Tower of Power

Congratulations To Josh Shpak

August 25, 2010

Josh Shpak Awarded Full Scholarship To Boston's Prestigious Berklee College Of Music

Richie Hayward of Little Feat has passed away

August 12, 2010

Founding member of Little Feat, drummer Richie Hayward died earlier today as a result of complications due to liver cancer. There are some connections to Tower of Power, specifically the TOP Horns who played on several Little Feat recordings.



From Mic Gillette:
"We played on several Little Feat's albums over the years, but the biggest was certainly "Waiting For Columbus", a live double album recorded in London and Baltimore with the classic Tower horn section. We were all on Warner Brothers Records together in the '70's and were on the famous Warner Brothers Traveling Music Show all over Europe with Tower, Feat, Doobies, Graham Central Station, Montrose and Bonaroo. Richie played the shuffling southern rock better than anyone."

From Emilio Castillo:
“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of Richie Hayward, one of the greatest drummers that ever lived. Playing on stage with Richie, behind Little Feat, was truly one of the musical high points in my career. On a personal note, Richie was one of the sweetest, funniest, most down to earth people I’ve ever known. I’m grateful for every minute I shared with him. On behalf of Tower of Power Horns; our deepest condolences to his family, his friends, and the many fans that loved him.”

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David Garibaldi, Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, and Jerry Cortez are participating in a benefit for Richie Haward taking place Friday, 8/13.

San Jose, CA - Friday, August 13, 2010


DRUM! Magazine Rhythm Night - A Benefit for Richie Hayward
San Jose Repertory Theater
101 Pase De San Antonio
San Jose, CA 95113
6pm - TOP Rhythm Section Clinic
7pm = Thomas Pridgen Clinic
8pm - Marco Minnemann Clinic


http://www.drummagazine.com/rhythmnight

Tower Ryhthm Section clinic and Special Appearance in Portland, OR

August 07, 2010

Special Appearance, Tonight at Jimmy Mak's in Portland OR

David Garibaldi, Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, and Jerry Cortez will be appearing at Jimmy Mak's Portland's premier jazz venue.
There will be a clinic in the afternoon.
2pm - Rhythm Section Clinic
7:30pm & 10pm - The TOP Rhythm Section Featuring saxophonist Patrick Lamb and special guests.

Larry’s Home Movies from Europe

July 26, 2010

LB took some video on the band's recent trip across Europe.
Here are a few videos:

Spotlight On Mic Gillette

July 17, 2010

By Tony Sauro
Record Staff Writer
June 17, 2010 12:01 AM



Mic Gillette's played in all 50 states and 60 countries. He just got back from Hawaii and Las Vegas. He'll never forget Barstow, though.
Which registers highly for Gillette, the respected, experienced trumpet-trombone player in Tower of Power, which performs Saturday at the San Joaquin County Fair.
"I was in tears," said Gillette, who spends nearly as much time mentoring young people as he does play with TOP. "It was really special. It blew my mind."

Gillette, 59, had spent June 10 tutoring Barstow Junior High's Jazzhawks, then performing as part of Mic Gillette's Music in Schools program run by him and wife Julia.
"Then the mayor shows up and presents me with a plaque, a key to the city and says it's Mic Gillette Day in Barstow," Gillette said Tuesday from his rural West Point home.
Assisting economically endangered school music programs is a priority for a guy who's performed with most of rock music's major artists - from Mick Jagger to Carlos Santana, the Grateful Dead, Huey Lewis & the News - and took a Mr. Mom hiatus to help raise daughter Megan, a singer-percussionist in the Mic Gillette Band who turns 26 Sunday.

"Musicians showing up and getting paid," Gillette said, "that's not gonna keep music in schools. I try to be a real person. I don't want them to be as good as me. I want the next generation to be better.
"No matter what else comes into your life, always keep music, no matter what. Part of our mission is to keep music in schools. The more we do, the better."
Gillette walks the walk. He helped start the jazz band at Amador High School in Sutter Creek and has instructed and performed at high schools in Brentwood (Liberty), Oakley (Freedom) and Modesto (Enochs). He's also a "judge and clinician" at Columbia College in Sonora. While sharing his experience, Gillette "never charges a penny" and hands a third of any cash from sales of "Ear Candy," his 2005 solo CD, "right back to the band director."

Gillette, a native of Oakland who grew up in Fremont, knows about tutoring. He earned his first money at 5 after "echoing" his late father on trumpet from behind a headstone during "Taps" at a military funeral. Veterans then kept handing him dollar bills: "I said, this is what I want to do."

His father Ray, who played trombone with the 1940s big bands of Harry James, Stan Kenton and Tommy Dorsey, was "My hero," Gillette said. "He was absolutely my main influence. I still play his trombone, which I gave to him in 1968. He'd played his (a King 3B) 'til it wore out. An amazing magic still comes out of that horn."

Tower of Power still plays one of his dad's songs ("Time Will Tell"), too. Gillette, who studied music at then-California State University, Hayward, is glad he's still got time to tell.

In 2001, he suffered a near-fatal heart attack, losing 20 percent of its capacity. His daughter, who had just gotten her driver's license, raced through red lights while speeding him to a Castro Valley hospital.

"I told her, 'I'm pretty sure this is the big one,' " Gillette recalled. "Megan was just terrified, but determined to keep me alive. Now, the only time it bothers me is when I play tuba. Julia (his wife of 29 years) is a tremendous nutritionist and has designed how I eat and take care of myself."

A founding member of TOP (originally Gotham City Crime Fighters), Gillette - who also played with Sons of Champlin and Cold Blood - dropped 25 year ago to be a full-time parent. That might have saved his life, considering the rock 'n' roll road's rigors.

After multiple entreaties and a few odd gigs, he rejoined his 10 bandmates in August 2009 with the encouragement of Julia, who once worked as a real-property agent for San Joaquin County Public Works and is publishing a food-and-nutrition book this year, and Megan. He took over for Michael Bogart, a respected colleague who left to re-join the U.S. Navy.

"I'm a player," said Gillette, also fluent on the flugelhorn. "I'm just a sponge. If I don't learn every day, I'm disappointed. When I'm on stage playing, I feel wonderful. Then there are the other 22 1/2 hours in the day. I'm a double-Taurus Irishman. Home is important to me." He was "actually having a day at home. It's really nice" on Tuesday.

"The road is very, very hard for me," said Gillette, who'll tour Europe with Oakland-based TOP this summer (Julia has accompanied him), but was "really miserable and sick" on a 10-day trip to Japan. "I'm not altogether comfortable. With my nutrition, I have to be careful what I eat. If I have a heart attack on the road, I wouldn't make it home. That would just crush my family." He missed both his birthday and Mother's Day in 1981 and thought, "I can't continue this endless grueling grind."

His musical generosity and expertise also have extended to regional players (Black Irish Band, Eric Westphal). He plays funk and soul in ReUnion with Lodi's Greg Barker and Tracy's Matt Martinez (Bump City, a TOP tribute band). He's also familiar to young people because of Electronic Arts (EA) video games: "I tell them, 'You now that James Bond series? The ba-da-da-da-da-da-ba-da-da-da-da-da-ba thing? That's me. See, there is something you can do with music when you get out of school.' I'm not any kind of expert. I still have so much to learn. I've played for 55 years and consider myself very, very lucky. It's the luck of the Irish."

