Tower of Power: Great American Soulbook

Tower of Power

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/93792-tower-of-power-great-american-soulbook/

Tower of Power
Great American Soulbook
US release date: 7 April 2009

By Alan Brown
9 June 2009

For 40 years, Tower of Power have ploughed a deep funk furrow, drawn
forward by a tight, intuitive five-piece horn section, that has seen
them back everyone from Little Feat to Public Image Ltd whilst
releasing a staggering 19 studio albums of original compositions
along the way. It comes as a surprise, then, to discover that their
anniversary album and first studio release in five years, Great
American Soulbook is a covers record of "classic" soul/funk cuts. All
the more so since the group's co-founders, Emilio Castillo (tenor
sax) and Stephen "Doc" Kupka (baritone sax), have always been
reticent about doing one in the past.

But no need to worry, because the 10-piece outfit from Oakland,
California, step up and take care of business with a polished,
soulful sophistication that finds the clipped signature horns and
funky rhythm section providing consummate backing for T.O.P. lead
singer Larry Braggs to cut loose on duets with guest vocalists Tom
Jones ("I Thank You"), Joss Stone ("It Takes Two", "(Heaven Must Have
Sent) Your Precious Love") and Huey Lewis ("634-5789"), while Sam
Moore gives his all on an excellent version of Otis Redding's "Mr.
Pitiful". Nevertheless, it's when Braggs goes solo on the swinging
interpretation of Billy Paul's "Me & Mrs. Jones" and a funky,
smooth-to-the-groove take on Billy Wither's "Who Is He (And What Is
he To You)" that the record's greatest strengths are revealed. Yes,
it may lack the gritty funk punch of their classic early '70 sides,
and a journeyman James Brown medley doesn't help, but who cares when
T.O.P are such a class act. Catch them live and get down, y'all.

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