Tower of Power Horn section [Squib Cakes] on David Letternan

Tower of Power Squib Cakes with Richard Elliott on David Letterman

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Tower
• of
• Power
• Squib
• Cakes
• Richard
• Elliott
• Emilio
• Castillo
• Stephen
• 'Doc'
• Kupka
• Lee
• Thornburg
• david
• letterman
• funk
• R&B
• paul
• shaffer
• anton
• fig
• sid
• mcginnis
• will
• lee
• greg
• adams
• soul

[sactiger]

Paul Shaffer was livin' the dream... damn, I think he had a hard-on the whole time

[hotfunkcooljazz]

@sactiger I KNOW I WOULD !

[IanTheDinosaur]

Is that Doc? If it is, he's about 53 times cooler now that he's nice and hefty

[hotfunkcooljazz]

@IanTheDinosaur yep that's Stephen !

[cainanuk]

Paul Shaffer.. I always thought he was really underr ated... Dude is a great musician.

[hotfunkcooljazz]

@cainanuk YES SIR !

[ciscoscash]

The best horn section ever. Great phrasing, timing and tone!

[LeondelSon]

@mbfavreau- it's Lee Thornburg on trumpet here, Adams on flugelhorn...you are correct on the rest of the section.

[LeondelSon]

I LIVED this and renounced RADIO for this prejudice! There is no comparing the energy TOP puts out with Chicago or BS&T, both good bands w good musicians but far less energy. As far as TOPs positioning, they were screwed around with by record executives who just wanted "hits" and TOP had some projects that reflect that, no doubt. But the band has never been a pop band like the others you compare them to. That's an argument from someone who doesn't know the material. Sorry!

[LeondelSon]

@dbassmd- "Brass Constr, EWF, Ohio Players. AWB & JBs" JBs is maybe 10% close, the rest are just way off the reality chart, not even close. The "reasons for" there not reaching BST & EWF status (and you obviously mean sales, cause where r they now?) was not quality of musicianship/arrangements but purely political; a mostly white-hippie looking band, lead by same, managed by such, playing SOUL; a black thing. Black producers and Black Radio black listed "blue-eyed soul" to protect their product

[mbfavreau]

Great video and great example of TOP section playing. Who is playing 2nd tpt?  The rest are Greg Adams, Elliot, Emillio and Doc, right?

[avp0713]

@dbassmd - BS&T's "45's were targeted to the "pop" crowd. That was to draw them in. I'm gonna guess you never heard any of their album material. The jazz on their album is something that TOP, and Chicago could never match. TOP tried to squeeze in between Brass Construction, EWF, Ohio Players. AWB and the JB's. BST never tried to "fit in'. TOP is awesome, I love them.. but they never were able to reach BST or EWF status; there are reasons for that. Ask around.

[dbassmd]

@avp0713 Well then that explains your obvious bias ( personal friend of the family). As far as gold, platinum,and grammy, BS&T catered to the more bubble gum, have a nice day crowd...TOP is just down, dirty & nastily in the pocket. I'll keep my nuts thank you very much...and yes, it IS OK to be wrong, so don't feel too bad.

[avp0713]

@dbassmd - Well then, start handing over the nutz! lol I play Sax, Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Flute, Congas; and i'm a prof. DJ on the Jersey Shore. I've been playing in Funk bands since 1975. I have my own crappy videos here on YT. Fred Lipsius (sax and Horn Arrangements for BST) is a personal friend of the family since 1955. At one time they jammed in my apt in the Bronx. Google TOP and BST for Gold, Platinum and Grammy let me know what you come up with. It's OK to be wrong.

[dbassmd]

@avp0713 I would bet my left nut you ARE NOT a musician!!! 99.999% of musicians, and I'm sure including BS&T would agree that TOP's horn section is superior... BS&T and Chicago's horn sections were/are great, but TOP's is by far the best on the planet. It would be like BS&T holding a candle & TOP holding the sun.