The young people he tutors should feel fortunate, too.

Contact reporter Tony Sauro at (209) 546-8267 or . Visit his blog at www.recordnet.com/lensblog.

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Tower of Power thanks Tony Sauro and http://www.recordnet.com for this article.

To view in it's orginal context, please click here:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100617/A_ENTERTAIN/6170302

Interesting Video Interviews with Emilio and Doc

July 08, 2010

Props to Milpitas Mike, huge TOP fan for sending us these links. A couple of great interviews with Emilio and Doc from 2005:



How Emilio Met The Funky Doctor

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Doc: When I First Got Started...

Special Thanks To The NAMM Website, www.namm.org/

Larry Braggs to perform on The Smooth Jazz Cruise 2011

June 28, 2010

Tower of Power's lead vocalist, Larry Braggs, will be appearing on the upcoming Smooth Jazz Cruise along with many other artists including virtually all of the top artists on the Smooth Jazz scene.

Preview > New Music From Emilio Castillo, TOP Members, & The Bononia Sound Machine

April 30, 2010

For your viewing pleasure... Emilio Castillo puts his lead vocal track on a new song from the Bononia Sound Machine, a soul and funk band from Italy. Lorenzo Bombacini is a long time Tower of Power fan AND the leader and baritone sax player of the Bononia Sound Machine. The Sound Machine has been working with Greg Adams, Jeff Tamelier, Emilio Castillo, and other TOP members on their upcoming CD. Lorenzo and his bandmates are making their dreams come true by working with their longtime musical heroes.

The video featured below was taken at The Track Shack in Sacramento, CA. Former Tower of Power guitarist Jeff Tamelier has been involved with the Track Shack for several years.
From Jeff Tamelier and The Track Shack:
"Emilio's voice spreads so easily on this tune," stated Jeff Tamelier, Executive Producer of the BSM project. "Nobody knows blues and soul like Mimi."

The Bononia Sound Machine (http://www.BSMBand.com) features:
Raffaele Bafunno - Keyboards
Lawrence - Baritone Sax and Band Leader
Alessandro Bussolari - Trumpet
Sandro Caliumi - Trombone
Alessandro Daltri - Guitar
Vic Johnson - Vocals and Harmonica
Alessandro Morini - Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Alberto Pietropoli - Tenor, Alto, Soprano Saxes and Flute
Renato 'Rene' Ranieri - Drums and Percussion
Maurizio Rubiu - Bass
Elena Villani - Vocals
Producer: Jeff Tamelier
Videographer: Brandon Wiliams
Engineer: Peter DeLeon
Recorded: The Track Shack Studios, Sacramento, California

More Videos From BB King’s In NY

April 18, 2010

Here are some additional videos shot on 3/25 in New York:

TOP @ BB King’s in NY = Soul Perfection

March 26, 2010

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Once again, Tower of Power performed two spectacular shows at BB King's in New York. It is amazing, but Tower keeps getting better as the years go on. Many seasoned fans who are veterans of 20, 30, even 100 TOP shows were just amazed at the performances last night. The band is just totally on fire right now, and when you add in guest appearances by Al Chez (former TOP member and Letterman Show band member) and Lenny Pickett (Former TOP Lead Tenor and Musical Director for Saturday Night Live), it really was over the TOP.

There are some new enhancements from one end of the stage to the other. Emilio Castillo commented that this was Mic Gillette's first TOP performance in New York in more than 25 years. Mic is back and he sounds terrific. I think you need to hear Mr. "Brass Kicks Ass" for yourself. Mic Gillette and Adolfo Acosta sound great together. In the center of the stage, Rocco Prestia is delivering the goods on a recently updated amp/bass combo that not only packs a punch, but every note is crystal clear. David Garibaldi is using the latest innovation in Yamaha drums, tuned to perfection.

Another update is Jerry Cortez on guitar. Jerry joined the band at the end of last year, but did not start on tour until mid January. He is a perfect match for Tower of Power in every area. His choice of tone, the way he approaches the songs, and obvious prowess in playing lead really compliments what TOP is all about. Jerry handles background vocals as well as guitar.

Longtime fans will really appreciate the fact that TOP is reaching back into their trick bag with "Walking Up Hip Street". "Hip Street" is a real showcase for Roger Smith's incredible skill on the B-3, handling bass, rhythm, and soloing simultaneously. During the tune, the horns depart the stage, as in days of old, leaving Roger and David Garibaldi jamming, with Rocco and Jerry falling back in, followed by the horn section coming back onto the stage. Another "Urban Renewal" treat is "Give Me The Proof".

It was also Doc's birthday, which was celebrated on stage with a quick version of Happy birthday. With Tommy P belting out some outrageous solos, Emilio and Doc, Lenny Picket and Al Chez sitting in, it was another really special night in New York. Larry Braggs was in fine form as usual, absolutely stopping the show with "Me And Mrs. Jones" and "Startime", the James Brown tribute melody from the "Great American Soulbook". Stay tuned for some performance videos from the shows.

More info and photos On The Tower Of Power Message Board

What Fans Are Saying About TOP at House of Blues…

March 13, 2010

...Comments by Morry Payne from the Tower of Power Message Board:



The concert at HOB in Nawlins last Thursday was the best I've ever seen - by anyone. They were flawless. The night started off great as a mutual friend arranged with Mic for us to come in and listen to sound check. Mic Gillette is a great guy and spent quite a bit of time just hanging out and chatting with us. During soundcheck they worked on Walking Up Hip Street, so that will be getting in the rotation soon, I suspect.

It was quite loud in the venue, and my ears are still ringing.

I'm sure I'll miss some, but here is what I remember of the set list (in no particular order):

Stroke Medley
Time Will Tell
On The Serious Side (may have been in soundcheeck)
Loveland
So Very Hard
Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now
Can't Stand to See the Slaughter
Me and Mrs. Jones
It's Not The Crime
Oil
JB Medley
Hip
Young Man

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Morry Payne of the Horndogs

Special TOP Soundcheck Video Footage from 2003

February 22, 2010

This video was shot and edited by Frank Abadie, AKA "Frankie Foto", a longtime Tower of Power fan.

Here is a 10 minute glimpse of some great behind the scenes TOP video.

Enjoy!

Magazine Article From 1975

February 14, 2010

SOUL POWER CIRCA 1975

The year was 1975. Tower of Power was releasing hit singles and albums, touring the country, and appearing on television shows like Soul Train, Midnight Special, and Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

TOP's discography to date included "East Bay Grease", "Bump City", "Tower of Power", "Back to Oakland", "Drop It In The Slot". The TOP Horns were already a well established unit, lending their talents to dozens of high profile recording artists in addition to performing on their own recordings.

After an appearance at The Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pa., just outside of Philadelphia, a reporter from Chicago Concert Magazine caught up with Emilio Castillo, Lenny Pickett, Hubert Tubbs and some guests.

