Tag Archives: Rick Stevens

Tower Of Power: East Bay Grease

In November 1970, “San Francisco” and “Atlantic” labels released “East Bay Grease”, the debut Tower of Power album. It was recorded in 1970, at “Mercury” in San Francisco, and was produced by David Rubinson.

Personnel:

  • Rufus Miller – lead vocals
  • Rick Stevens – lead and backing vocals
  • Willie James Fulton – guitar, backing vocals
  • Emilio Castillo – vocals, extra greasy vocal, alto saxophone
  • Stephen “The Funky Doctor” Kupka – baritone saxophone, backing vocals
  • Skip Mesquite – vocals, tenor saxophone, flute
  • Mic Gillette – trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn
  • Ken Balzell – trumpet
  • Greg Adams – first trumpet
  • David Padron – second trumpet
  • Frank Rocco Prestia – bass
  • David Garibaldi – drums, vibes, backing vocals
  • Bruce Steinberg – cover and liner design, artwork, photography

Track listing:

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

  1. Knock Yourself Out
  2. Social Lubrication
  3. The Price
  4. Back on the Streets Again
  5. The Skunk, the Goose, and the Fly
  6. Sparkling in the Sand – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka, Lawrence Lopez

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