Back To Oakland

Tower Of Power: Lenny Williams (vocals); Bruce Conte (guitar, background vocals); Emillo Castillo (tenor saxophone, background vocals); Lenny Pickett (flute, piccolo, soprano, alto, tenor, & bass saxophone); Steve Kupka (baritone saxophone, English horn, background vocals); Greg Adams (trumpet, flugelhorn, bells, background vocals); Mic Gillette (trumpet, flugelhorn, trombones, background vocals); Chester Thompson (keyboards, background vocals); Francis Rocco Prestia (bass); Brent Byars (congas); David Garibaldi (drums);
Paying tribute to their hometown, Tower Of Power's BACK TO OAKLAND is a landmark in the group's history. Sporting the syncopated instrumental "Oakland Stroke" that bookends the disc, this set is the very definition of the Tower Of Power sound and style, powered by both the ultra-funky rhythm section and the world-renowned Tower Of Power horns.
Vocalist Lenny Williams is the guiding light through R&B-flavored cuts like the bouncing "Don't Change Horses (In the Middle of the Stream)" and the dramatic ballad "Just When We Start Makin' It." It's the signature instrumental "Squib Cakes," however, that opens the floodgates to all the funky power that the band can muster; it's the group's premiere showcase, with hearty contributions from keyboardist Chester Thompson, drummer David Garibaldi, and the entire stellar horn section.