Tag Archives: Ray Greene

Tower of Power: Step Up

On March 20, 2020, “Mack Avenue Records” label released “Step Up”, the 22nd Tower of Power album. It was recorded over the course of the 2010s, at “Blue Moon” in Los Angeles, “Track Shack” in Sacramento, and was produced by Joe Vannelli and Emilio Castillo.

Personnel:

  • Emilio Castillo – lead and backing vocals, tenor saxophone
  • Roger Smith – lead vocals, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ
  • Jerry Cortez – guitars, electric sitar, backing vocals
  • Marcus Scott – lead and backing vocals
  • Ray Greene – lead and backing vocals, trombone
  • Joe Vannelli – keyboards, auxiliary percussion, vibes, marimba
  • Tom E. Politzer – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Stephen “Doc” Kupka – baritone saxophone
  • Chuck Hansen – bass saxophone
  • Adolfo Acosta – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Francis Rocco Prestia – bass guitar
  • David Garibaldi – drums
  • Leah Meux – backing vocals
  • Tiwana Porter – backing vocals
  • Melanie Jackson – backing vocals
  • Dave Eskridge – horn and string arrangements

Track listing:

  1. East Bay, All the Way! – David Garibaldi, Francis Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, Jerry Cortez
  2. Step Up – Emilio Castillo, Roger Smith
  3. The Story of You and I – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka
  4. Who Would Have Thought – Stephen Kupka, Nick Lane, Lamont Van Hook
  5. Addicted to You – Emilio Castillo, Sydney Justin
  6. Look in My Eyes – Francis Rocco Prestia, Thomas William Schuman, Kevin Henry Whalum
  7. You da One – Francis Rocco Prestia, Thomas William Schuman, Sennie Rudolph Martin
  8. Sleeping with You Baby – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka
  9. If It’s Tea Give Me Coffee – Stephen Kupka, William Ross
  10. Beyond My Wildest Dreams – Bruce Conte
  11. Any Excuse Will Do – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka, Lenny Pickett
  12. If You Wanna Be a Winner – Emilio Castillo, David Garibaldi, Francis Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, Jerry Cortez
  13. Let’s Celebrate Our Love – Emilio Castillo, Mark Dolin
  14. East Bay! Oaktown All the Way! – David Garibaldi, Francis Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, Jerry Cortez

Santana” Africa Speaks

On June 7, 2019, “Concord” label released “Africa Speaks”, the twenty-fifth Santana studio album. It was recorded in 2019, at “Shangri-La” in Malibu, and was produced by Rick Rubin.

Personnel:

  • Carlos Santana– guitars, percussion, conception, arrangement, musical direction, backing vocals, executive producer
  • Buika– lead vocals
  • David K. Mathews – Hammond B3 organ, keyboards
  • Salvador Santana– keyboards
  • Tommy Anthony – guitars, musical GPS
  • Benny Rietveld – bass guitar
  • Cindy Blackman Santana– drums
  • Karl Perazzo – timbales, congas, percussion
  • Ray Greene – trombone, backing vocals
  • Laura Mvula– additional vocals
  • Andy Vargas – backing vocals
  • Greg Fidelman, Rob Bisel – recording
  • Dana Nielsen – mixing, recording
  • Jim Reitzel – additional engineering
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • Sara Lynn Killion, Dylan Neustadter, Tyler Beans – assistant
  • Rudy Gutierrez – artwork
  • Heather Griffin-Vine – graphic art
  • Dave Hanych, Eric Lynn – production coordination
  • Colin Willard, Jeremy Hatcher, Garry Purchit, Gabe Smith, Chloe Poswillo, Ethan Schneiderman – production assistant

Track listing:

  1. Afika Speaks – Carlos Santana, David Axelrod, Buika
  2. Batonga – Carlos Santana, Buika
  3. Oye Este Mi Canto – Carlos Santana, Buika, John Ademola Haastrup
  4. Yo Me Lo Merezco – Carlos Santana, Buika, Jay U Xperience, Stoneface, Drago Uboma
  5. Blue Skies – Carlos Santana, Buika, Laura Mvula, Mike Odumosu
  6. Paraisos Quemados – Carlos Santana, Buika, Mohammed Jabry
  7. Breaking Down the Door – Carlos Santana, Manu Chao, Buika, Drew Gonsalves, Ivan Duran, Rafael de Leon
  8. Les Invisibles – Carlos Santana, Buika, Rachid Taha, Steve Hillage
  9. Luna Hechicera – Carlos Santana, Buika, Ismaël Lô
  10. Bembele – Carlos Santana, Buika, Phillpp Kullmannn, Bojan Vuletic, Michael Timo Ehnes
  11. Candombe Cumbele – Carlos Santana, Buika, Easy Kabaka Brown