Tower Of Power – What Is Hip Anthology

February 25th, 2009 |

Author: admin

Tower of Power ,

is a 10-member horn-based soul band from Oakland, California.
In the mid-1960s, 17-year-old tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo moved from Detroit, Michigan, to Fremont, California. He started a band called ‘The Gotham City Crime Fighters’ which evolved into ‘The Motowns’, including bassist Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia, specializing in soul music covers. During 1968, Castillo teamed up with baritone saxophonist Stephen Kupka (later to be dubbed ‘The Funky Doctor’) and trumpet/trombone player Mic Gillette, moved to Oakland, and together began writing and performing original material. One of their early influences was Soul artist James Brown. They changed the band’s name to ‘Tower of Power’ and began playing frequently in the Bay Area. ….More