Phoney McRing Ring Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 Evening everyone Just a quick question. I've been reading alot about a band called Tower of Power recently but i've never heard anything by them. What kind of music is their stuff and, if you like them, whats their best album for me to listen to? Any help would be great. Ta P.S i'm going to see a guy called Wayne Kranz (don't know if thats how you spell his name) tomorow, anyone know of him? "I am just an instrument cos the lord is playing this funk"-T.M Stevens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 Tower of Power is a funk/soul band from Oakland, California. They are a 10-piece band, 5 horns (2 trumpets, 2 tenor saxes, 1 bari sax), guitar, keys, bass, drums, and lead singer. Their rhythm section of Francis Rocco Prestia (bass) and David Garibaldi (drums) are arguably one of the funkiest, in the pocket, groovin', throwin' it down things to ever happen. So much soul. TOP has gone through a lot of front men over the years. My absolute favorite being Lenny Williams. He was with them for the albums "Tower of Power", "Back to Oakland", and "Urban Renewal". I highly suggest you start out with "Back to Oakland" and "Tower of Power". Coincidentally, this was also when they had their absolute best lead tenor player; Lenny Pickett. Lenny Pickett is a MONSTER of a player. The altisimo range is his little bitch and he does some stellar things way the hell up there. Go buy those two albums. Lock yourself in a room and listen to them non-stop. You will emerge a changed individual. Then go to the store and buy the rest of my "essential TOP" list: East Bay Grease Tower of Power Back To Oakland Urban Renewal In The Slot Live And In Living Color Souled Out Rhythm & Business Soul Vaccination Oakland Zone -OR- Buy the TOP Anthology and decide which eras of the band you like best... fear "You Ought To Be Havin' Fun"... disco Tower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 what Bumpcity said... TOP is a MUST!! Rocco is a living legend- thank God he is living- we almost lost him.. Wayne Krantz is one of the baddest guitarists around- you will love him- i got a chance to see him at the 55 Bar in NYC and he was smokin!- he was very cool to talk to as well.. http://www.accessbass.com/images/krantz.jpg Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Wayne Krantz is a BURNING guitar player. KInd of jazz/rock without the cheeziness that usually is associated with that term. Last time I heard him he had Lincoln Goines on bass and the drummer from the Buckshot LeFonque tour (Bransford Marsalis' funk band) on drums. No vocals. Smokin', from start to finish. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Tower of Power has a fantastic rhythm section. Let us know when you can play "What is Hip?" Don't forget that it is faster on the live album. I used to see these guys weekly when they were a local band here. And played in a couple of horn bands that tried to duplicate their sound. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Would that be Lenny Pickett of "...plus Lenny Pickett and the Saturday Night Live Band!" fame? ...think funky thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Yes, Lenny Pickett formerly of Tower of Power is the bandleader on Saturday Night Live. In the days when I used to see TOP, Lenny was a high school kid, virtually living on the streets, who would come sit in with the band. Check out his solo on the album "Live and in living color" on the song "knock yourself out". The band is chanting "Lenny Pickett" while Lenny blows his brains out with the funkiest sax solo you'll ever hear in your life. Other former TOP players to make it big include Richard Elliot. My good friend Norbert Stachel was the featured sax soloist on the cd "Soul Vaccination Live". I haven't heard from Norbert in a while, so I can't tell you what he's up to now. He did a tour with Roger Waters after leaving TOP. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 I play "What is Hip"every gig. Great tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay J. Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 people have pretty much answered your question, but I just thought I'd chime in here to add that TOP is an amazing band. I just discouvered them a few years ago and have been listening to them ever since. their rytham and music is just amazing. and Rocco lays down some of the most amazing grooves I have herad. they have been a big influence on me as of late. and I am not usually into their kind of music so that says a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted July 7, 2003 Share Posted July 7, 2003 and tghey sound better than ever- i recently caught them with Roccos return and all i could think was " is there a funkier band anywhere?" the new singer blows my mind - Garibaldi and Prestia are a match made in Heaven! Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWBass Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 I've been diggin' TOP ever since "This Time It's Real" was released(early-mid 70's)! Been diggin' em' ever since!! 'Soul Vaccination' is one tune you need to hear live to really understand exactly what this band is capable of doing!! Oh My Lawd!! www.myspace.com/thefunkfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 P.S i'm going to see a guy called Wayne Kranz (don't know if thats how you spell his name) tomorow, anyone know of him Wayne Krantz is a bad mutha! You will love him. I saw him with Lincoln Goines on bass and Kieth Carlock on drums (one of the scariest drummers I've ever seen) at the 55, and it was friggin' unreal! Lew Soloff dropped by to blow some scary shit on top of everything, and I was truly frightened. I need to go catch him again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkW Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 Tower of Power is playing this weekend at the SLC Jazz Festival and my dern bass teacher beat me out for rights to be the host/assistant for them! Grrr... still gonna try to go see the show, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoney McRing Ring Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 Thanks alot for all the feedback guys. I will certainly look into TOP and Wayne was like nothing i have ever heard. He had changed the line up (or so i was told) in that there were four of them, the forth was an electric box player who made weird noises over the songs. However it was still ace and his bass player Tim (i do not know who to spell his second name) was incredable, i've never seen anyone dominate the bass like he did. Anyhoo, thanks again "I am just an instrument cos the lord is playing this funk"-T.M Stevens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Tim LeFevre?? i caught that trio and i was blown away! glad you dug it! Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoney McRing Ring Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 Thats the bloke. Thing was, during the gig i did not know if they were coming to the end of a song or if it was just a lull in the tune but Tim is amazing, i've never seen anyone big enough to play his bass horizontally like he did. "I am just an instrument cos the lord is playing this funk"-T.M Stevens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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