“We started noticing it in the mid-’90s: really young kids coming to see us, especially in Europe and Japan,” Castillo explains. We don’t sound like anyone else, and we’re the deal for people who are into this kind of thing.”Ĭomprising four core original members – Castillo on saxophone, drummer David Garibaldi, bassist Francis Rocco Prestia and saxophonist Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka – Tower of Power still fields a mighty 10 piece-band.Īnd like many stellar, veteran bands, the appeal spans generations. We’re fine-tuning our sound every single night. People tell me you still sound so good, and it kind of baffles me because I expect it to sound really good. Even when things were tough for us in the ’80s and people were calling us dinosaurs and we’d never be popular again, we could always play live. “It’s kind of like a James Brown show with a lot of energy and emotion. “We’ve made some great records, but the thing is the live show,” says Tower of Power founding member Emilio Castillo. The group have released 19 albums during their incarnation.Still going strong, Tower of Power has successfully weathered various shifts in musical taste, surviving the disco era, punk and rap, staying true to a love of what members describe as original soul music. In 2008, Tower Of Power celebrated their 40th anniversary with shows across the States Rhythm and business - 1997 / live - 1999 / the oakland zone - 2003 / hipper than hip - 2013 They have collaborated with the likes of Little Feat, Graham Central Station, The Monkees, Grateful Dead, Santana, Elkie Brooks, Cat Stevens, Luis Miguel, Elton John, Linda Lewis, Jermaine Jackson, John Lee Hooker, Helen Reddy, Rufus, Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship, Mickey Hart, Heart, Huey Lewis and the News, Spyro Gyra, Lyle Lovett, Toto, Brothers Johnson, and Aerosmith. Tower Of Power’s horn section has been very much in demand over the years. Power - 1987 / monster on a leash - 1991 / t.o.p. The group continued to release albums, and tour extensively throughout the eighties, nineties and into the new millennium. We came to play - 1978 / back on the streets - 1979 / direct - 1981 / t.o.p. Urban renewal - 1974 / in the slot - 1975 / ain't nothin' stoppin us now - 1976 / live and in living colour - 1976įurther albums followed, including ‘Urban Renewal’ (in 1974), ‘In The Slot’ (in 1975) and ‘We Came To Play’ (in 1978). In 1974, the group released ‘Back to Oakland’, which featured ‘Don't Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)’ and ‘Time Will Tell’, both of which charted. Their most successful single so far, ‘So Very Hard To Go’, featured on the album, along with ‘This Time It's Real’ and ‘What Is Hip?’ This album featured Lenny Williams on lead vocals, which reached number 15 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.
Tower of power (lenny williams - front/centre) The song reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.Ī follow up album called simply ‘Tower of Power’, was released in 1973. In 1972, they released ‘Bump City’, which featured a hit single, ‘You're Still a Young Man’. The group soon switched labels to the Warner Brothers Records imprint. The group signed to San Francisco Records and released their first album, ‘East Bay Grease’ in 1970.Īs a session band, Tower Of Power performed with the likes of Cold Blood, Eric Mercury and Marvin Gaye. They had also added to their ranks, Greg Adams, Mic Gillette, Skip Mesquite, Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia, Willie Fulton, and David Garibaldi.Įast bay grease - 1970 / bump city - 1972 / tower of power - 1973 / back to oakland - 1974 This duo became the central structure of Tower of Power.Īt this time, the group performed under the name, The Motowns.īy 1970, they renamed the group, Tower of Power. 10th April 1954, Las Cruces, New Mexico)įrom Oakland, California, that year, saxophonist Emilio Castillo met Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka, who was also a sax player. Leonard Charles Williams, 6th February 1945, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.A.)
4th November 1946, Oakland, California, U.S.A.) 7th March 1951, Sonora, California, U.S.A.)ĭavid Garibaldi (b.
25th March 1946, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.)įrancis 'Rocco' Prestia (b. 24th September 1950, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A) In 1967 in Oakland, California, U.S.A., Tower Of Power, at various times, comprise of:Įmilio Castillo (b.
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