Thank you for this! What an honor, thank you! That was an amazing time for us…we realized during the rehearsals for this that we had something really cool and different. There’s no keyboard on this because Chester has not yet joined us when we recorded this track. He joined us after everything was done…you can hear him on What Is Hip?…Bruce was the ultimate rhythm section player. He and I and would jam together after full band rehearsals and make up parts and grooves. His groove sense was unmatched…he’d say it’s groovin’ or, it’s not groovin’ and was always right. Rocco had drum radar and could lock in like no one else. When we put it all together, we knew it was great! So many cool stories about building our music…thank you!!!
Thanks for your breakdown! The band was in fine form at the recent inaugural Murrieta blues fest. ToP played at my Sacramento high school, and I’ve been a fan ever since.
@@carpballet "Not anymore" Silly comment, their music still exists to last til the end of humanity and beyond. Obviously we klnow people don't live and last forever, but they'll always be "one helluva rhythm combo".
I keep saying you are one of the most important voices for bass players on the internet. I am the bass player in a TOP tribute band and way back in 1975 I switched from guitar to bass because of Rocco ( and Paul Jackson) I never regretted making that decision.
I couldn’t agree more. When I was with Maceo Parker we did a couple of double billed tours with TOP in Europe. Some of the best educational fun I’ve ever had in my musical career. David and I are still friends to this day.
@rskeetc Rodney Skeets Curtis is in the house...! Bro...we're getting old. I remember watching you with PFunk...over 40 years ago. The tracks you laid down with The Brides are iconic.
Bro Skeet! Yes, those tours were like school for us as well. You, Jamal, Will and Bruno wore it out every night…Being Maceo fans, it was very inspiring to us to be in your company! God bless you my friend!
Afro-Cuban/Latin influence on Bay Area funk (and music in general) can't be overstated. There's an interview with Susan Rogers about how Prince was straight ahead Mid-Western funk and it was Sheila E who brought some fresh Latin flavor to Prince's music. Great video, need more TOP!
Garibaldi was one of the originators or early adopters of linear drumming, the style which empathises single beat patterns over the heavier doubling-up of beats. It makes for a livelier and cleaner sound which balances perfectly with the other rhythmic elements in TOP. Similar drummers are Steve Gadd and even Vinnie Coliauta used linear drumming when he joined Zappa in the late 70s. It has a super funky vibe. Great video, thanks.
So glad I was able to experience Prestia/Garibaldi live. Absolutely magical! That Rhythm Section was so syncopated and infectious. Almost brought a tear to my eye
Your videos bring me a lot of happiness. I love hearing you break down different artists and songs. I started playing electric bass in the 80’s and then took a hiatus while raising my kids. I recently picked up one again with a small amp. It’s starting to come back. My daughter is especially happy to see me playing. My kids love this side of me. My grandfather played upright in big bands back in the day - his sister alleges that he played with the “greats” (even his obit said he played with Armstrong and Goodman) but I’ve found no proof of that. Just news clippings of him playing with other bands back in the early 40’s. Then my uncle played electric bass and was in to all the prog rock bands of the 70’s. I loved watching them both play so of course it was only natural for me to play bass, too! I’m discovering all kinds of amazing players through your channel. Complete inspiration. Thank you!
I like to way you talk about other musicians, always with a compliment to their talent, always with deep respect. Only those not selfish are capable of making sincere compliments, as you do. Cheers from Brazil!
I never hear anyone talking about Tower's very first album "East Bay Grease." What a bombshell it was! Brought it home from college (1970) and turned out EVERY party I went to that summer. I started playing bass because of THAT album. It's Funk Education 101. Every track's a burner and it ends with the coolest, sexiest slow drag/mambo a teenager could ask for, "Sparkling In the Sand." TOP started blowing up with their 2nd album "Bump City," but the muscular "East Bay Grease" kicked it off righteously. Rufus Miller's vocals were just sick!
Born in DETROIT,l lived in OAKLAND, I saw the TOWER many times, Always a PARTY, when the TOWER hits the stage. RIP Rocco. LOVE my guy Garibaldi. Oh Yeah.
These guys are the best in the business. I grew up in the East Bay and these guys were practically a fixture at my private high school. They played just about every function we had. They have a solid, hard core fan base in the Bay Area. If you need a horn section-Tower of Power, of course!
I have seen TOP a couple of times in Paradiso Amsterdam. I've met Emelio and the Doc. And even your friend Adolpho. What a band. What a review! So great, no words the grasp it. Thank you!
