Rhythm & Business (1997)
Tower Of Power: Brent Carter (vocals); Emilio Castillo (vocals, tenor saxophone); Jeff Tamelier (guitar, background vocals); John Scarpulla (alto & tenor saxophones); Stephen “Doc” Kupka (baritone saxophone); Bill Churchville, Barry Danielian (trumpet, flugelhorn); Nick Milo (keyboards); Francis Rocco Prestia (bass); Herman Matthews (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Mic Gillette (baritone horn, trumpet); Dave Eskridge (trumpet). Emilio Castillo, Francis Rocco Prestia, “Doc” Kupka and the boys are back for another session of family- style funk. As in their formative years, Tower of Power lays it down with the idea that more is better. Perhaps as a result of maintaining the same personnel for so many years, the sound here is tight, clean and hard-hitting. Often utilizing groups of singers, and a full horn section, many of the songs transcend the usual “get down and party” message of most funk bands. “Unconditional Love” is about finally growing up enough to love, “Rhythm and Business” about trying. (shopping.com)
John Scarpulla is the lead sax, and Gillette returned for a few tracks. As usual, though, the quality of the compositions is more important than the personnel, and the compositions are good: there’s plenty of funk with group vocals (title track; “Crazy For You”) though some of lyrical concepts are obvious (”You Do The Math”; “The More You Know”). “What’s Your Trip?” goes for a different type of nostalgia, with the horns supporting a nasty 80s-style synth hook. “Unconditional Love” is one of the band’s more memorable ballads, though the melody is uncomfortably close to The Captain & Tenille’s “Do That To Me One More Time,” and “Don’t Knock Me Down” is better. (warr.org)
Tracks:
1. So I Got To Groove
2. Crazy For You
3. East Bay Way
4. Unconditional Love
5. You Do The Math
6. The More You Know
7. Recapture The Magic
8. What’s Your Trip
9. Rhythm and Business
10. Don’t Knock Me Down
11. That Was Then And This Is Now
12. It Really Doesn’t Matter
13. Spank-A-Dang
**Listen**
Tower Of Power – Rhythm & Business (1997)
Julio 10, 2009 a 11:28 pm (Modern Funk)
soulfunkjazz dijo:
Julio 10, 2009 a 11:28 pm
pass: toP97Soulfunkjazz_s_blog
Jorge dijo:
Julio 11, 2009 a 1:49 pm
Friend, I am searching for a long time for a record of a singer called Fresh Celeste of 1989. The title is “Solo & telling the truth”. Do you have it in your collection? Thanks in advance.