Tony Adamo
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Tony Adamo

The Bronx, New York, United States | INDIE

The Bronx, New York, United States | INDIE
Band R&B Spoken Word

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"BEFORE RAP, THERE WAS…Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu"


BEFORE RAP, THERE WAS…Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu

by George W. Harris • July 15, 2013 • 0 Comments


You think rap (did I ever tell you the perfect radio station for it? K-RAP?) was the first music to offer the street scene? Forget it! Guys like Tony Adamo, and before him, Gil Scott-Heron tell BETTER stories, with a BETTER rhyme and with FAR BETTER musicians. Adamo on this disc celebrates the vibe, the attitude and the stars of the jazz scene on this disc with heavy hitters like Mike Clark/dr, Tim Ouimette/brass, Steve Homan/g and other cats with a rubber neck. His own tunes have a funky feel, and like the best street preachers, he tells the story like he means it. Homages to James Brown and Miles Davis sound right on the mark with Adamo dodging and ducking the lyrics like Floyd Patterson, and while the “America R We Free” tells me that Adamo could use a few economic books by Thomas Sowell, his streetwise readings of a couple Tower of Power tunes, particularly “Soul Vaccination” is a perfect update of a similar attitude.
- Jazz Weekly


"BEFORE RAP, THERE WAS…Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu"


BEFORE RAP, THERE WAS…Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu

by George W. Harris • July 15, 2013 • 0 Comments


You think rap (did I ever tell you the perfect radio station for it? K-RAP?) was the first music to offer the street scene? Forget it! Guys like Tony Adamo, and before him, Gil Scott-Heron tell BETTER stories, with a BETTER rhyme and with FAR BETTER musicians. Adamo on this disc celebrates the vibe, the attitude and the stars of the jazz scene on this disc with heavy hitters like Mike Clark/dr, Tim Ouimette/brass, Steve Homan/g and other cats with a rubber neck. His own tunes have a funky feel, and like the best street preachers, he tells the story like he means it. Homages to James Brown and Miles Davis sound right on the mark with Adamo dodging and ducking the lyrics like Floyd Patterson, and while the “America R We Free” tells me that Adamo could use a few economic books by Thomas Sowell, his streetwise readings of a couple Tower of Power tunes, particularly “Soul Vaccination” is a perfect update of a similar attitude.
- Jazz Weekly


"Tony Adamo Miles of Blu"




As the business and cultural landscape of improvisational music has evolved over the last year or two I am starting to notice a slight trend toward the inclusion of poetry and spoken word passages on some recordings and with incredibly mixed results. Tony Adamo is releasing a spoken word recording or "beatnik jazz" that is way outside my personal wheelhouse but when you toss in drummer Mike Clark, pianist Michael Wolf and horn ace Stephen "Doc" Kupka you end up with the next generation of hip. Sort of a deconstructed Miles Davis Birth Of The Cool amped up to the new millennium. Adamo is much in the same way as Miles, a visionary.




Tony's unique vision has opened up yet another sub genre on the jazz family tree being commonly referred to as "HipSpokenWord." Personally I like "Beatnik Jazz" better but to each his own. Jazz / funk drummer Mike Clark is the producer and lends his prolific talents to help elevate Adamo's game to the next level. When you have the former musical director for Arsenio Hall in Michael Wolf and Tower of Power veteran "Doc" Kupka then you know people are indeed buying what you are selling. Adamo's words are powerful, topical and guaranteed to make you think while expanding your musical horizons into a well defined poetry for the culture today.




"JB" kicks off and pays tribute to the hardest working man in show business while "America R We Free?" is a more personal statement involving the p.o.v of America being built on the blood sweat and tears of the middle class. While not necessarily agreeing with Adamo's politics, I would be the first to applaud his fearlessness in putting himself "out there." A former editor would often caution me on gratuitous self references but whether you are a writer or a vocal artist, a shared perspective is just that and what the audience chooses to do or make of it is strictly up to them. "Sun-Ra Rockets To Mars" has a more ambient vibe and spatial integrity reinforced by the relentless groove of producer Clark.




With the exception of only a handful of traditional rap artists, most creative vocalists are lacking the substance and stamina to put an entire recording on their backs in an effort to either spread their message, music or both. Tony Adamo makes it look effortless and with a virtual all star line up he gains the freedom to let his imagination soar. Sometimes stepping outside your musical comfort zone is a good thing and Tony Adamo makes it an enlightening experience!




