Oakland's Tower of Power brings holiday soul to the Fox Theater
Veteran East Bay R&B band Tower of Power plays classic funk and soul hits along with some seasonal holiday standards to the Fox Theater in Oakland Saturday night.
Making its unique style of music for 55 years, few Bay Area bands outside of Sly and the Family Stone have exerted the kind of influence on R&B music that "East Bay Grease" progenitors Tower of Power have since the principal members first came together in 1968.
Tower of Power songwriter, saxophonist and sometimes lead singer Emilio Castillo was advised by his father to hire baritone sax player Stephen "Doc" Kupka after an audition to join Castillo's band the Motowns. The group started playing clubs in Berkeley and Oakland with the aim of graduating to local concert promoter Bill Graham's Fillmore West.
Within two years, the band had changed its name to Tower of Power and not only became a regular act at the legendary venue, it was managed by Graham and signed to his Fillmore Records label. Released in 1970, Tower of Power's debut effort East Bay Grease found the band delivering what would become its patented mix of extended funk workouts and soulful ballads spotlighting the fiery punch of the mighty Tower of Power horn section. The album also showcased the powerhouse line-up that had coalesced around Castillo and Kupka, including trumpet player/arranger Greg Adams and the ferocious rhythm section of drummer Dave Garibaldi and bassist Francis "Rocco" Prestia.
ToP would have something of a rotating-door policy with its lead singers -- Rick Stevens, who sang the early hits "Sparkling in the Sand," "You're Still a Young Man" and "Down to the Night Club" was gone by the band's self-titled third album in 1973, when their biggest hitmaker Lenny Williams came aboard, along with several key members: dynamic tenor player Lenny Pickett, guitarist Bruce Conte and organ player Chester Thompson.
Williams would prove a commanding presence on both ballads -- "So Very Hard to Go," the band's biggest hit -- and hard-hitting funk jams like "What is Hip?" and "Get Yo' Feet Back on the Ground." The band's follow-up efforts Back to Oakland and Urban Renewal further cemented the potency of what would later be hailed as ToP's best line-up. The Tower of Power horns would also become established as the go-to horn section for recording sessions and live appearances, collaborating with Bay Area artists like Santana, Journey and the Grateful Dead as well as such stars as Elton John, Rod Stewart, Little Feat and the Meters.
Williams would return to a solo career in 1975. Though Tower of Power managed a few more hits like "Drop it in the Slot," the subsequent departure of Garabaldi and Prestia coupled with the rising popularity of disco in the latter part of the decade made things difficult for the veteran band. Despite those challenges, ToP would continue to release records through the '80s and '90s and, more importantly, remained a vital live act with Castillo and Kupka at the helm. Key members Garabaldi and Prestia would later return to the fold, adding their considerable prowess to the still scorching band.
In 2018, the band celebrated a major historical landmark, hosting a sold-out 50th anniversary party at the Fox Theater in Oakland that was documented and finally released on DVD, CD and vinyl this year with the title 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater.
In addition to the then current line-up, the band invited notable former members including tenor saxophonist Pickett (longtime musical director of the Saturday Night Live band), keyboard maestro Chester Thompson (who has played with Santana for decades) and classic-era guitarist Bruce Conte. The performance also captured one of the last onstage appearances by Prestia, who sadly passed away in 2020. The band's last studio effort entitled Step Up came out that same year and featured Prestia's last recorded work as well as the final contributions of Garibaldi before he retired.
Castillo and Kupka continue to anchor the band's muscular horn section in the current line-up that features longtime members Roger Smith on keys, Jerry Cortez on guitar and Marc van Wageningen on bass alongside new additions Jordan John on lead vocals and Pete Antunes behind the drum kit. This past fall, Tower of Power released the collection of yuletide tunes It's Christmas including the Donny Hathaway chestnut "This Christmas" that the group will surely showcase at this hometown show at Oakland's Fox Theater just days before the actual holiday.
Tower of Power
Saturday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. $59.50-$121
Fox Theater
