Customer Reviews

What Is Hip: Tower of Power Anthology

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This compilation has all the Tower of Power essentials and then some. Even though I own all their C.D.'s, their selection of tunes and the chronological order in which they're presented make you feel like you're enrolled in Funk & Soul 101. Tower of Power can pick you up with their upbeat funkifized tunes, then when you least expect it throw in a gorgeous balled with horn lines crafted by the talented Greg Adams. It's all here including a couple extras that you won't find on previously released material. The anthology booklet is filled with information tracing the bands history and with photos stretching their 30 year career. Well worth the money!

This is the perfect Christmas (or whatever holiday/season/occasion is coming up)gift to get, and will probably break up your marriage if your spouse doesnt have the same musical tastes. You will refuse to take it out of the CD player. All the trays will be filled up with Tower of Power stuff and rather than cursing out the window during that gridlocked drive home from work, youll be singing in to the chorus to WHAT IS HIP. - - The TOP formula is SLICK OAKLAND SOUL... tight horns, bumpin grooves, a touch of MEMPHIS SOUL, a touch of JB - - Ballads like YOURE STILL A YOUNG MAN will last a lifetime... Smokers like KNOCK YOURSELF OUT will forever accompany you in the gym. After you get this, youll probably want to throw on your JAMES BROWN (Greatest Hits)COLD BLOOD and SAM & DAVE CDS. If you trust my judgement on this, check out a Japanese import CD called 5 1/2 by the group KOME KOME CLUB. (Youll have to trust me on that one... no RA available.)

A real treasure. T of P is a frequently overlooked band that has been keeping the funk alive for decades. Their horn section is legendary, the arrangements are just too tight, and all the big hits you want are here. Worth it for Back On the Streets Again, Squib Cakes, and Souled Out alone. Bring this 2-CD set to a party and watch your friends start dancing on the ceiling. A real value.

If you are an avid Tower of Power fan, this CD is a *MUST HAVE!* If you've never heard of Tower of Power, this CD is a *MUST HAVE!* Here you have the majority of Tower of Power's best efforts over a 30-year span! How could you improve on that? The funk is flying on classics like Down to the Nightclub, What Is Hip, and Soul Vaccination. And your CD player will just ooze the soul on tracks like Willing To Learn and You're Still A Young Man. This band is inimitable! If you're an avid fan, you know that there's no other sound like this in recorded music. If you are not familiar with their music, you will soon learn that there's no other sound like this in recorded music. Listen for the detail in the music--the legendary horns, the flying fingers of Rocco Prestia on bass, the unmistakable (and incomparable) licks of David Garibaldi on drums, and the soaring vocals of Lenny Williams and Brent Carter. If you are a baby boomer, you need to purchase this CD and pass it on to the next generation. If you're not a baby boomer, you need to buy it anyway--just to make your collection complete! Here's a band with something like two dozen albums/CD's over the past 30 years--a remarkable and prolific level of production. This is your chance to catch the distilled essence of those 30 years all in one package. I highly recommend this CD to you. Enjoy!

You will be literally blown away after a heaping helping of this masterfully assembled anthology. The best horn section in the land (no doubt influenced greatly by The JB's horns), this is raw, unadulterated Oaktown funk at its' finest. Take particular note at when the great Chester Thompson joins the group and rides those bass pedals to death!
This is a fine set, and while one could split hairs about omissions (or even inclusions toward the end of Disc Two), it serves as an outstanding testament to one of the most under-appreciated soul bands on Earth! Get it and turn it up loud!!!

Whether you are a jazz, blues, R&B or rock musician, T.O.P. has something to offer everyone. Back when I was playing trumpet in in College and local bands, T.O.P. was more than just a music group....it was a religion! If you like a 400 Horsepower Band with the horn section as the engine, then check out this collection. Truly one of the alltime greatest fusion bands ever. I have several T.O.P. CDs, but if I were to buy only one, this would be it.

The best anthology or greatesthits of any group in my collection. Tower of Power and earlier 70's music aficionados must include this in their library.

Anyone who has ever seen or heard this great band will appreciate a look back in history. In the phony music industry today, it is refreshing to remember what it was like to hear the finest horn section in the business and the many great musicians who have performed in Tower Of Power. Today, after 31 years TOP still carries on having never soul out to the music industry or most importantly their fans. Wonderful photos and a well written article make this CD one to collect.

For those of us who grew up to the Tower of Power's music, this album is a "must have." Playing it is like taking a trip down memory lane, and causes me to daydream about high school dances and romances and the TOP concerts I attended ... Despite another reviewer's assertion that TOP's music was not original, in my opinion this is completely inaccurate. This anthology is a great and comprehensive collection of their music, from the wonderful brass sounds, to the romantic melodies. If you are a TOP fan, get it!

The perfect addition to our collection. We have all the older TOP albums and many CDs, but this anthology is just what we needed to fill in the gaps. Perfect Road Trip collection.