5 Stars for creativity and ingenuity alone!




Tracks: JB; Miles Of Blu; Funkin' At The Chickn Shack; America R We Free?; BBQ; The Power Of Funky Madness; Soul Vacation; Don't Change Horses; Ain't That A Groove?"; Jack Kerouac, Jack!; Sun-Ra Rockets To Mars; What Is Hip?" The Other Side Of Time; Ticking Clock.




Personnel: Tony Adamo: vocals, hipspokenword; Mike Clark: drums; Tim Ouimette: trumpet / trombone; Bill Harris: bari / alto / tenor sax; Richie Goods: bass; Delbert Bump: organ; Steve Homan: guitar; Gary Mielke: bass / keyboards; Rob Dixon: tenor / alto sax; Derrick Gardner: trumpet; Stephen "Doc" Kupka: bari sax; Brett Palm: bass; Bill Summers: percussion; Kati Mac: background vocals; Tom Guarna: guitar; Michael Wolf: piano.

Learn More About Tony:

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1728


- Bop-N-Jazz


"Tony Adamo Miles of Blu"




As the business and cultural landscape of improvisational music has evolved over the last year or two I am starting to notice a slight trend toward the inclusion of poetry and spoken word passages on some recordings and with incredibly mixed results. Tony Adamo is releasing a spoken word recording or "beatnik jazz" that is way outside my personal wheelhouse but when you toss in drummer Mike Clark, pianist Michael Wolf and horn ace Stephen "Doc" Kupka you end up with the next generation of hip. Sort of a deconstructed Miles Davis Birth Of The Cool amped up to the new millennium. Adamo is much in the same way as Miles, a visionary.




Tony's unique vision has opened up yet another sub genre on the jazz family tree being commonly referred to as "HipSpokenWord." Personally I like "Beatnik Jazz" better but to each his own. Jazz / funk drummer Mike Clark is the producer and lends his prolific talents to help elevate Adamo's game to the next level. When you have the former musical director for Arsenio Hall in Michael Wolf and Tower of Power veteran "Doc" Kupka then you know people are indeed buying what you are selling. Adamo's words are powerful, topical and guaranteed to make you think while expanding your musical horizons into a well defined poetry for the culture today.




"JB" kicks off and pays tribute to the hardest working man in show business while "America R We Free?" is a more personal statement involving the p.o.v of America being built on the blood sweat and tears of the middle class. While not necessarily agreeing with Adamo's politics, I would be the first to applaud his fearlessness in putting himself "out there." A former editor would often caution me on gratuitous self references but whether you are a writer or a vocal artist, a shared perspective is just that and what the audience chooses to do or make of it is strictly up to them. "Sun-Ra Rockets To Mars" has a more ambient vibe and spatial integrity reinforced by the relentless groove of producer Clark.




With the exception of only a handful of traditional rap artists, most creative vocalists are lacking the substance and stamina to put an entire recording on their backs in an effort to either spread their message, music or both. Tony Adamo makes it look effortless and with a virtual all star line up he gains the freedom to let his imagination soar. Sometimes stepping outside your musical comfort zone is a good thing and Tony Adamo makes it an enlightening experience!




5 Stars for creativity and ingenuity alone!




Tracks: JB; Miles Of Blu; Funkin' At The Chickn Shack; America R We Free?; BBQ; The Power Of Funky Madness; Soul Vacation; Don't Change Horses; Ain't That A Groove?"; Jack Kerouac, Jack!; Sun-Ra Rockets To Mars; What Is Hip?" The Other Side Of Time; Ticking Clock.




Personnel: Tony Adamo: vocals, hipspokenword; Mike Clark: drums; Tim Ouimette: trumpet / trombone; Bill Harris: bari / alto / tenor sax; Richie Goods: bass; Delbert Bump: organ; Steve Homan: guitar; Gary Mielke: bass / keyboards; Rob Dixon: tenor / alto sax; Derrick Gardner: trumpet; Stephen "Doc" Kupka: bari sax; Brett Palm: bass; Bill Summers: percussion; Kati Mac: background vocals; Tom Guarna: guitar; Michael Wolf: piano.

