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About Tower of Power
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Emilio Castillo on Tower of Power’s Timeless Christmas Groove
by Steven Roby
Few bands like Tower of Power embody timeless grooves and unmistakable soul. For over 50 years, the East Bay legends have delivered their signature funk, horn-driven energy, and sheer musical joy. Now, founder Emilio Castillo and his bandmates are bringing that same magic to the holidays with their first-ever Christmas album, It's Christmas.As Emilio shares on the Backstage Bay Area podcast, hosted by Steven Roby, this isn't just another seasonal record--it's a celebration of tradition, love, and the ...
Continue ReadingAin’t Nothing Stopping Us Now: The Tower Of Power Story
by Jason Elias
For over 50 years Tower of Power has been the favorite of those who love R&B/soul, funk and sophisticated jazz. While the band is often known for its revolving door of lead singers, the band's founders, Emilio Castillo (saxophone) and Stephen “Doc" Kupka (baritone sax) have remained their constant. The Bay Area band's first album East Bay Grease was released on Bill Graham's San Francisco Records. The effort became known for its immediately recognizable horn arrangements and energy, especially on ...
Continue ReadingTower of Power at the Paramount Theatre
by Steven Roby
Tower of Power Paramount Theatre Denver, CO August 11, 2023 Debuting in 1968 as The Motowns, the gritty horn-led band paid its dues by playing San Francisco Bay Area clubs and county fairs while developing its signature funk style. Their tight horn section and foot-stomping rhythms set them apart from their fellow Bay Area brass rock counterparts, like Cold Blood and the Sons of Champlin. After changing their name to Tower of Power, and with ...
Continue ReadingTower of Power: 50 Years of Funk and Soul
by John Pietaro
In the realm of power funk and jazz-rock, Tower of Power was an original voice, one carved from a unique place within an exceptionally heady moment. And this convergence of forces, clearly, has yet to cool some 53 years hence. Horns? They've carried up to six at a time, to hell with diminished door splits. A big band of scorching funk, Tower of Power traces its roots to 1968 Oakland, where it flourished in a thicket of sound ...
Continue ReadingTower Of Power With Special Guests War: Westbury, NY, April 18, 2012
by Mike Perciaccante
Tower of Power with Special Guests War NYCB Theatre at Westbury Westbury, New York April 18, 2012 The Funk and Soul were flowing freely as Tower of Power and War both performed virtuoso sets at the NYCB Theater in Westbury, NY on this slightly chilly and overcast April evening.At precisely 8pm, War took the stage to a smattering of claps and a few whistles. It wasn't very long after the band had played a ...
Continue ReadingTower of Power: Great American Soulbook
by Woodrow Wilkins
For more than 40 years, Tower of Power has been thrilling audiences with its brassy sound. Whether as a stand-alone act or backing up another group, this 10-piece ensemble has crossed many genres, including blues, pop, jazz, funk, rock and soul. Having worked with such a diversity of acts as Aerosmith and Spyro Gyra, the band has accumulated an extensive repertoire. Now, tapping into a recent trend of artists remaking old hits, Tower of Power puts a slight ...
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