Before the upstroke guitars and sun-soaked harmonies of modern reggae-rock, there was the blast of brass coming out of Oakland. Tower of Power’s horn section—punchy, precise, and relentlessly funky—didn’t just redefine what horns could do in soul and R&B; they created a sonic blueprint that would echo across genres for decades, eventually finding its way into the reggae-rock scenes of Southern California.
When Tower of Power emerged in the late ’60s, they weren’t just another funk band. They were an orchestra disguised as a street gang. Their horn section—anchored by Emilio Castillo and “Doc” Kupka —wasn’t background color; it was the main character. Songs like “What Is Hip?” and “Down to the Nightclub” exploded with syncopation and swagger, a brass barrage that felt both disciplined and dangerous.
That sound didn’t stay confined to the Bay Area. By the mid-’70s and ’80s, Tower of Power’s horn section had become the most in-demand brass ensemble in rock. Their fingerprints are on hundreds of recordings—Aerosmith, Huey Lewis and the News, even Southern rockers Molly Hatchet. Every note carried the same signature: razor-tight precision with an irresistible swing. They made horns cool again, not as nostalgic throwbacks, but as weapons of groove.
While Tower of Power never set out to influence reggae, their impact on rhythm-driven music is undeniable. When bands like Hepcat, Slightly Stoopid, and The Expanders began weaving horns into their reggae foundations, they were channeling the same energy—an understanding that brass could elevate a groove from laid-back to transcendent. Hepcat’s horn lines carry the same conversational interplay that Tower of Power perfected, while Slightly Stoopid’s live shows often feature tight, punchy brass arrangements that wouldn’t sound out of place on Bump City. The Expanders’ classic roots-reggae feel, meanwhile, shows the same reverence for melody-through-horns that Tower’s players turned into an art form.
What Tower of Power did for R&B was essentially what these modern reggae-rock bands did for coastal culture—they built communities around rhythm. Their horns gave voice to the spirit of collaboration, of jam-session spontaneity and stylistic cross-pollination. The idea that funk, soul, rock, and reggae could coexist seamlessly traces directly back to that Oakland soul laboratory where horns ruled the room.
Half a century after East Bay Grease introduced their unmistakable sound, Tower of Power’s horn section remains one of music’s great equalizers. Whether blasting through a funk breakdown or riding a reggae groove under the San Diego sun, their influence lingers—proof that sometimes, all it takes to connect worlds is one perfectly timed horn hit.
Tower of Power will join forces with WAR, Poncho Sanchez and special guest host DJ Muggs on December 20, 2025 at YouTube Theater, Inglewood, CA for a one-night only show that celebrates California’s legendary musical history. Tickets are on sale now via ticketmaster.com.