The following is the cover and the article from a recently discovered copy of Chicago Concert magazine, June 1975:

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..."Seven years is a long time for a band to be together"

TOP / Infinity Hall Promo video

February 06, 2010

This video was created by our friends at Infinity Music Hall and Bistro

Thanks to Larry from New Haven for the heads up, as well as Infiniy's talent coordinator.

Check it out...

Vocal Workshop With Larry Braggs on 1/30 at Jazz Alley in Seattle.

January 18, 2010

A signed copy of Larry's CD, "Places" is included with the first 25 registrations. Don't delay, space is limited!

New “Official” Tower of Power Facebook Fan Page

December 27, 2009

There are some really great Facebook Groups out there full of dedicated Tower of Power Fans. In an effort to stay even more in touch with our fans, we have started an "Official' Tower of Power Fan Page:

Tower Of Power's Facebook Fan Page

Please join up!

Tower of Power

Latest David Garibaldi Video Interview

December 16, 2009

While touring in Europe last month, David Garibaldi was interviewed in Germany by Drum Department TV.
This is an in-depth interview, 23 minutes in length.

If you would like to view the interview, please click here: http://www.drumdepartment.de/content/public/dd-tv_video.php?id=7

*NEW* TOP Video from London

November 23, 2009

Here is some video from the 11/21 performance at Matter, located in the O2 Center, London England.

Starting off the show, "We Came To Play" and "Soul With A Capitol S"



"You're The Most" featuring Roger Smith on keyboards




Enjoy "What Is Hip"



The show was completely sold out, and TOP delighted a standing room only crowd for 2 hours including 3 encores.

Another highlight, "Me and Mrs. Jones"




This next video, "I Got to Groove" features a little interplay between Larry braggs and an audience member who needed a little Groove Therapy...



MUCH more info on the show, and the VIP meet and greet coming shortly.

Julia Gillette’s Blog From The Road

October 30, 2009

Here is something fresh and new that we want you to know about. Mic Gillette's wife Julia has been travelling on the road with Mic and TOP. She has developed a blog called "Julia Gillette's Narrative Allegory of the Biting Traveler". The blog is about traveling, and eating healthy, and as a side benefit to all of us TOP fans, lots of interesting photos. Stay tuned as Julia travels through Europe in November with the band.

Here is a link to Julia's Blog:

http://bitingtraveler.wordpress.com/

Here are a few sample "behind the scenes" photos:







If you scroll down on the blog to catch up on previous entries, you can read some background on TOP's newest "old" member.

Check it out!

David Garibaldi featured in this month’s Drumhead Magazine

October 13, 2009

The current issue of Drumhead magazine, http://www.drumheadmag.com, features David Garibaldi on the cover.
(Lower right, issue 17).

The interview spans 13 pages, and includes some sensational photos taken by Rob Shanahan, and some vintage photos from Dave's collection.

Dave talks candidly about when he began playing the drums, how he came to join Tower of Power, his leaving the band, and his musical journey prior to his subsequent return home to TOP.

You may want to grab the current issue quickly. It is selling in large numbers, and other back issues have sold out.

It's a great article, and a great keepsake for anyone really into TOP.

Rocco’s New Bass Rig From TC Electronics

October 02, 2009

Check out this footage courtesy of TC Electronics:

Funkifizing Fayetteville, Arkansas

September 25, 2009

The following news article by Sandra Cox is from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

‘Funkifizing’ Fayetteville: Tower of Power staying true to the sound of the 1970s

FAYETTEVILLE — There was a time when Tower of Power strayed from its funk-loving, feel-good soul music that made the band popular.

Like when the band made the plunge into disco some 30 years ago. Stephen “Doc” Kupka, the group’s founding member and baritone saxophonist, declared it a disaster.

“Every time we strayed to try and get with the times, as it were, get with what’s happening now, it just didn’t work out,” Kupka said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles.

“We have much better success staying true to ourselves, which is what we do now.”

Now in its 41st year, the 10-piece band, complete with a horn and saxophone section, has long returned to the style that spawned such hits and favorites such as “So Very Hard to Go,” “You Got to Funkifize,” “You’re Still a Young Man” and “What Is Hip?” in the early 1970s.

Tower of Power will perform Oct. 2 at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville.

Kupka co-founded the band with Emilio Castillo, who plays second tenor sax with the group. The duo co-wrote the band’s hit songs and are the anchors of the large group, which has had numerous personnel changes through the years. Also featured from the original lineup is bassist Francis “Rocco” Prestia and drummer David Garibaldi.

The band gained a strong following after touring as an opening act for comedy duo Cheech and Chong, and albums such as “Bump City,” “Tower of Power” and “Back to Oakland” landed on turntables everywhere, prompting the group to climb the Billboard charts.

When the hits began to wane, and after an unsuccessful stab at the disco genre, a young rising star from the 1980s named Huey Lewis played a key role in the band’s success.

“He’s my favorite person in music,” Kupka said. “I just really like him a lot.”

Lewis, who was a Tower of Power fan, performed with the group in the early 1980s during the Bay Area Music Awards. He befriended the band and began using them on his albums as well as taking them on concert tours.

“We were going through a really hard time and almost broke up,” Kupka said. “The early ’80s were really rough for us. The reason why Tower of Power is here today, Huey Lewis has a lot to do with it.”

The band, however, has always been a favorite as a backing group for many artists, including Elton John, Aerosmith, Phish and Santana. The band also collaborated with several artists for “Great American Soulbook,” an album released last spring. It not only features Lewis, but Tom Jones, Joss Stone, Sam Moore and band members singing soul classics like “Me & Mrs. Jones,” “634-5789” and a tribute to the late James Brown.

Kupka said the band is also releasing a DVD of its 40th anniversary/reunion show from last year at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco.

“It’ll be out, hopefully, before the end of the year,” he said.

As for the Fayetteville show, Kupka said expect to hear some “hard-hitting” R & B, which will feature the old hits as well as tracks from “Great American Soulbook.”

“We do really well on the East Coast, and then the Chicago and Minneapolis … but the mid-South and Deep South, we don’t get there as often as we would like,” Kupka said. “It’s a real thrill to play there. R & B, that’s where it comes from, and we’re just thrilled about playing in Fayetteville, I’m tellin’ ya.”

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Tower of Power will be appearing in Fayetteville, Arkansas at the Walton Arts Center on October 2nd.

Mark Harper’s New Single to Debut Tonight

September 12, 2009

Just in from Mark Harper:

Hey,

My new single will debut today Saturday, September 12 on 105.7 The Oasis Las Vegas. It will be played on their night time show called "The Lounge" You can listen to it streaming. All you have to do is click on http://www.1057theoasis.com then go to Listen Live and click. Then you will hear The Oasis Live!! The show is from 7PM to 10PM Vegas time! Thank you for your support!

Mark
http://www.markharpermusic.com

Happy Birthday Roger Smith

September 07, 2009

-September 7th

Happy Birthday Roger!

Here's a Birthday present we can all enjoy:

Clean Slate from Sunny Thaper on Vimeo.

