Tower of Power

Jackie Bertone knows firsthand about the power of music.  As a percussionist for countless recording dates and live performances, Jackie has added the sounds, the feel and the color that puts the song in motion and in the pocket for performers ranging from Brian Wilson to Third World.  His professional career started thanks to his work with Tower of Power, which has always been a special part of his life in music.  Jackie was diagnosed with MS back in 1996 yet never let it define him or slow him down.  His passion and dedication to his craft has included lectures to medical and sc

Emilio Castillo plays second tenor sax, as well as providing background and lead vocals for the band he help establish in 1968 called Tower of Power! The year before Emilio formed a band called the Motowns, which became Tower of Power after meeting Stephen “Doc” Kupka. They began writing original songs together and landed several top hits including “You’re Still a Young Man” (1972), “Down to the Nightclub” (1973), “What is Hip?” (1974) and a dozen albums such as Back on the Streets, released in 1979 

Sal Cracchiolo learned how to play the trumpet on his mother’s horn. As his love of the instrument grew she saw to it that Sal received classical trumpet lessons with some of the top teachers in their neighborhood of Long Beach, California. At 15 Sal began performing and recording with Jr. & the Preludes. As R&B horn bands grew in popularity in the mid 1960s, Sal found himself in great demand. As his career was developing, Sal met Poncho Sanchez just as his Latin jazz band was forming.

Jimi (Chopmaster J) Dright was surrounded by music growing up in Berkely, California. Sly Stone lived in his same fourplex, Tower of Power practiced in their garage and music promoter Herb Wong had a regular program on KJAZ that Jimmy never missed. He started playing drums at a young age and took lessons every chance he could, even attending music camp. As Hip Hop was developing, Jimmy was right there to add his own flavor to the emerging style and soon he met others involved with the same music like Shock G and Kenny-K Waters, forming Digital Underground and becoming the first We

David Garibaldi is the innovative drummer for Tower of Power and a much respected clinician well known throughout the world.  He joined the group in 1970 just as they signed Bill Graham on as their manager.  Before long the group was recording and landed several hits on the charts.  David’s skills as a drummer soon generated the attention of young students and others to learn more about his style and his techniques.  The interest resulted in a multi-decade long journey to music stores around the world performing and teaching his craft.  In 2012, David was inducted into the Percuss

Ellis Hall is a man of many talents. This singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, and composer may have lost his sight at the young age of 18, but he quickly found inspiration by looking to Ray Charles. After moving to Boston at a young age, Ellis started piano lessons despite knowing that in the future, he would fully lose his vision. While Ellis enjoyed the piano, he really caught a passion for music upon witnessing the magic that is the Hammond B3 Organ. Shortly after this, Ellis picked up the drums and bass as a way to improve his musical talent.

Gerald Ishibashi is the musician, music retailer and concert producer who has taken part and witnessed some of the biggest changes and developments in our industry. With a love for music, Gerald began playing in the 8th grade and has performed in bands ever since. Flight 805 was one of his first, which played fairgrounds and venues over much of Southern California beginning in the 1970s. He later formed his most famous band called Stonebridge, which is a translation of his Japanese last name. A few years later he opened Stonebridge Music in Westminster, California, which was an im

Stephen “Doc” Kupka met Emilio Castillo in July, 1968, and discovered they both had a dream to form a rock and roll band with a strong horn element. By the end of the year the band began touring and was discovered by Bill Graham two years later when the Tower of Power recorded their first album, East Bay Grease. Doc and Emilio wrote most of the band’s songs including most of their long list of hit records including “What Is Hip?,” “So Very Hard to Go,” and “Only So Much Oil” among others. Tower of Power continues to tour with one of the tightest horn sections around!  

Jim Mathews played drums and formed a band when he was just ten years old. He was encouraged by his mother, who was a singer in the big bands during the swing era. He soon developed a strong interest in audio equipment as he could see how gear could help the band improve its sound and performances.

Vernon Porter can be heard playing bass on many Kenny Loggins recordings from 1981-1984, which is one of many crowning achievements of his career. It started when young Vernon was in the fourth grade and was encouraged to appreciate music by his Bluegrass playing uncle and father. He joined the school band playing saxophone and switched to bass when he was 15.  In the early days he mostly played rock but moved into the R&B and Funk world after hearing Rocco Prestia of Tower of Power. His band, Liaja was the opening act for such performers as Larry Graham and the Brothers Johns

Rocco Prestia grew up in Northern California where he began playing guitar as a teenager before joining the group Tower of Power just after the famous band was formed. It was during these early days when Rocco switched from guitar to bass, which provided a special groove as he mastered what many called the “fingerstyle funk” technique. Over his long career Rocco played the Fender Precision Bass and was an endorsee for Conklin and ESP Guitars which he signed with during the 2013 NAMM Show in Anaheim.

Roger Smith began playing the piano and singing in church at an early age, quickly falling in love with the way people reacted to the music he performed. He was introduced to the Hammond organ thanks to a friend from school whose uncle was the legendary Jimmy McGriff. Jimmy shared his love of the Hammond with young Roger and started a spark that led to a long and successful music career. Roger has worked with such artists as Freddie King, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Tower of Power!