What a wonderful break down of TOP. As I grew up in the Bay Area, more specifically The City or San Francisco. With so many artists and bands from the 60's to today and as a recording and sound engineer I have had the pleasure fo working with a number of them. My ex-father-in-law was in a Jazz band that often played at The Keystone, a jazz club in the Broadway or North Beach area in the 40's and 50's. One of my fondest memories was at a birthday party for our drummer in the mid-90's (we are a Funk Band, The Funkanauts) and TOP's horn section showed up at the B-party and jammed along with us. This was in the backyard and none of our neighbors complained as we played past the mid-night hour.
When I listen to Tower of Power my neighbors do too! If you like Adolfo and Bogey do a search for Night in Tunisia with the Des Moines Big Band. The other guests playing that evening were Wayne Bergeron and Bobby Shew.
When I was 16 the rock radio station recorded the Tower of Power live at a local venue. I made a cassette tape of it. It was all their hits, starting with Down To The Night Club and ending with You're A Diamond Sparkling In The Sand. I wore that tape out! Thanks for the breakdown. Another great groove to practice. So much music, so little time...
Wow ... fantastic and educational video... Tower of Power all-time greats no joke... their catalogue of music is peerless ... stay funky forever .. peace!
Dude - I grew up in SF land have heard more TOP shows than any other band. Including when when they played county fairs. Great breakdown of their chemistry. Well done.
Great analysis, you and Jim Stinnet (RIP) are my favorites bass channels in You Tube. I'm going to see them -my fifth time- on December 11th at the Rialto Theater in Joliet. IL, I am lucky one of my daughters found this show. I miss their stop at the Soundboard in Detroit.
A Tower anecdote (indirect). My wife and I had been driving from the beach in North Carolina to Columbus Ohio (10 hours). WE had been listening to lots of classical music--Beethoven Symphonies. When we hit the Ohio border, I needed something really different, so I put on the iPod, You've got to Funkifize--she looked at me like I was from another planet. I grew up in the SF Bay Area and went to school at UC Berkeley, she grew up in Indiana.
Thanx so much for getting some TOP going!!! And BTW, as much as I love Rocco and David, good on you PD for shouting out Bruce Conte's contribution... never gets as much a spotlight as it deserves. Have seen TOP many times thru the years and it's always magic! Great work you do here on this channel, thank you!!
You articulated so well what I've felt about Tower of Power for the last 45 years! I took my family to see ToP play with the Utah Symphony last month and they put on a great show. The only thing I think I could add to your comments is Doc's bari sax scoop helps to make that tune (and "What is Hip") so funky!
Saw them in small clubs as a teen, idolised them ever since and starting playing saxophone because of this sound. 3 years ago I was able to thank them personally after a show for all this great funk and inspiration over so many years - absolute heros! Definitely caught the funky pox….
Bought that album when it came out still plays mint what a brass section actually bought it for the soulful “ So Very Hard to Go “ Lenny Williams remember ironing the sticker which came inside the album “ Tower of Power They done found the stroke on to my sweatshirt , happy days
"What Is hip" was one of the first big challenges I started to face as soon as I became proficient enough with the bass so to consider taking it up. Still playing it, still loving it, still struggling with it in some of its most challenging bits :)
I was born a TOP fan thanks to my older brother and uncle who played their music from the time I was a baby. I go to their concert whenever they come to town. I just saw them again last year at Christmas at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Always a great show!
Hey there - glad you could break down TOP for the masses! Bogie AND Adolfo are SUPER human's. Nice of you to throw them and Maynard's band (who I saw in a middle school gym in Raleigh, NC in the late 80's) a bone! For a bunch of kids, many of whom had zero formal musical education, TOP is a testament to groove and feel.
I love how you picked up on the connection between funk and latin music. It's really interesting how the African rhythms that made it over to the Americas developed differently in the northern, southern, central and caribbean regions - and were then brought together again to influence and enrich each other. The Soul music of the 60s got exposed to influences from the 16th syncopation that was happening in "Salsa"-styles and developed into Funk - and then, in turn, Funk was a great influence on a lot of amazing 70s "Salsa" and Latin Jazz. Everything cross-pollinating with everything - and the music just gets better and better. 🔥
My Dad is a huge TOP fan and I grew up listening to their music and going to concerts all the time... Pops would always talk about "Syncopation"... I definitely need to show him this video.
Garibaldi's drums were also partly influenced by the 'king kong beat' popularized/created by the drummer from Redbone. I think the percussive use of the organ also helps propel the groove.
If you're new to the Tower, don't sleep on East Bay Grease. Not quite as sophisticated as the later stuff, but full of raw funk energy and Garibaldi's rolling metric modulation. One of my favorite records of all time.
Love the video. I am fifth generation SF and discovered T of P around 1972. Have seen them live many times and never tire of listening to their music. Funky, soulful and hip! I sure do miss Mick Gillette.
