Back to Oakland

Back To Oakland
Studio album by Tower of Power
Released	May 1974
Recorded	1974 at Record Plant, Sausalito, California Kaye/Smith Studios, Seattle, Washington
Genre	Soul, funk
Length	43:05
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Tower of Power
Tower of Power chronology
Tower of Power (1973) Tower of Power1973 Back To Oakland (1974) Urban Renewal (1975)Urban Renewal1975

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Back to Oakland is the fourth album by Bay Area based band Tower of Power, Released in Spring 1974 on Warner Bros. Records. It was voted by Modern Drummer Magazine as one of the most important recordings for drummers to listen to.

Track listing

1. "Oakland Stroke..." (Emilio Castillo, David Garibaldi, Stephen Kupka) - 0:53
2. "Don't Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)" (Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Lenny Williams) - 4:28
3. "Just When We Start Makin' It" (Castillo, Kupka, Lenny Williams) - 6:30
4. "Can't You See (You Doin' Me Wrong)" (Castillo, Kupka, Williams) - 3:00
5. "Squib Cakes" (Chester Thompson) - 7:49
6. "Time Will Tell" (Castillo, Kupka) - 3:11
7. "Man from the Past" (Castillo, Kupka, Williams) - 4:00
8. "Love's Been Gone So Long" (Bruce Conte) - 4:47
9. "I Got the Chop" (Castillo, Kupka) - 2:59
10. "Below Us, All the City Lights" (Castillo, Kupka) - 4:20
11. "...Oakland Stroke" (Castillo, Garibaldi, Kupka) - 1:08

Personnel

• Lenny Pickett - 1st tenor sax, alto sax, bass sax, soprano sax, flute, alto flute, piccolo
• Stephen "Doc" Kupka (The Doctor) - baritone sax, English horn, background vocals
• Greg Adams - trumpet, fluegelhorn, orchestra bells, background vocals
• Mic Gillette - trumpet, fluegelhorn, trombone, bass trombone, background vocals
• Bruce Conte - guitar, background vocals
• Chester Thompson - organ, bass pedals, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, clavinet, background vocals
• Emilio Castillo - 2nd tenor sax, background vocals
• Brent Byars - conga drums
• David Garibaldi - drums
• Francis Rocco Prestia - bass
• Lenny Williams - lead vocals

Charts

Chart (1974)	Peak position
Billboard Top LPs	26
Billboard Top Soul LPs	13

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US	US R&B	US Dance
1974	"Don't Change Horses (In The Middle of a Stream)"	26	22	—
	"Time Will Tell"	—	69	27

External links

• Tower Of Power-Back To Oakland at Discogs