Parting Interview With Mike Bogart

August 18, 2009

As you may know, Mike Bogart is leaving TOP and will be replaced later this week by longime former member, Mic Gillette.
I recently had an opportunity to interview Mike, and he talks about his beginnings with Tower, and what he will be doing after leaving the band.

Here is Part One:

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Part Two:

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Part Three:

“IRON” Mike Bogart’s LAST WEEK with the Tower of Power!

August 17, 2009

"THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME..."


Photo: Adolfo Acosta (L) shown with Mike Bogart(R)

Tower of Power's "Iron" Mike Bogart will be leaving the band at the end of this week. After many years of playing and recording with Tower, Mike will leave the band at the end of July, 2009 in order to embark on a new career path. Mike will be rejoining the US Navy and will be involved in the Navy's music program.

When Mic Gillette stopped touring with Tower of Power in 1984, he made a conscious decision to stay home to be a full-time father to his newborn daughter, Megan. In the 25 years that have passed, Mic has remained actively involved in the music business, as well as being an educator. Mic Gillette has longtime ties to Tower of Power as one of the original members of the horn section. As luck would have it, he is available to take over the position that is being vacated by Mike. Mic Gillette will be rejoining Tower of Power, beginning with bands appearances at the San Mateo Fair in August.

Please stay tuned for more information, as well as comments from Mike Bogart and Mic Gillette.


Mike will be appearing with TOP until the end of July, 2009. We wish Mike all the best and thank him for all of the years of great music! He has certainly left his mark with the band, both in recordings and his many, many live appearances and sessions.


Coming soon... Mic Gillette will be appearing with Tower of Power beginning this August at the San Mateo County Fair

Story and Photos:  TOP at the City Winery in New York

July 31, 2009

TOWER OF POWER AT THE CITY WINERY IN NEW YORK

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Tower of Power performed at New York's "City Winery" located at 155 Varick Street in New York City on Tuesday, July 28th. As promised, the venue is a very comfortable place to see your favorite band, enjoy some great food, and sample the large inventory of wine and other spirits offered. In addition to the restaurant and club, this is a working winery.

The crowd reaction to both shows was fantastic. During the 2nd show, the crowd applauded and cheered Larry Braggs at several different times during his performance of "Me and Mrs. Jones".

In addition to Tower's lineup, fans were treated to guest appearances from Lenny Pickett, TOP's former lead sax player, and trumpeter James Zollar, who spent many years as Duke Ellington's lead trumpet player.

Both gentlemen played with the band on both shows, and LP got to do his thing on "Knock Yourself Out", "What is Hip" and "You're Still A Young Man".
For many East Coast fans, this was the farewell performance for "Iron" Mike Bogart, who is leaving Tower of Power in August. Mike is being replaced by a longtime member of the band, Mic Gillette. Mic will begin performing with the band at the San Mateo Fair on August 19th.

Speaking of replacements, Bobby Sparks has been filling in on keyboards for Roger Smith. Roger had another musical commitment in Seattle. Bobby did a great job covering for Roger.

Stay tuned for an in-depth interview with Mike Bogart coming shortly.

What is City Winery?

City Winery is the brainchild of Michael Dorf, founder of the iconic Knitting Factory, who wanted to create a space in Manhattan where he could combine his shared passions for wine and music.

After making his first barrel of wine in California with his brother Josh and wine maker David Tate, formally of Ridge Winery and now at Barnett Vineyards, Michael caught the bug: "For a long time I'd been enjoying wine as a fan-drinking it, taking classes, attending wine dinners-but it was not until I actually started participating in the process of working with the grape, turning it into wine, putting it into a bottle, and watching it develop over time, that I really started to understand wine. And when I would give my friends a bottle of wine with my name on it, most would respond by saying: 'I wanna do that too!'" It was this experience that led Michael to conceptualize and start working on the City Winery business plan in 2006.

The core target audience of City Winery-urban wine enthusiasts who desire the experience of making their own wine, but who are not going to leave their comfortable Manhattan lifestyle to decamp to a vineyard-immediately became clear. But Michael wanted to create more than just a custom crush facility. Beyond making wine, Michael also wanted to focus on the enjoyment and satisfaction that comes from sharing wine with friends, and to capture the unique social bond that occurs when communities of like-minded people gather over a bottle of quality Cabernet, while dining on a freshly-prepared meal and listening to their favorite artists perform.

That is what City Winery is about: community, creativity and culture. A vibrant, interactive space in New York where folks can not only make wine, but also meet friends new and old while indulging their passion for quality food, music, art and life. To all who enter, L'Chaim.

If you would like any help or assistance or we can answer any questions, please don't hesitate to give us a call at (212) 608-0555 or .

TOP at MATTER in the O2 Center in London, England >>SPECIAL VIP TICKETS AVAILABLE IF YOU ACT NOW

June 30, 2009

TOWER OF POWER'S FIRST UK CONCERT IN 2 1/2 YEARS!


Join Tower of Power at MATTER at the O2 Center in London on 11/21/09.
A very special VIP offering is available if you act NOW:

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Limited Number of Special TOP V.I.P Tickets - £50
Includes, Special Meet & Greet with Band at 7:00 pm, autographed copy of “Great American Soulbook”, special “Great American Soulbook” backstage laminate, voucher for 10% discount on any other TOP merchandise that night. Showtime is 8:00 PM.

Available only through this pre-sale for a limited time. Offer ends July 17th.

http://www.artistticket.com/link/?s=tower+of+power

TOP Thrills Huge Crowd at the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival

June 23, 2009

Tower of Power appeared at the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival this past Saturday night. Featuring 4 songs from their latest CD, they had the crowd up on their feet from the first song.

There is a full blog report on the TOP Message Board, and here is a shortcut to the blog:
TOP @ The West Oak Lane Jazz Festival

Please stay tuned for some video from the show.

Interesting Video Featuring Larry Braggs and David Garibaldi

June 18, 2009

David Garibaldi and Larry Braggs are featured in this video that was filmed at a benefit concert for Lissa Wales.
Lissa Wales passed away in October of 2005 after battling leukemia for 18 months. She was a photographer and she specialized in photographing drummers.
According to Tower of Power drummer David Garibaldi, Lissa was one of the finest photographers to ever take a picture. She shot the photos for the issue of Modern Drummer magazine that featured Dave on the cover.

The benefit concert was organized by Troy Lucketta, the drummer for Tesla.

Comments and video courtesy of www.drumpics.com

Read more about Lissa Wales here: http://www.drumpics.com/About1.html

New “Great American Soulbook” T Shirt Now Available

May 27, 2009

New from the Tower of Power Online Store, the "Great American Soulbook" T shirt.



Click here to visit the TOP Store: TOP STORE

Emilio Castillo recently interviewed…

May 07, 2009

The Emilio Castillo Interview

By Ralph Greco, Jr.

