My Music Odyssey Continues

Tower of Power has been around since the 1960s. I discovered them in the late 80s thanks to some music enthusiast friends. They’re still around. Last night was the first time I saw their live show and it is every bit as good as their recorded material.

The band includes a lead singer, drums, keyboard, guitar, bass, three saxophones and two trumpets; one of the trumpet players also plays trombone and a couple of the other guys also do some singing. They play a fusion of funk, soul and jazz with an obvious James Brown influence through many of their songs. Their music ranges from danceable funk to cool ballads to the occasional cover of a classic soul song.

They did have a few minor hits in the mid 70s, including “So Very Hard To Go,” “You’re Still A Young Man,” “Only So Much Oil In The Ground” (a funky environment song – who knew?), “You’ve Got To Funkifize” and “What Is Hip.”

A few lines from "What Is Hip" ...

You went and found you a guru
In an effort to find you a new you
And maybe even manage to raise your conscious level.
While you’re striving to find the right road
There’s one thing you should know
What is hip today might become passé.