Tower of Power

[RoyalShock]

The long-time funk/soul/R&B band is playing in Wichita next month. Yesterday I bought tickets for a group of us to attend. Then last night two of their members were hit by a train before a gig in the band's hometown of Oakland.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/tower-of-power-train-accident/

[DUShock]

NM

[DUShock]

Wow, Sorry @RoyalShock: I only now read your post and link. I am sorry for posting a whimsical response. It has been removed. My deepest sympathies to those affected. I hope they are able to make a full recovery.

[small tyme baller]

The long-time funk/soul/R&B band is playing in Wichita next month. Yesterday I bought tickets for a group of us to attend. Then last night two of their members were hit by a train before a gig in the band's hometown of Oakland.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/tower-of-power-train-accident/

Saw TOP at the Orpheum a couple years back... OUTSTANDING performance. Wasn't sold out or anything but man could they still perform & sound great. Terrible news, just moved to SW KS or I woulda been purchasing tickets again.

[RoyalShock]

Wow, Sorry @RoyalShock I only now read your post and link. I am sorry for posting a whimsical response. It has been removed. My deepest sympathies to those affected. I hope they are able to make a full recovery.

I never saw the whimsical response, so let's say it never happened. :encouragement:

[RoyalShock]

Saw TOP at the Orpheum a couple years back... OUTSTANDING performance. Wasn't sold out or anything but man could they still perform & sound great. Terrible news, just moved to SW KS or I woulda been purchasing tickets again.

I didn't go to that one and regretted it. There are/were a few artists on my list that I wanted to see live. I already saw Spyro Gyra and David Sanborn. ToP is the last one left. I hope those guys fully recover. I also hope the band is able to find replacements soon enough not to have to cancel a bunch more concert dates.

[another shocker]

most importantly.. why is rocco prestia not playing bass for them? who would want to see top without rocco prestia?

[RoyalShock]

most importantly.. why is rocco prestia not playing bass for them? who would want to see top without rocco prestia?

The bass player who was hurt is a fill-in, but I'm not sure for how long he was supposed to fill in. Prestia is still listed on their website as the bass player. He was preparing for a kidney transplant in 2014, so maybe it's related to that?

Besides, I'm a sax player, so it's Doc Kupka and Emilio Castillo I'm most interested in seeing.

[RoyalShock]

most importantly.. why is rocco prestia not playing bass for them? who would want to see top without rocco prestia?

Rocco played. They brought in a drummer who had toured with them before, but I don't recall his name. The fill-in bass player who was hit by the train is still in ICU.

Great concert. My girlfriend enjoyed it more than she thought (had never heard of them before), and my 16 year-old son might have been the youngest one there. He actually told me about the concert and listens to ToP. We were both disappointed they didn't play Soul With a Capital 'S'.

[jocoshock]

The very first concert I attended was opened by TOP. August, 1971, Century II Convention Center. Credence Clearwater Revival, Bo Diddley, and TOP. Ticket cost me $6 at the door.

[Shoxthemonkey]

@RoyalShock: Don't know if you have heard these guys before but as a sax player you should be able to appreciate them.We should probably start a horn thread but this seemed like a good place to put this for now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwBhxBBa7tE

Also, the wife and I inadvertintly followed Spyro Gyra across the US one summer. Saw them in Wichita, KC, St Louis and Philadelphia. They just happened to be whereever we ended up over a course of 3-4 months. Don't remember the year but it was back when Oscar Cartaya was playing bass with them.

[RoyalShock]

@RoyalShock Don't know if you have heard these guys before but as a sax player you should be able to appreciate them.We should probably start a horn thread but this seemed like a good place to put this for now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwBhxBBa7tE

Also, the wife and I inadvertintly followed Spyro Gyra across the US one summer. Saw them in Wichita, KC, St Louis and Philadelphia. They just happened to be whereever we ended up over a course of 3-4 months. Don't remember the year but it was back when Oscar Cartaya was playing bass with them.

Whoa, those guys sound a bit like a group called Naked City in the 90s. Very avante garde. They're different! Thanks for sharing.

I'm thinking Spyro Gyra's Oscar Cartaya years were late 80s into the early 90s. I only saw them once (KC, Jazz in the Woods, early 2000s), but have listened to them since around 87 and have 12-15 of their CDs. One of my favs.

[Shoxthemonkey]

I think you are late on the years. My son was born in '76 and he would have been elementery school age. I saw Paquito D'rivera and The Rippingtons during that same summer.

[RoyalShock]

I think you are late on the years. My son was born in '76 and he would have been elementery school age. I saw Paquito D'rivera and The Rippingtons during that same summer.

I had looked it up on Wikipedia:

1988's Rites of Summer was the band's first without a percussionist, other than the drummer. It was also the introduction of bassist Oscar Cartaya.

Rippingtons, another good one.

[Shoxthemonkey]

Hell. I misremember a lot anymore.