Sweetwater Sound is my home town of Fort Wayne, IN. The workers used to get to vote (maybe still do, I don't know) and bring any band to town for a private concert. 20 years ago or so they chose Tower of Power and I got to go with a buddy that worked there. Well they blew the roof off the place. All I'd known of them was their playing on other groups hit records. Wow they were good.
Maaaaan another fantastic video. I played for about 6 years with Ron E. Beck with "replaced" Garibaldi 1975 through 1978. Between him and Zigaboo... I got my booty handed to me a few times. lol
What a rhythm section, what a band. Loved Lenny's taut vocals over the many moving parts arrangements. Great pick Paul. Keep doing what you do so well.
Love TOP , have been a fan for years but just got to see them live a couple of months ago and they were awesome. I wish I had gotten to see Rocco before he passed.
Thank you for the breakdown. I learned a lot. I also learned I don’t have enough Tower Of Power in the collection.😆 By the way, still digging your Nick Drake river man video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Saw them for the first time 45 years ago and then again last year. Amazing then, every bit as amazing now. Going to see them with the Nashville Symphony in October.
Dave Garibaldi on drums and Rocco on bass. I grew up in the Bay area. I remember seeing them play at a local swimming pool. Good times. Good choice of song.
TOP is one of my favorite bands! Has been since first hearing them in '71 or '72. Your breakdown on what makes this song so wonderful is truly instructive! I can't read music, but I could see the parts you showed all "looked" the same, which would explain the synchronization (and probably the syncopation, if I understood it better). All I know is how TIGHT the band is. They are my favorite band to dance to! My chiropractor loves it when they come to my town! Thanks for the great explanation: succinct, complete, enjoyable, positive. This was my first visit here, but it won't be my last.
TOP is my favorite funk and soul band! I have seen them a few times live: Once in 1972, once in 2000. Still the same great band! I'm a bass player because of Rocco and a few other players. I even got Rocco's, Adolpho's, and Larry Bragg's autographs!
never knew you played with Maynard, that's awesome. I'm a former trumpet player turned bass player, so bands like ToP, Maynard, etc. are all part of my musical education. I got to meet the horn players when I was a sophomore, ToP was playing in Boston and Yamama sponsored a little meet and greet with just the horn players at a local music store. One of the most incredible performances, being like 10 feet away from them in that small music store, no rhythm section, no singers, just a bunch of fans in heaven.
Tickets ordered for Jazzdays Leverkusen. Can´t wait 😃 My first ever heard T.O.P. Song was Soul Vaccination. I´m addicted. Thanx 4 breakdown this incredible track and givin´ a powerful lesson, lovin´ it. Greetings from germany.
I heard the ToP album when it came out but at the time I was too young too appreciate it. I was more into top40 radio. Now of course I know better. I love the Back to Oakland album.
Young rock bassist that I was in the early 70's, that album was a must have/listen. For any budding music to cop ANYTHING from that album was an indicator of how serious you were at your craft.
I went with friends to see Huey Lewis and the News in the mid 80s. The TOP Horns were playing as part of the band and it was amazing. None of my friends had any idea who there were.
As a high school student (and sax player) I grew up in the 70's listening to Tower. I heard them in 1978 in Boston and their warm-up act was George Benson! After moving to California I was able to see them often and was (and still am) amazed at their dedication to the energy and the groove after 50 years of playing! Now, as an adult, I've stopped listening to just the vocals, harmonies and horn parts, but now I am laser focused on the drumming and bass lines. Aside note: I had Mic Gillette clinic my jazz band once and it was awesome.
Near the end I was almost gonna say 'but what about the legendary tight horns of The Tower Paul?' But, as always, you explained in detail why Drum, Bass, guitar and Hornsection make the Tower a hella groovin machine👍👍 I had the pleasure to see them operate that funk machine live several times and man, oh man, even for a stiff white guy like me, impossible to stand still. Gotta be da soul.
This is a fantastic analysis of the song and of TOP’s general approach. It is absolutely spot on. Thanks for your excellent insight. I always marveled at how DG could take a seemingly quotidian funk rhythm and just turn it on its head, making it seem irregular while remaining absolutely funky. Ebony Jam from the In The Slot play is a great example.
You're not kidding about ToP. I saw them several times in the 1970's with the iconic lineup, and I saw them again in 2019. They're still just as tight, just as funky, and just as much fun. Garibaldi was on drums, Emilio and Doc still in the horn section, and all the "newer" guys fit right in. Fantastic!
Where to begin ? I saw TOP in NYC around 91-92 and the funk is still flowing through my veins. I learned so much from listening to these guys , it was one of the best guitar lessons ever for the low price of $3.99 to buy the album with What is Hip on it. Master class of funk ! Thanks Paul.
