![]() ![]() That sound is vividly represented throughout the nearly two hours of pulse-quickening funk that makes up 50 Years of Funk & Soul. People all over the world started saying that we represent the Oakland soul sound.” So, we called our first album East Bay Grease and put a map of Oakland on the cover, which proved to be a really smart move. It was more ethnic, with a lot of blacks, Hispanics and Asians, and soul was the thing there. “We always called the East Bay, where we were from, the dark side of the Bay. “You can take the boy out of Oakland, but you can't take the Oakland out of the boy,” insists Castillo. While the Bay Area music scene had become famous because of the Fillmore, across the Bay in San Francisco, ToP launched a whole new sound and wore its less glamorous origins proudly. The Fox Theater, where 50 Years of Funk & Soul was recorded, is just a stone’s throw from Jack London Square, where ToP got its start at the now-defunct club On Broadway. I think that defined my approach to music.” ![]() I loved Memphis soul music, yet because of my upbringing I always wanted to make it slicker. “It has a really unique type of soul to it. “Oakland is a very special city,” Castillo says. In the process they’ve defined an “Oakland soul” sound as instantly recognizable as those from Castillo’s hometown, Detroit, as well as inspirations like Memphis and Philadelphia. The band has long since surpassed Castillo’s admittedly modest aspirations, traveling the world, enjoying hit singles on their own and backing some of the most legendary artists of the last 50 years – a list that includes Otis Redding, Elton John, Santana, the Grateful Dead, John Lee Hooker, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, and countless others. I thought, ‘Man, if I could just get to Sacramento that would be it.’ That's literally how small my vision was.” My idols were a local band called The Spyders and they had gigged in Sacramento. “I had no vision at all,” he recalls now. It's been very rewarding.”Ĭastillo was only 17 years old when he met Kupka and started to assemble the band that would become Tower of Power. We've affected a lot of people's lives and done a lot of work that we're very proud of. We've been through a lot of ups and downs and learned a lot along the way. “ You can't believe it? I'm the one that can't believe it. “People come up to me all the time and say, ‘Wow man, 50 years! We can't believe it,’” laughs Castillo. Adding a bittersweet tinge is the presence of founding bassist Francis “Rocco” Prestia, who passed away in September 2020. They join the renowned modern line-up of the band, featuring co-founder Stephen “Doc” Kupka on baritone sax, longtime drummer David Garibaldi, and lead vocalist Marcus Scott. Fittingly for such a special occasion, Tower of Power went all out for these hometown shows, supplementing the core 10-piece band and its iconic horn section with additional horns and a string section.īandleader and saxophonist Emilio Castillo also invited back a few elite ToP alumni, including saxophonist Lenny Pickett (musical director of the Saturday Night Live band) keyboardist Chester Thompson (Santana) guitarist Bruce Conte and former vocalist Ray Greene, who shows off his trombone prowess. Released as a 3-LP set, a 2-CD/DVD combo, a standalone DVD, as well as digitally, 50 Years of Funk & Soul is the next best thing to hearing these brilliant musicians in person. The window-rattling grooves and raucous party spirit of ToP has been a balm for the soul throughout the band’s half-century existence, but the release of 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater – Oakland, CA – June 2018 couldn’t have come at a better time.ĭue out Mafrom Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Music Group, the high-spirited live album and video offers a reminder of the communal joys of the live music experience, something that’s been sorely missed over this staggering pandemic year. ![]() Over the course of two memorable evenings in June 2018, legendary soul-funk-R&B outfit Tower of Power returned to Oakland, the city that started it all, to celebrate its landmark 50 th anniversary with a few thousand friends, family and fans. ![]()
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