Vintagerock.com


You couldn’t talk to a cooler cat than Emilio Castillo, the leader, producer, songwriter and second tenor sax of the legendary Tower of Power. Along with Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Castillo created this unique American soul horn band, penning hits with his partner like “What Is Hip?,” “Only So Much Oil” and many others. Of course, TOP has also gained a reputation for backing everyone from Aerosmith to Huey Lewis. It seems that when anyone thinks about adding a horn section to a song, Tower of Power gets the call. Celebrating their 40th anniversary, the demand for TOP's soulful carnage continues. I had the honor of speaking with Emilio Castillo about the new Tower of Power CD Great American Soulbook, as well the band’s illustrious legacy and their busier-than-ever schedule. The man gave freely of his time and insights.
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Congratulations on the new album and the Number 3 spot on the Billboards chart. Why an album full of covers?

For a contemporary jazz band, we were pretty committed that we didn’t want to do it. Our manager came to us and said, “Since it’s our 40 year anniversary, I think it might be good to do something special. You’ve done all original albums. I think maybe you should give the fans something different.”

So this wasn’t the band’s initial idea?

We don’t chase trends — we set them! “Why would we want to do that?” we thought. It just wasn’t something we were into.

But the idea grew on you?

Well, we figured we’d try it, but if we’re getting bogged down we'd scrap it and get down to making an original record. We started recording it, and it was tough going at first, but about a third of the way into it, I started to put my thing on it, and it started to shape. Then we took a whole new attitude to it.

Can you tell me how you guys went about deciding on these specific songs?

There’s basically two schools of thought when you’re gonna do this kind of thing. What we used to do when we were playing around town as this little soul band — before we were Tower of Power — was go out and play all the songs the other bands weren’t playing. We’d find the obscure tracks by the same artists, the tracks we really dug. So my thinking with this album was, let’s picks songs nobody would pick. But there’s the other school of thought that said, no man, we gotta do the hits.

Well you certainly seemed to have balanced it out here.

For example, something like “You Met Your Match” was always something we wanted to do. It wasn’t even a hit for Stevie Wonder, but still it was one of the most exciting vocal performances I ever heard. And I knew my singer (Larry Braggs) could do it justice. “Loveland” (is another one) I wanted to do. Several of my members always dug that tune.

I see George Duke produced some songs on the CD. Tell me about his involvement.

I’d done four tracks and it kinda felt like we were dragging our heels. At the time, it was getting a bit frustrating because I didn’t do a lot of changing in the rhythm sections from the original recordings, but our versions still sounded good. But you know, we didn’t take any left turns rhythmically. I figured we’d just put our stamp on it with the horns. So I figured, let’s bring in another producer to hit a couple of the tracks. Tell him right up front whatever songs we choose, to go left with them rhythmically. That’s what George did.

And, of course, because it was George Duke, there were no conflicts with having another producer on the session?

Exactly. Lots of producers are really not much more than engineers, but not George. He’s such a great musician and great producer; he knew what we wanted. And he’s a great guy to work with.

You got some heavy vocal guests here. How did you come to work with Tom Jones?

I was frankly amazed we got him. The guy’s an icon, but he’s been a Tower of Power fan for years — we had (even) done a tour with him. It took a long time to get a response out of him though. Doc and I partied with Mark Woodward (Tom Jones’ son and manager) in Hawaii years ago, and all he did was gush over Tower of Power. Our old drummer plays with Tom. I finally got in touch with Mark through all these connections and told him we had been trying to get in touch for months. He apologized and said it had just been really hectic lately, but that Tom would love to do it and work with us. (Jones sings Sam and Dave's “I Thank You” on Great American Soulbook)

And Huey Lewis?

We had gotten Tom Jones, then Joss Stone came in and we arranged for Sam Moore. Huey had a really busy schedule, but I had toured with him in the 80s, so we know him well. He said he only had like a two-week window because he had to go to Montana to be with his kid, so he said, “Send the track to Montana, there’s a studio there I can use.” But in that time, he got sick, real sick, so he said, “Man I don’t know what to do, I’m sicker than I’ve ever been! I know you got to get it out.” But I told him we were in no real hurry. So he did it when he was well and sent it back.

I love what he did with you guys, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Huey Lewis sound quite like that.

The interesting thing is that the song (Lewis sings the classic Wilson Pickett hit “634-5789”) isn’t even in his key but it did come out great.

I was reading about your recent anniversary show at the Fillmore. Tell us a little about what that was like.

We had whole bunch of former TOP members play with us. We also had Sam Moore sing.

That’s coming out on DVD soon, right?

Yeah, I have to go to L.A. next week, hopefully to finish the mixes.

That must have been really special, celebrating 40 years.

When we went through the three days of rehearsal, that’s when it really hit home. People dropped by the rehearsal — merchandising people, lighting guys, old road managers, wives, kids — all week and wow man, you start to realize. You start to see these people, and realize what a blessing it’s been that we have done this for so long. We’re always in the middle — we got blinders on and this is what we do. You’re always just doing it and don’t think too much about how long we have been doing this and how great it’s been.

How has your approach changed with the changes in the record business? It’s obvious that things are drastically different now then when you guys first started out. So how does Tower of Power weather all these changes?

Well for one, I remembered when you lived and died for a record deal. The 80s were a hard time. We couldn’t even record; there was no financing. But we got a record deal in the 90s. We were one of the few older bands who signed a deal with a major label at that time — a seven album deal with Sony. So we recorded with them, put them out, but began to see we really made no money from the record sales. But we were able to travel the world more; our box office price went up. So business was good for us. We went past the millennium, made a management change and decided at that point to start our own record company. We have a great distribution deal with Ryko so that gets the stuff out there.

Is Great American Soulbook the first release on your new TOP label?

Yes. This and a CD called The East Bay Archives Volume 1. That’s a live recording of two shows we did in Boston in 1973 with the classic lineup.

So, basically you’re more in control nowadays.

Right. We're not at the beck and call of a record company. We pretty much do what we want.

What’s in the immediate future for Tower of Power?

We’re going up to Seattle to play, then we’re doing Korea. This is our second time. Years ago, we played for military bases with Foghat actually, but this time we’re playing a festival in downtown Seoul. Then we go back to Japan. They love us there. We have a fan club over there. They call themselves “The Funk Club” spelled with a “K” (laughs).

Getting through the 80s, having the hits early on, playing behind a whole bunch of people, maintaining such a vibrant live act, seeing such a roster of great players come through — what do you attribute your longevity to? How has Tower of Power survived?

We make the music really selfishly — we make it to please ourselves. That's why we were reticent to do this cover album. We do what pleases us. Even now, we made it to please ourselves. It makes it easy to go doing something that’s pleasing to do.

Additional Links: Vintage Rock Website

Complete TOP Horn Section Discography has been added to the website

April 29, 2009

In addition to touring and recording, Tower of Power's unique and much sought after horn section, has had a very impressive career doing sessions for other artists. Never before has a more complete and exhaustive listing of these performances been made available. We thank Mr. Jack Silva for compiling this list and making it available to share with Tower of Power fans all over the world.

Please check out the CD and album discography page, and click on the link at the bottom, or simply click here to view: Horn Section Discography

Thank you Jack!

Photo Of “Great American Soulbook” engineering team

April 11, 2009

...Just In From Emilio Castillo:

This photo is of Clarke Rigsby on the left, me in the middle, and Ryan
Greene on the right during our mixing sessions at Crush Recording in
Scottsdale.
The photo was taken by Clarke's wife Mary Ann.