Learn More About Tony:

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1728


- Bop-N-Jazz


"Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu (2013)"


Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu (2013)

By
NICHOLAS F. MONDELLO,












Published: August 19, 2013
Long before rappers and scratchers, resurrected Mummies, and Lord Buckley's hipsters and flipsters, the ancient Greeks had a name for "cats" like Tony Adamo

—rhapsode. The homonym notwithstanding, a rhapsode was a speak-singer—who plucked his lyre and "spung" (spoke-sung) expressive tales of towering, powerful Gods and the tribulations of mortals below them. Pan pipes and percussion types might have accompanied a rhapsode (perhaps doing an early Greek version of James Brown

's "Famous Flames" or Adamo's hip crew here?).

With Miles of Blu,vocalist and modern day rhapsode Tony Adamo and his outstanding supporting musicians deliver a hip, poignant and exciting recording. He covers both slick original material and specifically salutes Tower of Power, James Brown, great Hammond B3 players, beboppers, and jazz-funk groups. Adamo's pungent yet poetic social commentary—performed and described as "hipspokenword"—glides over tight funk and jazz backgrounds.

As vocalist, Adamo's exciting, highly-energetic interpretations avoid any faux hip inflections. He swings soulfully heavy ("Ticking Clock"), has great rhythmic feel, and injects a soul vaccination across the date. His scripted dialog is powerful in presentation and content ("Sun-Ra Rockets to Mars"). There's no hand or lip jive; the "hipspokenwords" are performed as dit-dot tight as the horns and infectious rhythms behind him ("Ain't That a Groove"). He channels the "Beat" poets Jack Kerouac and Alan Ginsberg, and modern verbalists, Mark Murphy and Gil Scott-Heron. Adamo is way too sophisticated and on social point to be placed on the same street corner as "rap." His lines, inflected with the verbiage of the then-and-now hip, evoke and show an abundance of thought ("America R We Free?").

Adamo's entire support crew is superb and clearly dyed deep blue in the jazz-funk tradition. Laying down a solid, driving underbelly, drummer Mike Clark (of Herbie Hancock

's "Headhunters" fame) shines. Trumpeter Tim Ouimette screams, leads and blows great jazz ("Miles of Blu"). The addition of Delbert Bump's B3 brings the R+B thing full circle ("Don't Change Horses") and Tower of Power

's Stephen "Doc" Kupka makes a studio call, bringing his hat, black bag, and balls-to-the-wall baritone along.

While the Greek philosophers might have suggested we take all things in moderation, a very full serving of tasty jazz-funk and brilliantly performed verbal presentations are served on this "Blu"-plate special. It's a jazz-funk ear-feast. So, please pass the Ouzo, Plato.

Track Listing: JB; Miles of Blu; Funkin’ at the Chicken Shack; America R We Free?; BBQ; The Power of Funky Madness; Soul Vaccination; Don’t Change Horses; Ain’t That a Groove; Jack Kerouac, Jack!; Sun-Ra Rockets to Mars; What is Hip? The Other Side of Time; Ticking Clock.

Personnel: Tony Adamo: vocals, “hipspokenword”; Mike Clark: drums; Tim Ouimette: trumpet, trombone; Rick Gardner: trumpet (6, 7); Bill Harris: alto, tenor, baritone saxophone (1, 4, 14); Richie Goods: bass; Delbert Bump: organ; Steve Homan: guitar; Bill Summers: percussion (4, 9, 13); Rob Dixon: tenor, alto saxophone; Gary Milked: bass (4, 9), keyboards; Brett Palm: bass; Danny Drawer: guitar (14); Stephen “Doc” Kupka (7, 9); Tom Guarna: guitar (11, 13); Michael Wolff: piano (13); Kati Mac: background vocals (11); Brett Palm: bass (8, 12, 14).

Record Label: Random Act Records
Style: Modern Jazz




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- Allaboutjazz NICHOLAS F. MONDELLO


"Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu (2013)"


Tony Adamo: Miles of Blu (2013)

By
NICHOLAS F. MONDELLO,












Published: August 19, 2013
Long before rappers and scratchers, resurrected Mummies, and Lord Buckley's hipsters and flipsters, the ancient Greeks had a name for "cats" like Tony Adamo

—rhapsode. The homonym notwithstanding, a rhapsode was a speak-singer—who plucked his lyre and "spung" (spoke-sung) expressive tales of towering, powerful Gods and the tribulations of mortals below them. Pan pipes and percussion types might have accompanied a rhapsode (perhaps doing an early Greek version of James Brown

's "Famous Flames" or Adamo's hip crew here?).

