Tower of Power

7 and 9 p.m., Saturday May 14, at the Lumière Theatre in the Lumière Place Casino & Hotel.999 North Second Street.

May 12, 2011 at 4:00 am

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard - Inline - Content",
            "component": "41932919",
            "insertPoint": "5th",
            "startingPoint": "3",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "3",
            "maxInsertions": 100
          }
          
        ]

The Oakland, California, funk band Tower of Power is best known to many rock and pop listeners for its horn section, which has done recording sessions and touring work with a slew of heavy hitters: Santana, Elton John, Phish, Toto, Lyle Lovett, Aerosmith and many others. Led by two of the band's founding members and principal songwriters, tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo and baritone saxophonist Stephen "Doc" Kupka, the TOP horns have maintained their signature sound despite numerous personnel changes over the band's 40-year history. Equally important to the TOP groove is the rhythm section, comprising drummer David Garibaldi and bassist Francis "Rocco" Prestia, who create the distinctively tricked-out, James Brown-inspired syncopations that keep the whole thing percolating with unflagging energy.