Tower of Power
1971.03.06
Fillmore West
San Francisco
Opening act for Aretha Franklin

Trade unknown gen cdr > EAC > TLH > flac8

Setlist
01 You Got To Funkifize
02 Social Lubrication
03 Let A Woman Be A Woman
04 You're Gonna Need Me
05 Back On The Streets Again
06 The Skunk, The Goose And The Fly
07 Knock Yourself Out
08 Baby, I Love You


Concert Summary
Rufus Miller - lead vocals
Francis Rocco Prestia - bass
Willie Fulton - guitar
Jay Spell - keyboards
David Garibaldi - drums
Emilio Castillo - tenor sax
Stephen "Doc" Kupka - baritone
Skip Mesquite - flute, saxophone
Greg Adams - trumpet, flugelhorn
Mic Gillette - trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone
David Padron - trumpet
Brent Fyres - congas

Walking through a door first was opened by Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago in the late 1960s, Tower of Power
emerged in the early '70s as the west coast answer to the horn-driven rock movement. But whereas those other,
aforementioned groups paid a heavy debt to the styles and modulations of big-band and jazz, TOP based their music
around the soul/funk sounds of James Brown, Motown and Stax.

The original incarnation of the group came out of a funk band called the Motowns, formed in 1968 by saxophonist Emilio
Castillo, baritone saxophonist Stephen "Doc" Kupka, and trumpeter Mic Gillette. The power trio of horn players moved to
the Bay Area soon after, and by 1970 had formed a new group called Tower of Power. By the time TOP began playing gigs
in San Francisco clubs, they had grown to 11 pieces and were signed immediately by Bill Graham, who placed them on his
own San Francisco Records label and booked them on a regular basis at his Fillmore East and West theaters.

Rufus Miller left after the group's first album East Bay Grease was recorded, but appears at this show nevertheless.
The band's next vocalist, Rick Stevens, remained with the group through the second album, Bump City, but, due to an
increasingly problematic drug habit, was replaced by Lenny William just prior to the third album. Tragically, Stevens was
convicted in 1974 of a double murder during a drug deal gone bad and was sentenced to life in prison, where he remains
today.

This recording is one of the many Fillmore West shows that Graham recorded and features material from both East Bay
Grease and Bump City, the latter of which was still as of yet unreleased. Highlights include "Back On The Streets Again,"
"Knock Yourself Out" and "Baby I Love You." Next to James Brown and Flames, Sly and The Family Stone, and Otis
Redding and his band, there aren't too many soul groups that could get this down and funky. This show is an absolute
must for any and all followers of funk.