Tower of Power

Tower of Power might be responsible for some of the most fantastic sounds in soul, R&B and rock music, while never quite getting the recognition they deserve for that. They were formed out of a chance meeting between Emilio Castillo and Stephen “Doc” Kupka, the future tenor and baritone saxophonists of the band, respectively.

The band were originally put together under the name The Motowns. However, after Castillo realized he would never get his band headlining San Francisco’s iconic Fillmore Auditorium with that name, they soon switched it to Tower Of Power. A name literally picked from a list of weird band names because he thought it described them the best.

With the new name in place and a solid line up found, the band were finally on their way. They signed to Billy Graham’s San Francisco Records in 1970 and released their debut record “East Bay Grease” soon afterwards. However it wasn’t until 1972 and a new lead vocalist in the form of Rick Stevens, that the band started getting honest to goodness hits in the form of “So Very Hard To Go” and “What Is Hip?”.

However, what made Tower of Power stand out was their horn section, and they went on to work with the likes of Aerosmith, Heart, Grateful Dead and John Lee Hooker in their own right while the band were still at the top of their game. The band still tour to this day and have still got it in spades. They’re an indispensable part of music’s history, and every true music fan would do well to see them as soon as possible.

Opened in 1961 to preserve the rich and vibrant history of New Orleans Jazz, Preservation Hall, located in the city’s French Quarter, was one of the first venues to welcome both Caucasian and African-American musicians. Soon after the venue’s invent Preservation Hall Jazz Band was formed hosting an esteemed group of local musicians which would prove popular with residents and tourists the world over. Showcasing the likes of Kid Thomas Valentine, Punch Miller, Louis Nelson, Jim Robinson, Joseph Robichaux, Billie Pierce, Percy Humphrey, George Lewis, Sweet Emma Barrett, and Willie Humphrey, the band’s early members represented the jazz elite.

Looking to expand their profile and promote themselves further afield, comprised of Kid Thomas Valentine, George Lewis, Louis Nelson, Emanuel Paul, Joe James, Joe Butler, and Sammy Penn, the band began touring in 1963. The band’s first live performance outside of Louisiana came in the midwest, with a notable show at the Guthrie Theater. The tour led to a revival of interest in New Orleans jazz, and subsequently a tour of Japan in 1964.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s musical recordings have honoured the traditions of New Orleans for over four decades, producing their most successful output under the leadership of Sweet Emma Barrett and the Pierce brothers. Despite this the band’s focus has also remained on playing live and worldwide tours have consistently showcased the band’s talent and history.

Following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, doubts were raised about the condition of Preservation Hall and the band’s recordings. To the relief of many, the jazz band’s unreleased and archived recordings were subsequently released as the compilation “Made in New Orleans: The Hurricane Sessions” in 2007. In 2010 a benefit album in their honour, “An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall & the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program” was released featuring the likes of Paolo Nutini, Andrew Bird, Del McCoury, and Angelique Kidjo. Three years later the group issued their first album of all original material, “That’s It”.