Product Description

Very few live shows can match the bristling energy of Oakland's Tower Of Power at their funky best. This live set from their 1998 30th anniversary tour captures all the raw excitement and relentless pace of the hardest grooving soul band since James Brown's JB's. Featuring dynamic vocalist Brent Carter, the world famous TOP horns and the return of original drummer David Garibaldi, the 1998 version of the group proved to be the tightest lineup since their heyday in the '70s. For diehard fans, these powerful performances are an invigorating assurance that the funk will go on.
Many TOP hits are here, including the startlingly funky "Soul Vaccination" and the fiendishly grooving "Down To The Night Club (Bump City)". Also on the list are the group's '90s favourites "SoulWith A Capital 'S'", "So I Got To Groove" and the raucous tribute to JB himself, "Diggin' On James Brown". Fueled by Garibaldi's crisp syncopation and bassist Rocco Prestia's supple bass lines, the horns blow hard throughout the show, especially on funky gems like "You Got To Funkifize" and the monster hit "What Is Hip". If you haven't caught TOP live, thisis the next best thing.

Track Listing

1. Soul With A Capital S
2. I Like Your Style
3. Soul Vaccination
4. Down To The Nightclub (Bump City)
5. Willin' To Learn
6. Souled Out
7. Diggin' On James Brown
8. To Say The Least You're The Most
9. You Strike My Main Nerve
10. Can't You See (You're Doin' Me Wrong)
11. You Got To Funkifize
12. Sovery Hard To Go
13. What Is Hip
14. You're Still The Man
15. So I Got To Groove

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15034 in Music
• Released on: 1999-09-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Enhanced, Live

Customer Reviews

still diggin' that Tower of Power vibe...
After 30 odd years, you'd probably expect the T.O.P to have set down their respective instruments and taken up crochet to while away the monotonous hours away from the studio. Thank God they haven't. This album epitomises everything that makes that distinctive 'Tower' sound. Backed by two greats - David Garibaldi (drums) and Francis 'Rocco' Prestia (bass) - the Tower of Power Horns, fronted by Emilio Castillo (tenor sax), are as tight as the jeans they first wore back in '69. This impressive line-up does not disappoint. Norbet Stachel takes the lead solo's on tenor throughout whilst Steve Kupka (aka 'the funky doctor') rasps it up with some deep baritone vibes.

Kicking off with 'Soul with a capital 'S'', this album is guaranteed to make your head move. Classics - 'What is Hip?' and 'Soul Vaccination' sound even crisper than their original studio counterparts, whilst ballads like the unmistakeable 'Your still a young man' round this feast of funk off nicely. 'Soul Vaccination: Live' is a BIG must for any T.O.P fan- check it out - you'll be diggin' it as much as I am - guaranteed.

One of the best live soul albums of our time!
Anyone who has seen Tower Of Power live will know that their shows are dynamic, exciting, and that this 31 year old San Fransisco band are one of the greatest soul bands in history.

Soul Vaccination Live captures the live energy and pure talent of the band perfectly. Opening with the driving 'Soul With A Capital S', it is almost impossible to sit still from bar one!

The album moves on after the first track with the soulful, upbeat 'I Like Your Style', 'Soul Vaccination' and the Tower classic, 'Down To The Nightclub'. Then it's time to bring it down a little with the stunning 'Willing To Learn' featuring a fantastic performance from vocalist Brent Carter and trumpeter Jesse McGuire. It's then straight back up to the groove with 'Souled Out', another great, driving Tower track.

In all, the 15 tracks on this CD last a tad under 72 minutes, and will have you listening time and again. It is a must for all Tower Of Power fans, and essential for fans of soul, funk, or just damn fine live bands doing their thing. The CD recording has captured the performances, spread across two US gigs, incredibly well, a very powerful and dynamic recording perfectly capturing the most powerful and dynamic soul band ever to have lived.