One of the greatest horn sections from the 1970s onward belongs to the legendary R&B/Funk band Tower of Power, hailing from the Bay Area. They’re known for iconic hits like “So Very Hard to Go,” “What Is Hip?,” “You’re Still a Young Man,” “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream),” and many more. The other day, my boys and I couldn’t stop replaying one of their tracks, “Squib Cakes.”
If funk-jazz instrumentals aren’t your thing, you might want to move along—but if they are, you’re in for a treat.
This particular tune comes from their 1974 album, Back to Oakland. Clocking in at 7 minutes and 39 seconds, it’s an absolute joyride, featuring brilliant solos by Bruce Conte (guitar), Greg Adams (flugelhorn), Lenny Pickett (saxophone), and the phenomenal Chester Thompson, who delivers a killer organ performance.
Here’s the full lineup of Tower of Power members on Back to Oakland:
- Lenny Williams – lead vocals
- Francis Rocco Prestia – bass guitar
- David Garibaldi – drums
- Brent Byars – congas
- Mic Gillette – trombone and more
- Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone and vocals
- Stephen “Doc” Kupka – baritone saxophone and more
- Chester Thompson – piano, organ, and more
- Bruce Conte – guitars
- Lenny Pickett – alto saxophone and more
- Greg Adams – trumpet, flugelhorn, and more
Fun Fact: Additional musicians were brought in to contribute to this album, including Bud Shank, an acclaimed alto saxophonist who gained fame playing with the legendary Stan Kenton band on the 1950 album Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra.
This album was the very first Tower of Power record I ever put on the turntable in my childhood home. From start to finish, it’s a fantastic listen. I hope you enjoy this incredible tune!
Song: “Squib Cakes”
Artist: Tower of Power
Album: Back To Oakland
Year: 1974
Squib cakes
Squib cakes
Squib cakes
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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. Sorry if there are any mistakes.
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