The Keyboard Chronicles

Gigging, Gear and Great Music

tower of power

David K Mathews, Santana / Etta James / Tower of Power (Part 1)

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David K Mathews has had, and continues to have, an amazing career across a range of genres. In Part 1 of our interview, Dave covers off his work with Tower of Power and The Rat Band. And he’s only getting started….

Links to content mentioned during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Tower of Power

Dave playing with Tower of Power

Elvin Bishop

Chester Thompson

Larry Blake’s Rathskeller

Dave with The Rat Band

Desert Island Discs:  Coming in Part 2!

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One of the Best Isolation Covers You Will Ever See

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I’m just going to leave this here:

You may recognise some of the living legends on this video, if not check out all the details here. I promise it’ll be one of the most fun uses of 9 minutes of your life.

Here’s the list of top-notch musicians involved:

VOCALISTS
Brent Carter – Tower of Power, currently AWB lead vocalist
Will Downing – Multi-million selling, major label recording artist
Jo Harman – Award winning British vocalist-songwriter
Eliot Lewis – Hall and Oates, “Live From Daryl’s House”, AWB
Audrey Wheeler – Top NYC session singer (Freddie Jackson, Madonna), formerly featured singer with Unlimited Touch
Cheryl ‘Pepsii’ Riley – Noted Gospel/R&B singer and Arista and Columbia recording artist
Porter Carroll – Singer/songwriter/founder/drummer with multi million selling band ‘Atlantic Starr’ (Hall and Oates)
Travis Milner – Vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer/composer Gerald Levert, Roy Ayers, Gerald Alston, Busta Rhymes
Ms. Monet – Recording artist, backing vocalist Will Downing, Boz Scaggs, Michael McDonald
Michael Angelo – New York legendary Funk vocalist
Chris Walker – Vocalist with Billboard Top 30 hit ,’Take Time’, Musical Director to Al Jarreau, Regina Belle
Klyde Jones – Hall and Oates, AWB

GUITARISTS
David Spinozza (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, James Taylor)
Jeff Tamelier (Tower of Power, Starship)

KEYBOARDS
Roger Smith (Tower of Power, Dave Matthews Band) – Hammond Organ
Rob Aries (John Scofield, Mary J Blige) – Electric Piano
Travis Milner (Roy Ayers, Gerald Levert) – Keyboards

BASS
Chris Walker (Bob James, Kirk Whalum)

HORNS
Fred ‘Freddy V’ Vigdor (AWB, Michael McDonald) – Tenor Sax
Cliff Lyons (AWB, Manhattan Transfer) – Alto Sax
Barry Danelian (Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Billy Joel) – Trumpet
Ozzie Melendez (Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony) – Trombone
John Scarpulla (ToP, Diana Ross, Paul McCartney) – Tenor and Baritone sax

DRUMS
David Garibaldi (Tower of Power)
Steve Ferrone (AWB, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty)
Larnell Lewis (Snarky Puppy)
Brian Dunne (Hall and Oates, AWB)
Rocky Bryant (AWB, Dave Sanborn, Cindy Lauper)
Herman Matthews (Isley Brothers, Kenny Loggins)
Graham Hawthorne (Paul Simon, David Byrne, Madeleine Peyroux)
Poogie Bell (David Bowie, Chaka Khan, Randy Crawford)

(H/T: Musicplayer.com)