Tag Archives: Brent Byars

Tower Of Power: Bump City

In May 1972, “Warner Bros” label released “Bump City”, the second Tower of Power album. It was recorded 1971 – 1972, at “Trans Maximus Inc. Recording Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Ron Capone, Rick Stevens, Skip Mesquite, Emilio Castillo, Greg Adams, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Mic Gillette, Francis Rocco Prestia, Willie James Fulton, David Garibaldi and Brent Byars.

Personnel:

  • Rick Stevens – lead vocals
  • Willie James Fulton – vocals, guitar
  • Francis Rocco Prestia – bass
  • David Garibaldi – drums
  • Brent Byars – conga drums, vocals
  • Skip Mesquite – vocals, first tenor saxophone, flute
  • Emilio Castillo – vocals, second tenor saxophone
  • Stephen “Doc” Kupka – vocals, baritone saxophone
  • Greg Adams – vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, piano
  • Mic Gillette – vocals, trumpet, trombone, French horn
  • Jay Spell – piano
  • Memphis Strings 
  • Greg Adams – conductor, strings arrangements
  • Ron Capone, Steve Cropper – mixing

Track listing:

All tracks by Emilio Castillo and Stephen “Doc” Kupka, except where noted.

  1. You Got to Funkifize
  2. What Happened to the World That Day?
  3. Flash in the Pan
  4. Gone (in Memory of Jacqueline Mesquite) – Greg Adams, Skip Mesquite
  5. You Strike My Main Nerve – Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Emilio Castillo, L. Williams, L. Gordon
  6. Down to the Nightclub – Stephen Kupka, Emilio Castillo, David Garibaldi
  7. You’re Still a Young Man
  8. Skating on Thin Ice
  9. Of the Earth

Tower Of Power: Same

In May 1973, “Warner Bros” label released the self-titled, third Tower of Power album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Greg Adams, Brent Byars, Emilio Castillo, Bruce Conte, David Garibaldi, Mic Gillette, Stephen” Doc” Kupka, Lenny Pickett, Francis ”Rocco” Prestia, Jay Spell, Bruce Steinberg, Chester Thompson and Lenny Williams.

Personnel:

  • Lenny Williams– lead vocals
  • Bruce Conte– guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Adams– trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals, string arrangements, conductor
  • Stephen “Doc” Kupka– oboe, baritone saxophone, backing vocals
  • Lenny Pickett– clarinet, flute, tenor saxophone, backing vocals
  • Emilio Castillo– tenor saxophone, backing vocals, production supervisor
  • Francis “Rocco” Prestia– bass guitar
  • David Garibaldi– drums
  • Brent Byars – bongos, conga
  • Mic Gillette– trombone, trumpet, flugelhorn, baritone, backing vocals
  • Jay Spell – acoustic piano
  • Bruce Steinberg – harmonica, art direction, design, photography, illustrations, cover design
  • Chester Thompson – organ, keyboards, backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Emilio Castillo and Stephen “Doc” Kupka, except where noted.

  1. What Is Hip? – Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, David Garibaldi
  2. Clever Girl – Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Willie Fulton
  3. This Time It’s Real – David Bartlett, Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka
  4. Will I Ever Find a Love?
  5. Get Yo’ Feet Back on the Ground – Willie Fulton
  6. So Very Hard to Go
  7. Soul Vaccination
  8. Both Sorry Over Nothin’ – Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Lenny Williams
  9. Clean Slate – Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Willie Fulton
  10. Just Another Day – Bruce Conte