It’s the rare band that lasts more than a couple decades. Those that can celebrate half a century are scarce indeed. For Tower of Power, the passing of 50 years, 20-plus recordings, thousands of gigs and seemingly nearly as many band members produced a concert for the ages. Two nights of sold out shows in the band’s hometown of Oakland, captured on the new 50 Years of Funk and Soul: Live at the Fox Theater, demonstrated that Tower of Power is still as tight, soulful and energetic as it gets.
The band hits it hard right from the opening “Stroke ’75.” Saxophonist Tom Politzer struts his stuff as Tower of Power segues directly into “Ain’t Nothing Stopping Us Now” – which could indeed be their motto. Unless it’s “You Ought to Be Having Fun,” which follows. Doesn’t really matter. Whichever song or song title you want to bring up, Tower of Power throws down shimmering soul and greasy funk, with organ swells, stinging guitar, gorgeous vocals and its celebrated horn section.
Tower of Power is enhanced here with a few ringers, including a string section and additional keyboard players and background vocalists. The concert and recording also features select alumni, including former lead vocalist Ray Greene on trombone, current SNL bandleader Lenny Pickett on sax, the late, great Francis Rocco Prestia on bass, Chester Thompson on keyboards and Bruce Conte on guitar. They joined the then-current lineup featuring Marcus Scott on lead vocals along with original members David Garibaldi on drums, Stephen “Doc” Kupka wailing on bari, and Tower of Power bandleader Emilio Castillo on sax and vocals. The result demonstrates that despite the passing years, the show the group puts on is a hip trip that’s as blistering as ever.
50 Years of Funk and Soul: Live at the Fox Theater follows on the heels of two of the band’s strongest releases in years, Soul Side of Town and Step Up. It includes five tracks from the former, but unfortunately none from the latter. That’s not surprising, given the fact it was released in 2020, after this 2018 concert, though the recording sessions were already underway at that point. Regardless, you can’t quibble with a setlist that includes “Soul With A Capital S,” “On the Serious Side,” “Drop It In the Slot,” “Squib Cakes” and concert staples such as “You’re Still a Young Man” and “So Very Hard to Go.”
The accompanying DVD gives the viewer insights into Tower of Power, alongside the concert. Seeing bandleader Mimi Castillo dancing alongside the pirouettes of Lenny Pickett or the sequined Politzer and tuxedo-clad Pickett exchanging altissimo lines is a delight – and that’s just on “What Is Hip.”
You want highlights? Pick a song, any song. Tower of Power has long been famed for its live shows, and previous live recordings testify to that fact. With re-orchestrated arrangements (courtesy of current arranger David Eskridge, also seen and heard here on additional keyboards), the group is as polished as ever, yet still full of passion and sheer fun.
There are those who will contend that the current iteration of Tower of Powe pales in comparison to its mid-’70s lineup with Lenny Williams on lead vocals and Mic Gillette and Greg Adams on trumpet. Au contraire: While the quality of the compositions may have waxed and waned over the years, today’s Tower of Powe needs take a backseat to no one, including its predecessors. The band continues to showcase the best in funk and soul, 50 years on. What’s cool today might become passé, but Tower of Power never will be anything less than hip.
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