Tower of Power

Off-topic
1

My wife and I caught these guys in Markham Ontario tonight. (Just north of Toronto.) Has anyone other than Andrew Carter heard of them before? They’ve been around for almost 40 years, with several original members still touring with them. If they’re in your area, I really suggest trying to see them. They’re sort of like a funk/soul/rock band with an awesome horn section.

I was hanging with the trumpet players after, and although we’d never met before, we’d ‘chewed some of the same grass’ and had a few common aquaintances.

Here’s their website.

What amazed us was the age range of people there. ‘Kids’ who probably hadn’t seen high school yet, to people old enough to be my grand parents.

P.S.- Hey BriMac, Tuffy thanks you.

2

I saw them about 25 years ago

3

I avoided seeing them about 25 years ago. :slight_smile:

Well, actually I think I saw them once on Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert.

4

I met the brass section once at a music clinic but I’ve never heard them live.

5

I saw them about 35 years ago at the Stanford Amphitheater in Palo Alto. I think it was one of their first concerts. The power went out during the concert and I (at approximately age 13) thought the irony was hilarious. I’ve been a fan ever since.

6

I followed them from 1970-73, Tower of Power has remained active throughout the years, and still tours extensively and worldwide today. Inevitably, over a nearly 40 year span, some personnel changes have been part of the history and evolution of this funk and soul institution.

At least 60 musicians have been touring and/or recording members of the group through the years, including current Saturday Night Live musical director/saxophonist Lenny Pickett, drummer David Garibaldi, bassist Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia, trumpeter Rick Waychesko, saxophonists Richard Elliot and Euge Groove, and early guitarist Bruce Conte, whose cousin and BALCO founder Victor Conte also briefly played bass guitar in the band from the late 70’s thru early 80’s. One of their original vocalists, Rick Stevens, after leaving the band, 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’.

Bruce Conte recently rejoined ToP, replacing almost 10-year ToP veteran guitarist Jeff Tamelier, and even more recently departed again, after slightly more than a year, quoting primarily personal health issues. But for a short time during 2006-2007, ToP (with Bruce) had 5 of of their (then) 11 ‘Back-in-the-Day’ members ‘Back-on-the-Stage’.

This year, following Bruce into the guitarist position has been Charles Spikes (very capable, though temporary, while auditions for a permanent player were held), and currently Mark Harper, who so far, from an audience perspective, seems to be a valuable addition to the group, and who also offers powerful yet accurate harmony vocals.

Tower of Power has released 18 albums over the years (Compilations and regional variations not included), the latest being 2003’s ‘return to form’ CD, entitled Oakland Zone.

In addition, their 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, RAD. (Rose Ann Dimalanta), John Lee Hooker, Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship, Heart, Huey Lewis and the News, Spyro Gyra, Lyle Lovett, Poison, Phish, Toto, and Aerosmith. Tower’s early song, ‘So Very Hard To Go’ was featured in the soundtrack of the 2002 film City of God.