Tower of Power

In the Slot came off a four-year string of classic singles and albums. As Bump City era lead singer Rick Stevens exited, the phenomenal Lenny Williams replaced him. With Williams, Tower of Power became a hit-making machine as albums like Back to Oakland and Urban Renewal became R&B standards. In the Slot marks the first album of vocalist Hubert Tubbs. He possessed a throaty more muscular voice a few shades lower than his predecessor. While it was serviceable, Tubbs' voice didn't have the same grace and agility as Williams'.

Edward McGhee turned in mostly above-average performances on their first post-Lenny Williams release, but it was the beginning of the end. With funk losing its foothold among R&B audiences, they couldn't keep it together. McGhee was an energetic, exuberant vocalist who held his own on up-tempo tunes like "You Ought to Be Havin' Fun" and the title song, but lacked Williams' range or tonal quality on ballads. The group always had a weakness for ponderous message cuts, and "Can't Stand to See the Slaughter" and "While We Went to the Moon" were well-intentioned but clumsy tracks. This was almost the Tower of Power's swan song.

When The Tower of Power left Warner Bros. for Epic, many felt that it was a good move. In retrospect, it proved a disaster. This second Columbia album was a marked comedown from the first, which was erratic but still contained the essential Tower ingredients — hook-laden songs, exuberant vocals, and punchy charts and instrumental support. This not only didn't have any of these elements, it was poorly produced and woefully arranged as well.

In contrast to the many soul veterans who have turned to urban contemporary sounds in the hope of staying on the staying on the charts, Tower of Power has stuck with the type of horn-driven, live-sounding funk and soul that put the Bay Area band on the map. Tower was long past its prime by the time Monster on a Leash was released in 1991, and had experienced its share of personnel changes. Lead singer Tom Bowes, although a passionate and competent belter, is hardly on a par with Lenny Williams. Even so, this is a respectable and decent effort from a band that remained artistically viable by staying true to itself.

When The Tower of Power left Warner Bros. for Epic, many felt that it was a good move.This second Columbia album was a marked comedown from the first, which was erratic but still contained the essential Tower ingredients — hook-laden songs, exuberant vocals, and punchy charts and instrumental support.

Dexter Gordon - The Tower Of Power! (1969) {Prestige OJCCD-299-2 rel 1993}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 225 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 87 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 9 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 1993 Prestige / OJC / Fantasy | OJCCD-299-2
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Dexter Gordon (tenor sax) returned to the United States in the spring of 1969 to create his first studio recordings in nearly a decade. Joined by James Moody (tenor sax), Barry Harris (piano), Buster Williams (bass), and Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums), Gordon actually documented enough material for two long players – Tower of Power (1969) and More Power! (1969) – both of which became primary staples of the artist's voluminous Prestige catalog. An opening flourish from Heath on "Montmartre" marks the commencement of the platter, leading into a mid-tempo bop. Gordon and Moody swing steadily as they bounce ideas off each other.

The first Tower of Power album, when the band was only honing its concept and seeking a lead singer. On some songs, notably "Sparkling in the Sand," you can hear the group beginning to come together. They already had a fine horn section, and were only some good arrangements away from becoming one of the best pop and soul bands in the nation. The vocals were uneven, although Rick Stevens would later emerge as the prime vocalist. Despite its flaws, it's worth having because the diamond was being cut on these selections. It's recently been reissued on CD.

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.