gillette (trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, bass trombone, French horn, baritone horn); Greg Adams (trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, bells); Chester Thompson (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, Arp synthesizer); Francis Rocco Prestia (bass); David Garibaldi, David Bartlett (drums); Brent Byars (congas, bongos). Producers: Ron Capone, Emilio Castillo, Tower Of Power. Compilation producers: Emilio Castillo, Stephen "Doc" Kupka, Gary Peterson. Recorded between 1972 & 1975.

ABOUT THE GROUP

In the mid-1960s, 17-year-old tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo moved from Detroit, Michigan, to Fremont, California. He started a band called The Gotham City Crime Fighters[1] which evolved into the Motowns, specializing in soul music. In 1968, Castillo teamed up with baritone saxophonist Stephen "Doc" Kupka (aka "The Funky Doctor") and trumpet/trombone player Mic Gillette, moved to Oakland, and began writing original material. They changed the band's name to Tower of Power and began playing frequently in the Bay Area.
In 1970, Tower of Power (by then including trumpeter Greg Adams) signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and quickly released its first album, East Bay Grease. They moved to Warner Bros. Records and 1972's Bump City and 1973's self-titled release were breakout albums for the band; the latter included possibly their most enduring song, What is Hip?. On some of their releases in mid-1970s, such as Urban Renewal (1974), the band moved towards funk, but always continued recording ballads as well. After vocalist Lenny Williams left, the band's days of commercial success were over. In late 1970s they moved towards disco sounds.
Tower of Power has remained active throughout the years, and is still touring. Personnel changes have been part of the history and evolution of the band; at least 60 musicians have performed, toured, and/or recorded with the band through the years, including Saturday Night Live musical director Lenny Pickett, drummer David Garibaldi, trumpet Rick Waychesko, bassist Rocco Prestia, saxophonist Richard Elliot, and bassist and BALCO founder Victor Conte whose cousin Bruce Conte played guitar in the band as well (Bruce Conte has recently rejoined). After leaving the band, one of their original vocalists, Rick Stevens, was sentenced to life in prison on three counts of first-degree murder. The other original vocalist, Rufus Miller, performed most of the lead vocals on "East Bay Grease."
Tower of Power has released 18 albums over the years (Compilations and regional variations not included), the latest being 2003's return to form Oakland Zone. In addition, the horn section has become well-known as a backing unit for other artists. The TOP horn section has appeared on many artists' recordings, including Little Feat, the Monkees, Santana, Elton John, Linda Lewis, John Lee Hooker, Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship, Heart, Huey Lewis and the News, Spyro Gyra, Lyle Lovett, Poison, Phish, and Aerosmith. The song, "So Very Hard To Go" was featured in the soundtrack of the film City of God.
Tower of Power has also made special guest appearances in the albums of other major recording solo artists. In 1993, the band was featured in Luis Miguel's album Aries, in a cover of "Attitude Dance" titled "Que Nivel de Mujer." Most recently, Tower of Power has been featured on Josh Groban's Awake album, during an instrumental break in Machine. Copyright © 2007 Answers Corporation. All rights reserved