By Eli (151.197.120.253) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 01:15 am:

Just got in from one of the "baddest" shows that I have witnessed in ages., Tower of power and AWB together on one show at the Keswick in suburban Philly.
AWB gave a funks performance albeit with several of their mainstays like Hamish Stuart and Steve Ferrone, but they were still tight and funky.
But let me tell you TOP were the "bomb"
Their singer R.B. was super soulful and even better than Lenny Williams.
They never cease to amaze me and they are getting even better with time.
The house was seriously funked up, big time!!!
I had a chance to hang with the guys all day and night from before the soundcheck through the show and till everyone left post show.

Simply incredible!!!@@

By Eli (151.197.120.253) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 01:18 am:

Typo alert:

On AWB, that should have read without their mainstays.

By Jay (167.167.44.218) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 01:32 am:

David Garibaldi on drums?
Rocco on Bass?
Chester Thompson on Hammond?

Is this still the guys in the band?
If so......

It don't get ANY funkier!

By Eli (151.197.120.253) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 01:36 am:

Everyone but Chester as he is with Santana but Dave and Rocco, affirmative.
Those guys go back aways with me as the horn section did some sessions with me for Blue Magic and Impact and the whole group are great guys as well.

By 1wicked (24.126.64.120) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 04:01 am:

Didn't know Rocco was back from his recuperation stint (post transplant).....but it's damn good news ! He's a one of a kind bassist !

By R&B (138.238.41.128) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 10:12 am:

TOWER OF POWER,ONE WORD[COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL}!!

By Eli (141.151.56.121) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 10:14 am:

Rocco sounded and looked great!
The guys tell me that he is doing fine.

By dvdmike (12.84.104.131) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 12:22 pm:

How about Lenny Williams? Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!

By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 12:28 pm:

HEY DVD: MY BROTHER DID THE "MIDNIGHT GIRL" L.P. WITH LENNY WILLIAMS...AND I BELIEVE THAT FRANK WILSON PRODUCED THAT PROJECT!!!...LENNY PUT OUT SOME OUTSTANDING MATERIAL...AND THE DEBUT "TOP" ALBUM IS STILL A CLASSIC!!!...PLUS...BY ALL ACCOUNTS...LENNY WILLIAMS HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND DEDICATED A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY TO MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR A LOT OF KIDS UP IN OAKLAND CA...AND THAT RATES AN A+ IN MY BOOK!!!...STUBASS

By steve w (212.159.37.16) on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 04:35 pm:

anybody heard the new tower of power cd? I've heard one track on radio today and it sounded fantastic I think the title of the CD has got "oakland" in it . Lenny williams "look up with your mind" is one of my all time faves . The array of musicians on the "choosing you" LP are awesome

By Funkyone D J Dollar BILL (216.221.81.96) on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 07:14 pm:

Tower of Power will be coming to St.Catharines,Ontario,CANADA on October 4th this year!I am so looking forward to this show as it is my Hometown.I get to Toronto and Buffalo as often as possible,but it is different when you live in a small city and are one of the few deffenders of the Funk.I see lot's of familiar names here and there is quite the buzz about this site right now thanks to SITSOM.It's so good to see these heros getting their props and fellow music lovers finding each other.

Respect to all of you,

D.J. $ BILL

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 01:53 pm:

I saw the new TOP CD in my record store on Saturday and I'll be picking it up on payday. Looks interesting.

Now Bobby - is this new singer REALLY better than Lenny Williams? I'm gonna have to hear it myself.

Kevin Goins - KevGo
(PS - Their "Live & In Living Color" LP with Hubert Tubbs on lead vocals is STILL the bomb!)

By Eli (151.197.112.114) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 03:13 pm:

T.o.p. have always had the knack for incorporating the best people available in their lineup and would not settle for nothing less.
One must experience their new singer live as he is a hybrid of Lenny( and Lenny is great) and Phillipe W. in his live delivery and I must say that it takes a lot to knock me out and I was certainly knocked out and that is the understatement. Their new sax player is a monster also as is the whole band and they are just as hot if not hotter than in their heyday.
Doc and Emillio are excellent and clever writers and always had the knack for putting a different slant on things with their concepts.. Also you would be surprised to know of their love of Philly and Motown music.

When the horns first worked with me at Sigma on the Impact album the first thing that they said when they saw the records on the wall was
"wow , you did Brenda and the Tabulations here!!", out of all the huge Philly records hanging on the wall, that one realy knocked them out and they mentioned it again on Friday.

I really wished that my budgets were in place for my new acts as they certainly would have played on the sessions.
They are great guys and I have known them for almost thirty years now and like fine wine they get better with time.

By stephanie (66.54.1.38) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 05:17 pm:

Sorry Im sure they were good but I cant watch
Tower of Power without Lenny Williams...
Stephanie

By Eli (151.197.112.114) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 05:32 pm:

Hi Steph,

Not for nothing,but when you see and hear them now you will be a convert for sure!!!

By 1Wicked (24.126.64.120) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 08:35 pm:

I too loved Lenny with TOP (and his "Shoo Do Fu Fu Oooh" solo), and I hated when they parted ways...but just behind him was the multi-talented Ellis Hall. I think he only did one album with them before departing due to "creative differences" (he couldn't utilize his skills as vocalist, keyboardist, bassist, drummer, etc.)....but his stamp was all over it. (If you're not hip to Ellis...he provided the "What Does It Take" vocals on Kenny G's 1st album, replaced Buddy Miles as the voice of The California Raisins, and was the organist on television's "Amen", among other things.) He recently signed with Ray Charles' reactivated Crossover Records...so I hope he gets the promotion he deserves.