|   Soul Vaccination - Tower of Power (a Friday review) | Chip_B
Apr 19, 2002 10:10 AM | | I got Tower of Power's live album, "Soul Vaccination", recorded live in San Francisco in '98, about a month ago and threw it in a stack of other CDs. It lay there forgotten until I happened to spot it this morning and threw it in the car along with Bryan's "Eat My Shorts" comp.
Right from the opening notes of "Soul with a Capital 'S'", I was totally hooked. ToP is absolutely unreal...the horn section, especially Doc Kupka on baritone sax and Bill Church and Jesse McGuire on trumpet, keep the funk <i>pop-pop-pop</i>ing like synchronized machine gun fire. Francis Prestia's bass weaves over, around, and through the heavy funk tunes and lays down a tasteful groove for the balads. Drummer Dave Garibaldi constructs the boundaries with unbelieveably crisp playing. The vocals are also excellent; Brent Carter's soulfully funkified voice blends seamlessly with the cool, crisp background harmonies and keeps everything simmering. Jeff Tamelier also contributes fine lead vocals and adds chunky, propulsive guitar. This just might be the <i>tightest</i> band on earth.
Unlike a lot of groups that are essentially studio products, Tower of Power is more than up to the challenge of generating serious heat live. The band keeps the crowd in a steady groove, moving quickly between songs and mixing the slower stuff with the blast furnace funk. I would've given my left sperm generator to have been in that audience; the energy is off the scale.
There are several stand out performances, but their best known tune, "What is Hip?", is particularly sharp. The entire tune crackles with heat and confidence. Carter gets the crowd singing the chorus line while he bends his voice through the fills and the horns rip smartly through their paces in staccato counterpoint. Goosebump city. It's amazing to think that I first heard this tune nearly 30 years ago and it still moves me.
Other standouts: "So I Got to Groove", "Soul With a Capital 'S'", "To Say the Least, You're the Most", "Diggin' on James Brown" and the title cut, "Soul Vaccination".
If you know the band, you know you ought to have this already. If you haven't heard ToP before, this is a damned fine place to start.
A final note. I've listened to the first 11 songs on YECH's "Eat My Shorts" comp. Based on this brief and incomplete exposure, I'm already convinced that this is the best collection of music I've ever gotten from anyone. This is jaw-dropping, awe-inducing, hair-standing-on-the-back-of-your-neck music of the highest order. Wow...
-Chip |
| Good album, but their current lineup is much better ...... | dgstrat65
Apr 19, 2002 11:18 AM | | I just saw TOP at BB Kings in NYC on Monday night. It's the 3rd time I've seen them with their new singer, Larry Braggs and I've gotta say he is incredible. I like him a lot better than Brent Carter, who they used on their live album. If you've never seen TOP I'd highly recommend them.....I also Highky recommend their other live album, "Live and in Living Color" from the 70's. That's a classic. |
| Current lineup | Chip_B
Apr 19, 2002 11:44 AM | | I haven't heard the new lineup yet, but if I ever get a chance to see them, I will. I like Carter's voice, but admittedly, it isn't as good as some of the other vocalists they've had fronting them, especially Lenny Williams. Last I heard, Williams went to prison for murder back in the 70s. I seem to remember that they had another lead singer that went to prison as well...
I'll look for Live and in Living Color. The only other ToP albums I have right now are their self-titled album (with Williams singing "What is Hip?") and Back to Oakland.
Thanks for the recommendation.
-Chip |
| BTW, | Chip_B
Apr 19, 2002 11:49 AM | | Other than the lead singer, who else is new? The core of the band has been playing together for 30+ years. I'd be surprised if they were substantially revamped. |
| BTW, | dgstrat65
Apr 24, 2002 10:26 AM | | There's a new keyboard player who's really hot. Sounds a lot like Chester thompson and he's got a great voice. he replaced Nick Milo. There's also a new sax player who replaced John Scarpulla. |
| re: Soul Vaccination - Tower of Power (a Friday review) | tony w
Apr 19, 2002 12:22 PM | | Excellent review Chip, ToP one of my fav bands, I'm also fond of Back to Oakland and their first album.
Bryans comp is also first rate paticularly the tracks by Boz Scaggs, Bottle Rockets and Lee Fields.
The Lee Fields album 'Lets get a groove on' is an awesome piece of funk, that Bryan also sent me if you would like a copy let me know.
Later
Tony |
| I've been a ToP fan since East Bay Grease.... | Worf101
Apr 23, 2002 12:09 PM | | When I was growing up in NY, City in the late 60's early 70's we were all in "neighborhood bands" at one time or another. Even though we lived in the Projects that didn't stop us from scroungin' gear and trying to become musicians. We first started out mining James Brown and early pre-Jungle Boogie Kool and the Gang. ToP was like a revelation to us. We tried to cop as much as we could. Tight, fast, high and intricate. They were a horn band's horn band. I rate them just behind James Brown's horns with Wesley and Parker. They were/are a tighter ensemble with much more intricate horn arrangements and better dynamics than the JB's but can't quite measure up to the soloing capabilities of Maceo or Fred.
Great Band though. "You're still a young man..." is a certified classic.
Da Worfster |
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