# Emilio Castillo > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Emilio_Castillo > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Emilio_Castillo.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Castillo > Source revision: 1339634585 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American saxophone player and composer Emilio Castillo Castillo in 2010 Background information Born (1950-09-24) September 24, 1950 (age 75) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Genres Soul funk Occupation Musician Instruments Saxophone vocals organ guitar Years active 1965–present Musical artist **Emilio Castillo** (born September 24, 1950) is an American [saxophone](/source/Saxophone) player and [composer](/source/Composer), best known as the founder of the band [Tower of Power](/source/Tower_of_Power). ## Background In 1965, Emilio Castillo took to music after he and his brother Jack were caught stealing by his father who told him he could stay in his room until he thought of something to 'Keep him off the street'. Castillo and his brother chose music. Emilio chose saxophone and Jack chose drums.[1] He took lessons in saxophone, [piano](/source/Piano), and [guitar](/source/Guitar), and also took lessons in music theory from one-time [Dave Brubeck](/source/Dave_Brubeck) bass player [Norman Bates](/source/Norman_Bates_(musician)).[2] His first musical endeavor was in Extension Five which later became The Gotham City Crime Fighters due to the Batman craze at the time. He played both organ and sax. The group also consisted of his brother Jack on drums, Jody Lopez on guitar Frank “Rocco’ Houghton on bass (later going by the name of [Francis Rocco Prestia](/source/Rocco_Prestia)), and Dave Genthner on vocals. In March, 1966 they released the song "Who Stole The Batmobile"[3][4] After seeing [Bay Area](/source/San_Francisco_Bay_Area) soul band The Spyders, Castillo switched to saxophone and formed 'The Motowns' playing [soul music](/source/Soul_music) covers. After meeting baritone sax player [Stephen "Doc" Kupka](/source/Stephen_Kupka) Castillo switched, on Kupka's suggestion, to performing original material and the band changed its name to 'Tower of Power'. The band recorded their first album, *East Bay Grease*, in 1970. Castillo has been with the band ever since, as leader and 2nd tenor saxophonist. He and Kupka are also responsible for writing many of the band's best-known songs. ## Work with other artists He contributed to the track "Shoo-Fly" which was on [José Feliciano's](/source/Jos%C3%A9_Feliciano) *For My Love...Mother Music*, released in 1974.[5] Castillo and Stephen Kupka worked with Frankie B., producing both sides of the 1982 single "I'm A Midnight Mover" which was written by [Bobby Womack](/source/Bobby_Womack) and [Wilson Pickett](/source/Wilson_Pickett)".[6] He provided background vocals on "Who Do You Love" which was on [Carlos Santana's](/source/Carlos_Santana) 1983 album *[Havana Moon](/source/Havana_Moon)*.[7] Along with Stephen Kupka, Castillo co-composed the music for the song "Que Nivel De Mujer" which appears on the *[Aries](/source/Aries_(album))* album by [Luis Miguel](/source/Luis_Miguel), released in 1993. He also played tenor saxophone on the track.[8] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** *[The Mercury News](/source/The_Mercury_News)*, July 31, 2011 - [News, Profile: Tower of Power leader Emilio Castillo keeps Oakland soul band grooving By Jim Harrington](https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/07/31/profile-tower-of-power-leader-emilio-castillo-keeps-oakland-soul-band-grooving/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Michigan Association for Jazz Education - [A Passion for Learning - Emilio Castillo's Music Craft](http://miaje.org/ecastillo_top3.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180329184538/http://miaje.org/ecastillo_top3.html) 2018-03-29 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Horn Driven Radio, August 12, 2008 - [Gotham City Crime Fighters](http://www.hdrbanddirectory.com/2008/08/gotham-city-crime-fighters/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180705183039/http://www.hdrbanddirectory.com/2008/08/gotham-city-crime-fighters/) 2018-07-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *[East Bay Times](/source/East_Bay_Times)*, January 20, 2006 - [Did you know that Tower of Power was By Les Mahler](https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2006/01/20/did-you-know-that-tower-of-power-was-really-born-in-fremont/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Discogs - [José Feliciano – For My Love...Mother Music](https://www.discogs.com/Jos%C3%A9-Feliciano-For-My-LoveMother-Music/release/10157045) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Discogs - [Frankie B. – I'm A Midnight Mover / I Got To Be Frank](https://www.discogs.com/Frankie-B-Im-A-Midnight-Mover-I-Got-To-Be-Frank/release/941775) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Discogs - [Carlos Santana – Havana Moon](https://www.discogs.com/Carlos-Santana-Havana-Moon/release/1332390) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Discogs - [Luis Miguel – Aries](https://www.discogs.com/Luis-Miguel-Aries/release/8631029) ## External links - [Emilio Castillo info on the Tower of Power website](https://towerofpower.com/emilio-castillo) - [Emilio Castillo](https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/emilio-castillo) [NAMM Oral History Program](/source/NAMM_Oral_History_Program) Interview (2005) - [AllMusic: Emilio Castillo](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/emilio-castillo-mn0000186500/credits) - [Discogs: Emilio Castillo](https://www.discogs.com/artist/263002-Emilio-Castillo) v t e Tower of Power Emilio Castillo Stephen 'Doc' Kupka Roger Smith Adolfo Acosta Tom E. Politzer Jerry Cortez Marc van Wageningen Dave Richards Pete Antunes Jordan John Studio albums East Bay Grease (1970) Bump City (1972) Tower of Power (1973) Back to Oakland (1974) Urban Renewal (1975) In the Slot (1975) Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now (1977) We Came to Play! (1978) Back on the Streets (1979) Power (1987) Monster on a Leash (1991) T.O.P. (1993) Souled Out (1995) Rhythm & Business (1997) Step Up (2020) Notable singles "So Very Hard to Go" Live albums Live and in Living Color (1976) Direct (1981) Soul Vaccination: Live (1999) Former members Greg Adams Rocco Prestia David Garibaldi Lenny Williams Herman Matthews Lenny Pickett Mic Gillette Bruce Conte Michael Jeffries Victor Conte Richard Elliot Hubert Tubbs Euge Groove Brandon Fields Harry Kim Related articles Members Authority control databases International VIAF GND National United States Artists MusicBrainz People Deutsche Biographie --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Emilio Castillo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Castillo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Castillo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.