Введение
Американская R&B и фанк-группа Tower of Power — американская R&B и фанк-группа и секция духовых инструментов, родом из Окленда, Калифорния, которая выступает с 1968 года. За время существования группы было несколько вокалистов, наиболее известным из которых является Ленни Уильямс, возглавлявший коллектив с начала 1973 по конец 1974 года – период их наибольшего коммерческого успеха. В их дискографии восемь песен, вошедших в Billboard Hot 100. В течение нескольких месяцев группа, тогда известная как The Motowns, начала выступать на различных площадках в Окленде и Беркли, их соул-звучание привлекало слушателей как из числа меньшинств, так и представителей контркультуры. Кастильо мечтал выступить в Fillmore Auditorium Билла Грэма в Сан-Франциско, но понимал, что с названием The Motowns ему туда не попасть. К 1970 году, уже под новым названием Tower of Power, в состав которой входили трубач и аранжировщик Грег Адамс, первый трубач Мик Джилетт, первый саксофонист Скип Мескит, Фрэнсис "Рокко" Престиа на бас-гитаре, Вилли Фултон на гитаре и барабанщик Дэвид Гарибальди, группа подписала контракт с San Francisco Records, принадлежащим Биллу Грэму, и выпустила свой дебютный альбом East Bay Grease. Большинство вокальных партий на этом альбоме исполнил Руфус Миллер. В альбом вошел хит-сингл "You're Still a Young Man", достигший 29-й строчки Billboard Hot 100 и ставший лучшим вокальным исполнением Стивенса до его ухода из группы. Эмилио Кастильо, соавтор песни вместе со Стивеном Купкой, рассказал Songfacts, что песня основана на реальной истории о нем и его бывшей девушке, которая была старше его на шесть лет. Альбом Tower of Power, выпущенный весной 1973 года, стал третьим альбомом группы. В записи приняли участие соул-певец Ленни Уильямс и Ленни Пикетт, исполнивший партию тенор-саксофона. Брюс Конте заменил гитариста Вилли Фултона, а клавишник Честер Д. Томпсон присоединился к группе во время записи альбома. С этого альбома вышел их самый успешный сингл "So Very Hard to Go". Хотя сингл достиг 17-й позиции в Billboard Hot 100,
the band
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; Within months the group, then known as The Motowns, began playing various gigs around Oakland and Berkeley, their soul sound appealing to both minority and counterculture listeners. Castillo wanted to play Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, but he realized he would never get in with a name like The Motowns. By 1970, the now renamed Tower of Power—now including trumpet/arranger Greg Adams, first trumpet Mic Gillette, first saxophone Skip Mesquite, Francis "Rocco" Prestia on bass, Willie Fulton on guitar, and drummer David Garibaldi—signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and released their first album, East Bay Grease. Rufus Miller performed most of the lead vocals on this debut album. This album included the hit single "You're Still a Young Man", which peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Stevens' pinnacle vocal performance before leaving the band. Emilio Castillo, who co wrote the tune with Stephen Kupka, told Songfacts that the song was based on a true story about him and a former girlfriend who was six years his senior. Tower of Power, released in the spring of 1973, was the third album for the band. It featured soul singer Lenny Williams on lead vocals and Lenny Pickett on lead tenor saxophone. Bruce Conte replaced guitarist Willie Fulton and keyboardist Chester D. Thompson also joined the band during the recording of the album. The album spawned their most successful single "So Very Hard to Go". Although the single peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100,
On Urban Renewal (1974), the band moved more toward funk than soul; however, they continued recording ballads as well. Williams left the band in late 1974, and was replaced as vocalist by Hubert Tubbs. Though the band remained popular, their days of chart radio airplay declined. During the late 1970s they briefly tried recording disco sounding material. They fully recovered and returned to the active lineup later that year.
В альбоме Urban Renewal (1974) группа стала больше тяготеть к фанку, чем к соулу, однако продолжала записывать баллады. В конце 1974 года Уильямс покинул группу, и его место занял Хьюберт Таббс. Несмотря на сохраняющуюся популярность, количество ротаций песен группы на радиостанциях сократилось. В конце 1970-х они ненадолго экспериментировали с записью музыки в стиле диско. В конце того же года группа полностью восстановилась и вернулась к активной деятельности.
the band
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; Within months the group, then known as The Motowns, began playing various gigs around Oakland and Berkeley, their soul sound appealing to both minority and counterculture listeners. Castillo wanted to play Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, but he realized he would never get in with a name like The Motowns. By 1970, the now renamed Tower of Power—now including trumpet/arranger Greg Adams, first trumpet Mic Gillette, first saxophone Skip Mesquite, Francis "Rocco" Prestia on bass, Willie Fulton on guitar, and drummer David Garibaldi—signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and released their first album, East Bay Grease. Rufus Miller performed most of the lead vocals on this debut album. This album included the hit single "You're Still a Young Man", which peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Stevens' pinnacle vocal performance before leaving the band. Emilio Castillo, who co wrote the tune with Stephen Kupka, told Songfacts that the song was based on a true story about him and a former girlfriend who was six years his senior. Tower of Power, released in the spring of 1973, was the third album for the band. It featured soul singer Lenny Williams on lead vocals and Lenny Pickett on lead tenor saxophone. Bruce Conte replaced guitarist Willie Fulton and keyboardist Chester D. Thompson also joined the band during the recording of the album. The album spawned their most successful single "So Very Hard to Go". Although the single peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100,
On Urban Renewal (1974), the band moved more toward funk than soul; however, they continued recording ballads as well. Williams left the band in late 1974, and was replaced as vocalist by Hubert Tubbs. Though the band remained popular, their days of chart radio airplay declined. During the late 1970s they briefly tried recording disco sounding material. They fully recovered and returned to the active lineup later that year.
Сотрудничество
Хорная секция Tower звучала на записях множества других исполнителей, включая Otis Redding, Aaron Neville, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, David Sanborn, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Labelle, Huey Lewis, Little Feat, Heart, Michelle Shocked, Paula Abdul, Santana и Stevie Nicks. Также с ними сотрудничали Lyle Lovett, Poison, Phish (в двух песнях с альбома Hoist), Toto, Pharoahe Monch, Ned Doheny, Brothers Johnson и Sam The, а также многие другие музыканты. Кроме того, их музыка использовалась в фильме Уилла Феррелла 2008 года "Полупрофессионал".
Студийные альбомы
Год Альбом Позиции в чартах Сертификаты US Pop – – – "–" обозначает релизы, которые не попали в чарты.
Альбомы на концертах
Год Альбом Позиции в чартахUS Pop US R&B CAN1971 "Back on the Streets Again" – – –East Bay Grease1972 "You're Still a Young Man" 29 24 30Bump City "Down to the Nightclub" 66 – –1973 "So Very Hard to Go" 17 11 36Tower of Power "This Time It's Real" 65 27 –1974 "What Is Hip?" 91 39 – "Time Will Tell" 69 27 –Back to Oakland "Don't Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream)" 26 22 59 "Only So Much Oil in the Ground" – 85 –Urban Renewal1975 "Willing to Learn" – 77 – "You're So Wonderful, So Marvelous" – 57 –In the Slot "Treat Me Like Your Man" – – –1976 "You Ought to Be Havin' Fun" 68 62 –Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now "Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now" – 95 –1978 "Lovin' You Is Gonna See Me Thru" – 98 –We Came to Play! "We Came to Play" – – –1979 "Rock Baby" – 61 –Back on the Streets "In Due Time" – – –"–" обозначает релизы, которые не попали в чарты или не были выпущены в данной территории.