El Paso Times, Texas, Doug Pullen column: Tower of Power stays true to sound

Oct 27, 2009 (El Paso Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- TMCS | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Tower of Power is one of those rare groups that has stuck to its guns -- namely horn-driven soul and funk music -- and survived 41 years with very few hits.

"I think it's the music and the way we make it," says tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo, who leads the 10-man group to the Abraham Chavez Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursday (tickets: $22.50-$50, plus fees, at the Plaza Theatre box, Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com and 800-745-3000).

Castillo's a native Detroiter, so he should know a little something about soul music. He started the band as the Motowns in Oakland, Calif., in 1968, when soul was evolving into its funk offshoot. The mix they came up with then is still the core of their sound today.

"We're pretty selfish about the way we do it. We do it to please ourselves," Castillo said by phone recently, "only we found out a long time ago when we make music to please ourselves, the audience seems to like it. That makes going to work in the morning pretty easy."

There were a few missteps along the way, particularly in the '80s "where we were trying to sound like other people at the request of our record company," the leader says.

But they found there was only one way to make their music -- greasy, funky and with a whole lotta soul.

"The concept of the sound has stayed pretty consistent. We get a little better at doing it. You figure out your bag of tricks over the years, what works, what doesn't," he says. "But we have a big love for horns and for rhythm. Those

two aspects of our sound mesh together like fabric."

In fact, there are five horn players in the band. Las Cruces native Lenny Pickett is long gone (he's the "Saturday Night Live" bandleader), but founding member Stephen "Doc" Kupka is still honking on the baritone sax.

First trumpeter Mic Gillette rejoined the band in August after 25 years away. The other horn players are Tom E. Politzer on first tenor sax and alto, and Adolfo Acosta on second trumpet and flugelhorn.

The formidable rhythm section of bassist Francis "Rocco" Prestia and drummer David Garibaldi is back. The lineup is rounded out by vocalist Larry Braggs, guitarist Mark Harper and keyboardist Roger Smith.

Members come and go, but the songs (including their biggest hit, "What Is Hip?"), have remained pretty much the same. "We're not the kind of artists that reinvent themselves every year," Castillo says. "We're not going to come out with a reggae album or turn into a hip-hop artist. We do what we do and just try to get better."

They did mark their 40th with anniversary with the April release of "The Great American Soulbook," which includes guest vocals by Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) on Otis Redding's "Mr. Pitiful," Huey Lewis on Wilson Pickett's "634-5789," Tom Jones on Sam & Dave's "I Thank You" and young British soulster Joss Stone dueting with Braggs on Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston's "It Takes Two" and Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "(Heaven Must Have Sent) Your Precious Love."

The band was resistant to the idea at first, but its manager persuaded them it would work. There were roadblocks, including health issues, but they soldiered on, with Castillo producing all but three tracks, where the legendary George Duke stepped in.

Getting guest shots from Stone ("a fan of ours"), Jones ("a real coup"), Lewis ("a good friend") and Moore was like the icing on the cake.

"I couldn't believe I had Sam Moore in the studio," Castillo says of his hero and fellow Scottsdale, Ariz., resident. "It was a dream come true."

Doug Pullen may be reached at dpullen@elpasotimes.com; 546-6397. Read Pullen My Blog at www.elpasotimes.com/blogs.

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