With Miles of Blu,vocalist and modern day rhapsode Tony Adamo and his outstanding supporting musicians deliver a hip, poignant and exciting recording. He covers both slick original material and specifically salutes Tower of Power, James Brown, great Hammond B3 players, beboppers, and jazz-funk groups. Adamo's pungent yet poetic social commentary—performed and described as "hipspokenword"—glides over tight funk and jazz backgrounds.

As vocalist, Adamo's exciting, highly-energetic interpretations avoid any faux hip inflections. He swings soulfully heavy ("Ticking Clock"), has great rhythmic feel, and injects a soul vaccination across the date. His scripted dialog is powerful in presentation and content ("Sun-Ra Rockets to Mars"). There's no hand or lip jive; the "hipspokenwords" are performed as dit-dot tight as the horns and infectious rhythms behind him ("Ain't That a Groove"). He channels the "Beat" poets Jack Kerouac and Alan Ginsberg, and modern verbalists, Mark Murphy and Gil Scott-Heron. Adamo is way too sophisticated and on social point to be placed on the same street corner as "rap." His lines, inflected with the verbiage of the then-and-now hip, evoke and show an abundance of thought ("America R We Free?").

Adamo's entire support crew is superb and clearly dyed deep blue in the jazz-funk tradition. Laying down a solid, driving underbelly, drummer Mike Clark (of Herbie Hancock

's "Headhunters" fame) shines. Trumpeter Tim Ouimette screams, leads and blows great jazz ("Miles of Blu"). The addition of Delbert Bump's B3 brings the R+B thing full circle ("Don't Change Horses") and Tower of Power

's Stephen "Doc" Kupka makes a studio call, bringing his hat, black bag, and balls-to-the-wall baritone along.

While the Greek philosophers might have suggested we take all things in moderation, a very full serving of tasty jazz-funk and brilliantly performed verbal presentations are served on this "Blu"-plate special. It's a jazz-funk ear-feast. So, please pass the Ouzo, Plato.

Track Listing: JB; Miles of Blu; Funkin’ at the Chicken Shack; America R We Free?; BBQ; The Power of Funky Madness; Soul Vaccination; Don’t Change Horses; Ain’t That a Groove; Jack Kerouac, Jack!; Sun-Ra Rockets to Mars; What is Hip? The Other Side of Time; Ticking Clock.

Personnel: Tony Adamo: vocals, “hipspokenword”; Mike Clark: drums; Tim Ouimette: trumpet, trombone; Rick Gardner: trumpet (6, 7); Bill Harris: alto, tenor, baritone saxophone (1, 4, 14); Richie Goods: bass; Delbert Bump: organ; Steve Homan: guitar; Bill Summers: percussion (4, 9, 13); Rob Dixon: tenor, alto saxophone; Gary Milked: bass (4, 9), keyboards; Brett Palm: bass; Danny Drawer: guitar (14); Stephen “Doc” Kupka (7, 9); Tom Guarna: guitar (11, 13); Michael Wolff: piano (13); Kati Mac: background vocals (11); Brett Palm: bass (8, 12, 14).

Record Label: Random Act Records
Style: Modern Jazz




Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest_share Share on google_plusone_share Share on email More Sharing Services 0

- Allaboutjazz NICHOLAS F. MONDELLO


"Tony Adamo Gil-Scott Heron Mark Murphy Jack Kerouac"



Website: http://randomactrecords.com/
On his latest effort, and debut recording for
Random Act Records, TONY ADAMO has created a
unique genre: “HipSpokenWord.” Built on the
wisdom of musical wizards like Gil-Scott Heron,
Mark Murphy, Jack Kerouac and hip/hop master
rappers, Tony speaks the Truth through his poetic
musings. With preeminent players like producer
Mike Clark (drums), Richie Goods (bass), Delbert
Bump (organ), Michael Wolff (piano), Bill Summers
(percussion) and Tim Ouimette, Rob Dixon, Derek
Gardner and even Tower of Power's own physician of the funk, Stephen "Doc" Kupka. This release will turn heads and blow minds: Tales of travails and triumphs, told in the hippest of ways! Tony speaks/sings his way through the
urban landscapes of Jazz, Funk and Soul.
From the title track “Miles of Blu,” a nod to the
dark prince of Jazz, to “JB,” an homage to the
Godfather of Soul, to a down-home “BBQ” and
asking “America R We Free,” Tony tells it like it is
in his own mesmerizing manner.
The Grooves are infectious, the moods evocative,
the music sizzling and the words – HIP! “MILES OF
BLU” takes listeners on a swinging journey,
culminating in a funky good time!
Fred Harris Random Act Records
- Random Act Records


