Tower Of Power

Born in the soul and funk boom of the San Francisco Bay at the end of the 1960s, Tower of Power formed around saxophonist Emilio Castillo in Oakland, California — initially under the name The Motowns before adopting their definitive name in 1968. Working within a tradition that blends funk, soul, rhythm and blues and hints of jazz, Tower of Power developed a writing style centered on a tightly arranged horn section, supported by syncopated rhythms and prominent bass lines, while vocals alternate between soulful ballads and more uptempo numbers. The band made its mark on the West Coast club scene and attracted national attention with early albums East Bay Grease (1970), Bump City (1972), Tower of Power (1973) and Back to Oakland (1974), which firmly established their sound. The years that followed saw frequent changes of singers, steady live activity, and extensive use of Tower of Power’s horn section in the studio and on tour backing numerous rock and soul artists. After several periods of relative quiet and a stronger resurgence in the 1990s — notably Monster on a Leash (1991) — the group continued studio work with Soul Side of Town (2018) and Step Up (2020), while remaining primarily a live act, where Tower of Power’s music still rests on the balance between tight horn arrangements and a collective groove.