Tower of Power’s latest CD now available to order

April 02, 2009

Tower of Power Announces The Release of the "Great American Soulbook"
Featuring Guest Appearances by Joss Stone, Sam Moore, Sir Tom Jones, and Huey Lewis

Funk icons Tower of Power, known for taking left turns musically, have taken a bit of a detour and recorded a collection of classic soul tunes that they have entitled the "Great American Soulbook". Included in their latest release are a dozen Soul Essentials, some utilizing original style arrangements, some with a TOP twist, but all with the distinctive Tower of Power sound.

The CD consists of 9 songs produced by Emilio Castillo, Tower of Power's founder and leader since 1968. Three additional songs were produced by multiple Grammy award recipient, George Duke.

The CD explodes with the first track, "You Met Your Match", a Stevie Wonder song masterfully handled by Tower of Power's dynamic lead vocalist Larry Braggs.

Track 2, Sam and Dave's "I Thank You", features Tom Jones and Larry in a great rendition of a true soul classic that has stood the test of time with the Tower of Power Horns taking the song to a new level.

Further into the CD Joss Stone joins the party offering up two fine vocal collaborations with Larry Braggs. Joss appears on track 4, "It Takes Two", and track 10, "(Heaven Must Have Sent) Your Precious Love". In a quote from Emilio Castillo about Joss Stone he says, "You are an amazing soul singer in a most unusual package. Quite frankly, I was stunned by your performance" We think you will be too.

Sam Moore, who recently appeared at the Fillmore Auditorium with Tower of Power at their 40th Anniversary show, shines on track 7, "Mr. Pitiful". He brought down the house in San Francisco and his version of "Mr. Pitiful" will bring a smile to the face of anyone who enjoys soul music. Huey Lewis has been a close friend and a huge fan of Tower of Power throughout his career. On "634-5789" Huey delivers a rock solid soulful performance in a duet with Larry.

Larry Braggs, familiar to Tower of Power fans worldwide, serves up incredible vocal performances on "Loveland", "Me and Mrs. Jones", "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", and "Who Is He And What Is He To You".

To satisfy the funky needs of all Tower of Power fans there is a 4 song James Brown medley that covers, "It's A New Day", "Mother Popcorn", "There It Is", and "I Got The Feelin".

Guests stars? cover tunes? Something new and different for Tower of Power for sure, but rest assured this is a Tower of Power album through and through. The newest chapter in the 40 year story of Tower Of Power, the "Great American Soulbook", now available from TOP Records!

You can find the CD and much more in the Tower of Power Online Store

Here are some other ways to purchase the "Great American Soulbook"

I-Tunes Download
Amazon - Purchase CD
Amazon -Digital Direct




Read an early review by Susan Haller of rockoveramerica.com: http://rockoveramerica.com/?view=Cdreview&id=73

The East Bay Archive: Volume 1 - Now Available!

November 24, 2008

New 2 disc album entitled: The East Bay Archive: Volume 1 is now available at our store!

CLick here to purchase the Live in Germany DVD!

Tower Of Power has gone back into the studio to record a new album...Check back for updates!

TOP 40th Anniversary Show

November 05, 2008

“East Bay Archive Volume 1” Now Available!

October 09, 2008

David Garibaldi has put together an interesting 2 disc compilation entitled:

The East Bay Archive Volume 1 K-K-K Katy's Boston, MA 4/23/1973

Available Now: http://towerofpower2006.hostcentric.com/store/

Tower of Power gives Berklee students a “Soul Vaccination” By Marilla Gordinho

December 29, 2007

When David Garibaldi, Tower of Power's legendary drummer, turned into Jake Cohen and said "Why don't you play it like this?" Cohen couldn't believe it. He was face-to-face with his idol, learning from the master himself the music Cohen had loved since he was a boy.

Cohen had set up his drum set hoping Garibaldi would play on it during the exclusive master class Tower of Power did for students at Berklee College of Music last Saturday. And Garibaldi did.

Garibaldi grabbed the brand new drumsticks Cohen handed him and started playing on the Rogers blue-sparkle drums festooned with old-school stickers Cohen has played on since he was a kid.

Cohen is one of the 19 students who are part of this semester's Berklee Tower of Power (TOP) Ensemble, a band devoted to performing the music from Tower of Power. The ensemble is a 19-piece band with six vocalists, eight horns and five rhythm instruments, and its challenge is to perform the songs as close to the original recordings as possible.

Barbara Thomas, Major Gifts Coordinator at Berklee College of Music, knew that the Tower of Power was coming to Boston to play at Scullers Jazz Club several months in advance. She invited them to come to the college for a private rehearsal and luncheon with the students, so they could see the work the Berklee TOP Ensemble has been doing for eight years now.

This was the first time the entire band came to the college to talk to the students and watch them play TOP's songs. "We finally connected with them on a deeper level. They let us in to their circle for the first time and I felt we really committed to each other," Wayne Naus, the ensemble director and a member of Berklee faculty said.

A Tower of Power fan, Naus said the experience made the work he is doing more meaningful. "They showed their appreciation by all being there, having a great time and just hanging out. I think the energy that came from this event will affect everyone who was involved forever," Naus said.

When Ryan Majoris, the ensemble's bassist, lent his Fender Jaguar bass to Francis "Rocco" Prestia, Tower of Power's famous bassist, so "Rocco" could play a few songs with the ensemble, Majoris couldn't stop smiling. "I have to get a picture of Rocco playing on my bass," he said.

Rocco said, "It is great to see their interpretation of our songs. Just the fact that they know who we are is wonderful," he said.

But Majoris was so surprised when Emilio Castillo, founder of Tower of Power in Oakland 40 years ago, whispered to him "I need your phone number," while he was playing, that he almost missed a note.

Castillo seemed impressed by Majoris' skills and couldn't take his eyes off of him during the entire time the Ensemble was playing. "He asked for my phone number and email and told me to come and sit in one of the band's shows tonight at Scullers. What can I say? This was the best day of my life," Majoris said.

Castillo said, "I've seen other bands playing our songs, but this is the only existing class that studies our songs. I admire Wayne for doing this. And the kids seem to love it. It's really flattering."

The nine members of the Tower of Power spent almost three hours with the students in the same room in which the ensemble rehearses every Tuesday night. Many students gathered on the hall, trying to see what was going on thru the small window on the door. They couldn't get in because this class was exclusive for the members of the Ensemble.

To Trevor Kellum, the Ensemble's lead tenor sax player, the opportunity of meeting the members of TOP at the college is "as good as it gets."


Kellum said that Tom Politzer, Tower of Power's lead tenor sax, helped him with the parts and gave him "some good advice about things that I wasn't playing right," he said. Kullum is the only student who got to spend three years as a member of the Berklee TOP Ensemble.

Amanda Corvini, the baritone sax player of the TOP Ensemble, is the only woman at Berklee whose principal instrument is the baritone sax, a large and low-pitched horn that weights 14 pounds. For a college student who weights 95 pounds that is a big accomplishment.