"Tony Adamo Gil-Scott Heron Mark Murphy Jack Kerouac"



Website: http://randomactrecords.com/
On his latest effort, and debut recording for
Random Act Records, TONY ADAMO has created a
unique genre: “HipSpokenWord.” Built on the
wisdom of musical wizards like Gil-Scott Heron,
Mark Murphy, Jack Kerouac and hip/hop master
rappers, Tony speaks the Truth through his poetic
musings. With preeminent players like producer
Mike Clark (drums), Richie Goods (bass), Delbert
Bump (organ), Michael Wolff (piano), Bill Summers
(percussion) and Tim Ouimette, Rob Dixon, Derek
Gardner and even Tower of Power's own physician of the funk, Stephen "Doc" Kupka. This release will turn heads and blow minds: Tales of travails and triumphs, told in the hippest of ways! Tony speaks/sings his way through the
urban landscapes of Jazz, Funk and Soul.
From the title track “Miles of Blu,” a nod to the
dark prince of Jazz, to “JB,” an homage to the
Godfather of Soul, to a down-home “BBQ” and
asking “America R We Free,” Tony tells it like it is
in his own mesmerizing manner.
The Grooves are infectious, the moods evocative,
the music sizzling and the words – HIP! “MILES OF
BLU” takes listeners on a swinging journey,
culminating in a funky good time!
Fred Harris Random Act Records
- Random Act Records


"'Doc' Kupka gets hip to Tony Adamo's "What is Hip""

'Doc' Kupka gets hip to Tony Adamo's "What is Hip"

"I love Tony’s version of "What Is Hip?". He evokes the beatnik-bongo days of my youth and gives a whole new slant to a hard-charging funk tune. Congrats to both Tony Adamo and Jerry Stucker!" Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka, Tower of Power co-founder
www.strokeland.com
www.myspace.com/tomyrocadamo
- SF Weekly


"'Doc' Kupka gets hip to Tony Adamo's "What is Hip""

'Doc' Kupka gets hip to Tony Adamo's "What is Hip"

"I love Tony’s version of "What Is Hip?". He evokes the beatnik-bongo days of my youth and gives a whole new slant to a hard-charging funk tune. Congrats to both Tony Adamo and Jerry Stucker!" Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka, Tower of Power co-founder
www.strokeland.com
www.myspace.com/tomyrocadamo
- SF Weekly


Discography

"MILES OF BLU" from HipSpokenWord artist Tony Adamo. Tony has basically invented his own, original genre. This hipster speaks, raps, and sings his compelling stories, with able assistance from Producer Mike Clark and cohorts like Michael Wolff, Delbert Bump, Tim Ouimette, Richie Goods, Bill Summers and even Tower of Power's own physician of the funk, Stephen "Doc" Kupka. This release will turn heads and blow minds: Tales of travails and triumphs, told in the hippest of ways! Random Act Records

2013/Miles of Blu/ Random Act Records
2011/Jazz Infusion Session 2 featuring Tony Adamo's What is Hip?/US New Jazz Records

2010/What is Hip?/Urbanzone Records
2010/Single-Hey Lou/Urbanzone Records
2008/ Jerry Stucker's It's All A Groove featuring Tony Adamo's music/Urbanzone Records
2007/ Straight Up Deal/Urbanzone Records
2005/ Paul Jackson Funk On A Stick-Tony Adamo Featured/BackDoor Records

Photos

Bio

For your Grammy Consideration/ Tony Adamo's Miles of Blu
Category: Spoken Word

Record Label: Random Act Records/ Produced by legendary drummer Mike Clark
"With Miles of Blu,vocalist and modern day rhapsode Tony Adamo and his outstanding supporting musicians deliver a hip, poignant and exciting recording. He covers both slick original material and specifically salutes Tower of Power, James Brown, great Hammond B3 players, beboppers, and jazz-funk groups. Adamo's pungent yet poetic social commentary—performed and described as "hipspokenword"—glides over tight funk and jazz backgrounds."
ALLABOUTJAZZ, Nicholas Mondello

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1728

TONY ADAMO “Miles of Blu” Random Act Records Others, like Gil Scott-Heron, Mark Murphy and legions of rappers, have recognized the power of the almighty Word. Some have been hip, some sung, some said, but none have the musical import and impact of Tony Adamo’s artistry.

