NEWS: Oakland Funk Giants Tower of Power Return With New Album and Tour

Renowned Oakland funk outfit ​Tower of Power have been together since 1968 – infusing Soul (with a capital S) into the music industry for more than a half century.

Over 6000 Shows, 444,000 Unique monthly listeners and over 35 million streams and millions of albums world-wide, their fans are rabid! Fast forward, after celebrating their 50th Anniversary with the critically acclaimed 2018 release of  Soul Side of Town​, Tower of Power stirs it up for the launch of their next album – ​STEP UP​. Hot off their buzzing NAMM Show where they performed in front of thousands of enthusiastic attendees at the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage close out, Tower of Power is ready to unleash their newest genre-blending explosion of sound on ​March 20, 2020​.

Although the 14 tracks of this album were written and arranged in a careful 6-year-long process, the album itself was recorded in the same sessions with ​Soul Side of Town. When the band, along with GRAMMY®-nominated producer Joe Vannelli, recorded enough great material for two full albums, they decided to split the releases up and keep ​STEP UP as their launch into the new decade. The record features heartfelt lyrics from ​Stephen “Doc” Kupka​. Now, with clever lyrics, funky arrangements, and tremendous musicality, Tower of Power step up their game with ​STEP UP​, releasing ​March 20th, 2020.

As the second single from the record, and the album’s classic love song, ​”Let’s Celebrate Our Love” ​is a feel good groove full of Tower of Power’s signature funky and rhythmical sound: melodic lines flawlessly and soulfully executed by the horn section, notable guitar grooves laid down by Jerry Cortez, and topped off with a killer B3 solo by Roger Smith. In Marcus Scott’s sexy lead vocal, he’s imploring his lover to always remember to celebrate love together; nurturing and cherishing it. In the middle of the song, Tom Poitzer plays the perfect sultry tenor sax solo. The track’s uplifting lyrics and motivational message cannot be ignored, and string together the song’s overall vibe for a romantic track. ​Step Up gives us a taste that fulfills the band’s promise of an album that will “move you physically and emotionally,” as predicted by bandleader and founder Emilio Castillo himself. The single ​Let’s Celebrate Our Love out today, ​February 14, 2020 whets fans’ appetites just enough in anticipation of the full album’s release on ​March 20, 2020​.

Stream ​“​Let’s Celebrate Our Love” here.

Meanwhile, tickets for TOP’s U.S. tour go on sale February 21. See dates below.

3/6 Monterey, CA @ Golden State Theatre
3/7 Napa, CA @ Uptown Theatre Napa
3/8 Napa, CA @ Uptown Theatre Napa
3/18 Williamsport, PA @ Community Arts Center 3/21 Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theater

3/22 Plymouth, MA @ Plymouth Memorial Hall 3/24 Derry, NH @ Tupelo Music Hall
3/26 Brookville, NY @ Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

3/27 Fairfield, CT @ The Warehouse at FTC
4/2 – 4/5 Seattle, WA @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley 4/22 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
4/24 Denton, TX @ Denton Arts & Jazz Festival 4/26 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
4/28 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
4/30 Clearwater, FL @ Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
5/1 Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live
5/31 Newport Beach, CA @ Newport Beach Jazz Festival
6/5 Washington, PA @ The Meadows Racetrack & Casino

6/9 Fort Wayne, IN @ Sweetwater Performance Pavilion
6/10 Nashville, TN @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center

6/20 Grass Valley, CA @ The Center for the Arts 6/23 Victoria, BC @ TD Victoria International JazzFest
6/26 Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Resort Casino 7/1 Detroit, MI @ Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre 7/4 Niagara Falls, ON @ Avalon Theatre at Fallsview Casino Resort

7/5 Scranton, PA @ The Peach Music Festival 7/7 Harrisburg, PA @ Sunoco Performance Theater at Whitaker Center
7/17 Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre 8/1 Grand Ronde, OR @ Spirit Mountain Casino Event Center

8/18 – 8/19 New York, NY @ Sony Hall
8/21 Atlantic City, NJ @ Superstar Theater at Resorts Casino Hotel
8/22 Lowell, MA @ Lowell Summer Music Series 8/23 Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

AUDIO: Tower of Power “Let’s Celebrate Our Love”