Inspired by Stephen "Doc" Kupka, one of TOP's founders and the baritone sax player for band, Corvini decided to play the "bari" sax when she was only 9 years old, after seeing him perform. At first, Corvini couldn't even carry the instrument. She had to wait until she was 14 years old.

When Corvini first met Kupka last year, she was surprised to know that he already knew who she was. "He had seen some videos of me playing and when we met he said, 'You're the girl with the hat'. I couldn't say a word," she said. "He loves the fact that I wear a hat just like he does."

But to play in front of him was a really different experience for her. "He was the one who made me want to play the horn. I was really nervous," she said.

Kupka, also known as "The Funky Doctor" said, "I'm really honored to see really young people doing my songs. And they are pretty close!"


Mauricio Hersz, the guitar player for the ensemble, said, "It is not easy to play when you have the best musicians sitting there, looking at you."

After the band played, Kupka went to talk to Hersz. "He said that he loved my sound. I was really happy because coming from the Doctor of Funk it is a great compliment," he said.

Tansu Akman-Duffy, a singer at the ensemble, came impeccably dressed to the event with stylish suspenders, blue high heel shoes and a matching blue wool hat. She was officially named the fashion coordinator for the band because she wants to become a fashion stylist for musicians.

Akman-Duffy said she did some research because she "wanted to came prepared for the occasion. I went on You Tube and watched all TOP videos."
When the event was over, the six singers of the ensemble gathered around Larry Braggs, the current singer for the Tower of Power, to have their one-on-one time him as well.

"You should listen more to the original. They've got a lot of cool things out there and it was done like that for a reason. You have to try new melodies. You have to find your own voice, your signature, your sound," Braggs said.

Ceante Winston, also a singer in the Ensemble, said it is great that Berklee offers this kind of opportunity to the students. "This is the stuff you're really paying for," she said.

In high school, Jake Cohen was the kid who walked around wearing a Tower of Power T-shirt when no one else knew anything about the 70s funk horn band. Today, he still wears his Tower of Power T-shirts, but now he is the cool drummer at Berklee who played with David Garibaldi.

A fan of the drummer since he was 12 years old, Cohen met Garibaldi when he was 15, after sending him a 3-page letter asking to meet him in person someday. Garibaldi sent him tickets to a TOP concert in NY and they have been in touch since then. "It is really cool to see how Jake's doing now that he is out on his own," Garibaldi said.

The experience was much more than most of the students were expecting. "They are really down to earth, willing to help and I can imagine what they felt by seeing us doing their songs," Cohen said. "It's was a really great opportunity for all of us in the band to have a good time and play in front of our idols."

“Tower of Power Co-Founder Finds Flattery in Immitators” By Rich Freedman

December 08, 2007

Emilio Castillo doesn't have to venture far to realize his impact on American music. A ball game, an elevator, the radio. A lobby.

That's what happens when "Tower of Power" continues strong after 40 years of fabulous funk.

"I can't tell you how many times in the last 30 years, I'd walk into the hotel after the gig and the band in the bar is playing 'Soul Vaccination' or 'What is Hip?' or 'Soul with a Capital 'S'," said Castillo. "And there are all these bands using our song titles for their band names."

Summons his lawyer? Call the copyright cops? Hardly. Castillo is smart enough to know all these tribute bands merely keep the band's grooves in the public ear.

"It's been flattering," he said.

Of course, only Tower of Power can actually be Tower of Power. Take the time Castillo took his son to an Arizona Diamondbacks ball game near their home in Phoenix.

"We're walking out on the plaza and they had a daytime concert and they're playing 'Soul With a Capital 'S' and my boy's going, 'Dad, isn't that your song?'

"'Yes, son, And they're murdering it,'" smiled Castillo.

"But that's always a thrill," he added. "Go to YouTube and there's a Swedish band doing 'Diggin' on James Brown.' "

In an industry where break-ups occur more frequently than on TV soap operas, the band with the East Bay roots continues motoring.

And, thanks to the influx of Indian casinos, it's far more than chugging along. It's a locomotive even after 40 years since Castillo started the group in his Fremont garage.

"It's totally changed our career," Castillo said. "They've got money to burn and cover logistics, free food, free rooms most of the time. They pick you up, drop you off and they're giving you all this dough. And they don't want you to play long because they want people gambling."

Castillo, Doc Kupka and the rest of the gang put their time in at Cache Creek Casino & Resort on Saturday, playing Club 88 in an 8 p.m. performance.

"The gig is always off the chart," said Castillo, whose worked with Tom Jones at a Cache Creek gig.

Indian casinos have also put Tower in cities they often don't get to despite significant fan bases.

"We love going to Kansas City and St. Louis, but there are no promoters there who pay decent money," Castillo said. "Now, they have this casino right outside St. Louis and all these fans are so happy we're there."

Though "Tower" has never cracked the Billboard Top 10, it has produced seven singles in the Top 30, notably "So Very Hard to Go," "You're Still a Young Man," "Down to the Nightclub," "This Time It's Real" and "What is Hip?"

It's all about longevity, Castillo said, adding that it wasn't so long ago when TOP couldn't get an endorsement deal on any equipment.

"How many years we were just ignored," he said. "Once you get 30 years in the business, it's 'Oh, they're legends.' "

Admittedly, the 58-year-old saxophonist with 20 years of sobriety said it's not as easy physically as it used to be, especially those two-shows-a-night tours.

Take the recent three weeks on the East Coast.

"The shows went good. The turnout was good and we're making money," said Castillo. "But we're getting too old. When the shows were over, Doc looks at me and pumps his hand, imitating his throbbing foot. He says, 'I'm sure glad Advil isn't a mood-altering chemical.'"

Castillo said the music will stop when he can't get on stage any more, though he's seen aging artists performing after nearly being carried to the microphone.

"They get on stage and they're a new person," he said. "When they're on stage, they don't have aches and pains."

Castillo laughed. It may, after all, be out of his hands.

"Doc has always said, 'Entertainers don't retire. The phone just stops ringing.' "

Even if Tower quit, the songs will undoubtedly keep getting played, whether by tribute bands or on the radio.

It is a band that, apparently, has been ahead of its time. Take "Only So Much Oil in the Ground," a 1975 tune written by Castillo lamenting America's crude addiction.

"It's so relevant now," he said. "And it'll be relevant for who knows how long. It never made it into the Top 100, but I could care less. More and more people are using it."

It was 1985 when Castillo got introduced to Sting, who told Castillo he was in a Tower of Power "clone band" before he started The Police and they did "There's Only So Much Oil in The Ground."

"It's a song that's hitting home," Castillo said proudly.

Interview with Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power by Scott Preston

November 02, 2007

No matter who you are, where you live, or your taste in music, Tower of Power will find you. And once that happens, it's all over. You will come to believe not only that soul music is the salvation of us all, but that Tower of Power is one of those rare bands who can claim to be the real deal, 100 proof, aged-to-perfection, ground zero Soul. And the thing is, they're everywhere now.

Cincy Groove: I see that this year is Tower of Power's 40th anniversary, are there any special plans to celebrate the event?