Tony has essentially created a new genre: “HipSpokenWord.” His inventions are certainly hip and relevant; they are mostly spoken, though occasionally sung; and the words are extremely powerful and relevant. With the assistance of Producer Mike Clark, one of the most renowned Jazz/Funk drummers to ever wield sticks, Tony has concocted a topical masterpiece in “Miles of Blu.”

Featuring Drummer/Producer Clark on all tracks, this sizzling album includes several other gifted musicians, including Bassist Richie Goods, Trumpeters Tim Ouimette and Derrick Garner, Percussionist Bill Summers, Organist Delbert Bump, Pianist Michael Wolff, and even Tower of Power’s physician of funk, Stephen “Doc” Kupka.

Tony’s hipster persona belies his intriguing background. Born in San Francisco, he has performed a myriad of tasks in the entertainment industry: He has been an actor, a DJ, a voiceover artist, a rock singer and a Hollywood agent. His stint as an explosives handler at Naval and Marine bases, including a voluntary deployment to the Middle East during the first Gulf War, provided creative fodder for many of his compositions. After connecting with members of the venerated funk machine Tower of Power, Tony developed his unique contribution to culture, the hip-spoken-word style that is all his own.

His methods have been featured previously on his own albums, including “When Love Comes Over You,” “Dance of Love,” “Straight-Up Deal,” and “What Is Hip?” While all have been a groove, with players like the TOP Horns, The Headhunters and Jazz greats Eddie Henderson, Steve Gadd, Ernie Watts and Neil Larsen on-board, his new release, “Miles of Blu,” is the culmination of years of musical experimentation and execution. Opening with a tribute to the hardest working man (ever) in show biz, “JB” jump-starts the affair with funkified horns and Tony’s urgings to have a “funky good time.” As with all the tracks, this is thoughtful, well-executed music played by incredible players.

The burning swinger “Miles of Blu” is up next. Tony sets the evocative mood, as he places the listener smack-dab in the midst of an urban jazz club. Tim Ouimette’s trumpet echoes miles of smiles as Tony calls out his tribute to the dark prince of Jazz. A bass-less tune, based on a ‘round midnight vibe…The Bay Area is our next stop: Adamo’s roll call of B-3 Bombers tells it like it is on “Funkin’ at the Chickn’ Shack” and, somewhere, Jimmy Smith grins.

On the topical “America R We Free” Tony tells a potentially patriotic tale of a country divided. The former bomb handler knows of what he speaks – “…on the backs of the middle-class and poor.” All respect; all truth; all the time. Power to the people!!! Stand Up and Get UP! This is a thinking man’s rap, and this revolution might be televised.

Next, Tony lays out a barbeque (“BBQ”) as he performs a real backyard rap and introduces the band. All are bumping, but under and behind it all, Mike Clark stokes the beat, allowing the cats to ride on top. You can taste the beer, feel the grease…Richie Goods sets up the low-down vamp of “The Power of Funky Madness”; Danny Draher sings the blues on his six-string; Tony tells it like it is, and will be…

Some Tower of Power East Bay grease slides our way next. The leader speaks truth again, urging us to inoculate our souls as his stream-of-consciousness glides across the syncopated snare snaps from Clark’s tubs. “Soul Vaccination” all across the nation! Another TOP hit changes things up, as Adamo and crew shuffle off like stallions through the middle of a stream. Heed his advice: “Don’t Change Horses” unless you dare encounter Steve Homan’s bluesy guitar, Delbert Bump’s slick B-3 riffs and Rob Dixon’s phat tenor tones.

The father of Hip/Spoken/Word pays further homage to the Godfather of Soul as he asks the perennial question “Ain’t That a Groove?” Word: Yes! It can’t but BE a groove under the tightly controlled flails of drummer/producer Clark, keyboardist/mixe