![]() Whether you're a seasoned audiophile or a casual listener, the crystal clear audio quality on this record will transport you to a world where every note hits you with an undeniable intensity. With its rich, deep sound, this LP Record takes you on a journey through inimitable musical landscapes that will leave you craving for more. 'We Came To Play' is a true testament to their musical prowess, with each track a testament to their passion for creating unforgettable melodies that stand the test of time. Immerse yourself in the undeniable power and soulful melodies created by this legendary funk and R&B band.Ĭrafted with utmost precision and love, this LP Record showcases the unrivaled talent of Tower Of Power, known for their impeccable horn section, electrifying vocals, and infectious grooves. Everybody’s got their lives in order and it’s a great thing.Introducing the Tower Of Power 'We Came To Play' LP Record - a timeless musical masterpiece that will captivate rhythm and soul enthusiasts alike. After about six months, we were in the Netherlands at the North Sea Jazz Festival and I realized at this particular gig, ‘Wow, this is my home. Let’s give this a try.’ So Mimi and I decided we would see if we still liked each other and all that, so I came back on. When a drumming vacancy opened up in Tower of Power that summer, Castillo contacted his former bandmate about climbing aboard again. Having played on a recording session for a solo album by Kupka, the drummer was impressed by the band members’ renewed sobriety. ![]() When I left the last time, I didn’t think I would ever able to be with these guys again.”įast forward to 1998. After the times that I left, it was like coming back to a relationship you wanted to work but still doesn’t, so you’ve got to leave again. I wanted to have close relationships with people. I wanted to have a life that was full of my art. That’s just part of the way those things work. It unified them because that’s what happens when people use, but then the ones that didn’t want to do that, it excludes. “When that is involved, it changes everyone. “When the band started getting into drugs and alcohol, that changed everything,” Garibaldi said. There were a few reunions in subsequent years, but by 1990, Garibaldi had departed Tower of Power seemingly for good. But as with many bands from popular music genres of the day, drugs and alcohol became prevalent. Garibaldi would remain with Tower of Power through its 1974 “Back to Oakland” album (a record whose inventive instrumental tune “Squibb Cakes” remains part of the band’s concert repertoire today). At that moment I realized this was the kind of music I wanted to play. Then we went back to the show that night and it was stupid great. I was just stunned at how cool it was, at how much precision there was and the energy and discipline of the music. They let us stand there and watch the whole rehearsal. We walked up to the stage, me and my friends, and nobody said one word to us. ![]() The door to the auditorium was open, so we went inside and the band was rehearsing. “He was playing at the San Jose Civic Auditorium. “My friends took me to see James Brown here in the Bay Area in 1965,” Garibaldi recalled. Each emphasized a wildly muscular horn section, a sensibility for Big Band-level rhythm-and-blues and razor-sharp grooves that constantly kept the music in motion while regally guiding ballads and mid-tempo soul serenades. ![]() To put it into a package that makes it Tower of Power is great fun, but it’s still a work in progress.”īorn out of a Bay Area scene in 1968 that was deep in the throes of psychedelia but rooted in rich traditions of rock, soul and blues, Tower of Power broke through to international acclaim with a trio of summer hits from the early 1970s – “You’re Still a Young Man” from 1972 and “What is Hip?” and “So Very Hard to Go,” both from 1973. It’s a challenging mix of all those things. There are all these different influences – jazz, funk, Latin music, everything. Everybody has a lot of music that they bring to Tower of Power to make it what it is. We call ourselves a soul band, but really, it’s much more than that. Nobody is saying no, so you can bring into the music anything you want. “Since the beginning, I’ve never had anybody tell me not to play whatever idea I might have,” he said. Having been in the engine room for much of the 55-year tenure of Tower of Power, one might be surprised to hear drummer David Garibaldi describe the veteran Oakland ensemble’s journey of soul, swing and groove as “a work in progress.” Tower of Power’s four mainstay members, from left, drummer David Garibaldi, bass guitarist Francis Rocco Prestia, baritone saxophonist Stephen “Doc” Kupka and tenor saxophonist/group leader Emilio “Mimi” Castillo. ![]()
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