Rhythm & Business

Rhythm and Business is an album by the American band Tower of Power.[2] It was released in 1997.[3][4] The band promoted the album by playing the Red Sea Jazz Festival, among other concert dates.[5]

Rhythm & Business
Studio album by
Tower of Power
Released1997
LabelEpic[1]
ProducerEmilio Castillo
Tower of Power chronology
Souled Out
(1995)		 Rhythm & Business
(1997)		 Direct Plus
(1997)

Production

The album was produced by bandmember Emilio Castillo.[6] The band had decided not to chase any kind of market trend, and instead record what it wanted.[2] Castillo, Stephen Kupka, and Frances Pocco Presita were the only founding members who played on Rhythm & Business.[7] The title track is about the state of 1990s R&B and the music industry.[8]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[10]
Los Angeles Daily News[11]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[12]

The Boston Globe wrote that "the implausibly soulful baritone sax of Stephen 'Doc' Kupka, Castillo's partner since 1969, is highlighted on 'Spank-A-Dang' and 'East Bay Way'."[13] The Los Angeles Daily News noted that "Tower of Power has never lost the ability to turn up the heat on slippery funk grooves and soulful ballads."[11]

The Blade deemed the album "plain old funk and soul," writing that "at times, it's like listening in on a jam session as the horns blare and the drums pound."[14] The Sunday News called it "a funky soul assembly of churning Hammond organ, snappy chicken-scratch rhythm guitar, ear-bending wah-wah guitar, high-powered thumb-popping funk bass, soaring gospel-tinged soul singing and those nasty, legendary, extraordinary Tower of Power horns."[15]

AllMusic wrote that "these guys know all there is to know about R&B and on Rhythm & Business they combine their musical passion, knowledge and abilities into that one-of-a-kind Tower of Power sound."[9] Christina Cole, of the Anchorage Daily News, listed the album among the best of 1997.[16]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."So I Got to Groove (Stephen Kupka, Emilio Castillo, Herman Matthews)"5:44
2."Crazy for You (Marlon McClain, Kupka, Castillo)"4:37
3."East Bay Way (Kupka, Castillo, Jeff Tamelier)"4:48
4."Unconditional Love (McClain, Kupka, Castillo, Nate Phillips, Wayne Jackson)"6:58
5."You Do the Math (Kupka, Tamelier, Jim Pugh)"4:47
6."The More You Know (Kupka, Castillo)"5:49
7."Recapture the Magic (Kupka, Castillo)"5:33
8."What's Your Trip (McClain, Kupka, Castillo)"5:40
9."Rhythm and Business (Kupka, Castillo, Matthews, Michael Caplan)"4:08
10."Don't Knock Me Down (Kupka, Castillo, Ken Kessie)"3:40
11."That Was Then and This Is Now (Kupka, Castillo, Nick Milo)"4:35
12."It Really Doesn't Matter (Castillo, Tony Flores)"4:35
13."Spank-A-Dang (Matthews, Milo)"5:44

References
  1. "Tower of Power Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. Charleston, Rita (17 Mar 1998). "'Tower of Power' 'just keeps on doing it' over 3 decades". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 4B.
  3. Thompson, Dave (May 11, 2001). "Funk". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  4. Findlay, Prentiss (11 Sep 1997). "Blues hero B.B. King festival headliner". The Post and Courier. p. E2.
  5. Rodan, Steve (22 Aug 1997). "All that jazz". Arts. The Jerusalem Post. p. 2.
  6. "New line-up, same groove: Tower of Power returns". Happenings. Intelligencer Journal. 29 May 1998. p. 2.
  7. Harden, Mark (September 25, 1998). "Horns of plenty: Tower of Power's sound the choice of numerous rockers". The Denver Post. p. E21.
  8. McDonald, Sam (27 June 1997). "HAMPTON JAZZ FESTIVAL 30TH ANNIVERSARY". Daily Press. Newport News. p. A6.
  9. "Rhythm & Business - Tower of Power | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  10. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 228.
  11. Shuster, Fred (26 Sep 1997). "SOUND CHECK". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L24.
  12. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1159.
  13. Keller, Jon (30 Oct 1997). "RECORDINGS". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 27.
  14. Allen, Jr., Eddie B. (October 26, 1997). "'RHYTHM AND BUSINESS'". The Blade. p. G4.
  15. "Horns of Power and plenty". Sunday News. May 24, 1998. p. H6.
  16. Cole, Christina (January 2, 1998). "'97 WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR MUSICAL AVALANCHE". Anchorage Daily News. p. H7.
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