Emilio Castillo: We had the celebration of the actual day we started back on August 13 in San Mateo. A lot of the old members came by and performed and it was also filmed. We are having the official party on October 18 at The Fillmore in San Francisco. We will also be filming for a dvd release.

Cincy Groove: How is the new Tower of Power cd coming along? Any special guests?

Emilio Castillo: We actually just finished mixing, and we are currently mastering. We need to get the liner notes together and the cover. So I think we are probably looking at the first of the year. As far as guests go we had Tom Jones, Sam Moore, Huey Lewis, 2 songs with duets with Joss Stone. They all did a great job, we are really pleased. We did all soul music Tower of Power style. We are going to call the CD "The Great American Soul Book".

Cincy Groove: How did Tower of Power first get together?

Emilio Castillo: We were just a bunch of kids in the neighborhood who got together and wanted to play music and start a band. We really worked at it and were totally driven and consumed by the music. After we learned how to play our tastes ran into soul music and once we found soul music it was like someone put blinders on us. It became out passion. Shortly after that I started hiring horns and before you knew it I had 5 horns. We were an east side soul band called The Motowns. When I met my song writing partner Doc, who is our barotone sax player, he was amazed at what we did with all the songs we were doing. Songs by Sam and Dave, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, The Temptations. He said why don't we start writing our own songs? The thought had never really occurred to me, so I thought why not lets give it a shot. Shortly after that we wrote our first song and wanted to get into the Fillmore circuit. Where we lived the Fillmore Auditorium was the place to play.
They had just started their own record company, booking agency, they were managing people. So we ended up getting an audition at the Fillmore West. To our complete shock out of all of these bands that were trying to get in who were at the time pretty well established we ended up getting chosen. The producer that Bill Graham had brought in, David Rubenson, he saw the soul and dug it. Bill Graham of course was always a big fan of horns, rhythm, soul, so he dug it and they signed us. We were very fortunate.

Cincy Groove: When did you first pick up the sax?

Emilio Castillo: When I was 14 years old, my brother Jack and I got caught stealing a t-shirt and my dad said you are going go to you room and fill this notebook with reasons why you are never going to steal again and then you are going to think of something that will keep you off the streets, otherwise you are never going to come out of that room again (laughing). It was right about the time the Beatles had come out so we said we wanted to play music. So he said get in the car. He took us to the nearest music store, Alegro Music in Fremont, CA. My dad then told us to pick an instrument anything we want. My brother Jack pointed to the drums and I pointed to the sax and life as we knew it changed from that day forward. We actually started a band that day even though we couldn't play. We did it backwards, started a band then learned how to play.

Cincy Groove: What was the name of the band that you and your brother started?

Emilio Castillo: We first called ourselves The Roadrunners. Then we became The Extension Five. Then we had a brief stint where we all dressed as Batman and The Robins. A manager at a club in San Jose had seen us as The Extension Five and said I have a great idea there is this new TV show out called Batman so we will call you Batman and The Robins. It was about the same time that Paul Revere and The Raiders and The Young Rascals dressed up. My brother was Batman and we made this blue silk dome that went over his drum kit. By this time I was also playing the organ, so we put this light in front it so it looked like a computer. So this manager sent a letter to the tv show telling them I have this great band for you that should be on the show called Batman and The Robins. We immediately got a letter back saying we had no right to use the name. So we then changed the name to The Gotham City Crime Fighters and that lasted about a year. We became famous really fast in the Bay Area playing huge concerts and I wasn't even 16 yet. We were selling the Longshoreman's Hall and doing really well. Then the fad wore off pretty quickly and we really just got tired of the costumes.

Cincy Groove: Was there a band that had an influence on the bands development early on?

Emilio Castillo: We saw a band called The Spiders who were a soul band. They had 3 horns and thats when it all came together. I went out and got a trumpet the next day. Not too long after that my dad came home one day and said I want to take you to see this band, Sly and The Family Stone. We had already started listening to K Soul radio and there was this disc jockey there by the name of Sly Stone. We had never heard of the band, this was before that had made a record. I remember Larry Graham the bass player sang Georgia in this low voice, pretty different than Ray Charles version. Then they did losing you by The Temptations. Then I noticed there was this organ and there was nobody sitting at it. Then this guy walks in right through the dancers on the floor and right up on to the stage. He is dressed in this Sherlock Holmes suit. He had knickers, the cape, the hat, the whole thing. He walked up to the organ and stops the band in the middle of the song and yelled "1, 2, 3!!" and they went right into it. They were a whole different band when he got there. At that point we realized it was Sly Stone. What I wanted to do was to emulate the energy and the entertainment that they brought to the people.

Cincy Groove: How did the band end up picking the name Tower of Power?

Emilio Castillo: I thought if we could be like the Spiders and have that tightness and harmony, then have the energy and high entertainment factor that Sly and The Family Stone had, then we would really have something. The first name for our soul band was the Black Orfeece and that lasted about 2 months. I lived in Detroit until I was eleven so my mom said if you want to be a soul band you should be called The Motowns. As the Motowns we became tight and had that high energy and thats when I met Steven Doc Kupka. He told me your bands pretty good but your horn section is missing some bottom. Then he said "Oh by the way, I play the barotone sax, I have a Selmer with a low A key." I had just heard about this new barotone sax that Selmer came out with that had this key that was a half step lower than all of the other barotones. Before then the lowest note you could go to on the barotone was B flat. I then told him to come over to my house in Freemont next Tuesday for an audition. He shows up and he was also the first hippie we had ever met. We were all these clean, razor cut guys all wearing the same suits. As soon as he started playing everybodys eyes opened up. Because before that we were doing songs like Cold Sweat, Doc just added a whole new dimension to the band. We played a couple songs and my dad came out into the garage. He told me to come into the kitchen, I though I was in trouble. Right away he said "Hire this guy, he has something." I walked back into the garage and said he's hired, rehearsal is over (laughing). Shortly after that we wanted to get into the Fillmore and we knew we couldn't get in there with a name like the Motowns. Also with the look we had at the time, clean cut, suits and that whole deal. So we started growing our hair long and tried to think of a new name. We were doing some recording at a studio in Heyward, CA and in the studio I saw this list that said List of Psychedelic Band Names. It had all these crazy names on it like the 13th Floor Elevator and Strawberry Alarm Clock. Then I saw the name Tower of Power and I thought that describes our band. So I told the rest of the band about it and thats when we became the Tower of Power.

Cincy Groove: Is the band working on any other projects besides the new CD?

Emilio Castillo: We are doing this series of releases called East Bay Archives. All the band members have old tapes, board recordings, rehearsal tapes, that kind of stuff. So we are all going through these recording and finding some pretty good stuff. The reason we did it was because there are people all over the world selling live gigs of ours where we of course are getting paid for. Our manager said "Why don't you guys go through all your old stuff and start releasing it ourselves?" Our drummer went through all his stuff and picked out 6 shows. We ended up picking this show from K-K-K-Katy's, Boston, MA April 1973. It was actually on cassette so we took it to this mastering facility to clean it up. So that release is called "East Bay Archives Vol 1." That's been out for a month now.