Tower of Power proves it can rise to the occasion

When he wasn't singing or playing tenor sax, a slow smile would creep across Emilio Castillo's face. Perhaps it was proof of the satisfaction he feels that his band, Tower of Power, is still chugging along after nearly four decades.

Oh, the old soul-funk machine doesn't have all its original parts -- less than half of its 10 members played on the band's early '70s breakthrough albums such as "Bump City" and its self-titled 1973 album, which spawned its biggest hit, "What Is Hip?" Still, neither the years nor personnel changes have dulled Tower of Power's ability to get a party started.

"We are a soul band that has been playing soul music for 36 years," said Castillo, the group's leader, who first formed the band with baritone saxophonist Stephen "Doc" Kupka. To be exact, Tower of Power specializes in a brand of brassy soul music -- once common among like-minded groups such as Average White Band and Brass Construction -- that makes no concession to modern R&B or hip-hop stylings. Driven by a stellar five-piece horn section, the band manages the tricky feat of sounding both retro and timeless.

Perhaps that's why the sellout crowd responded as enthusiastically to newer songs such as "Eastside" and "Could've Done It Better" (from their latest album, "Oakland Zone") as to classics like "You Ought to Be Havin' Fun" and "Don't Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream)." If the later albums haven't been as consistent as the early work, decades of constant touring have allowed the band to keep its performances entertaining and tight. There's no fat on a Tower of Power stage -- no dancers, no hype men, no one taking up space and just looking pretty.

Singer Larry Braggs has a fine voice (though old-school purists might be partial to the great Lenny Williams, the group's lead singer during its 1970s heyday), and he got to show off his range on "Willing to Learn." But then Tower of Power has always been the kind of band in which all the members get a chance to shine. Standouts included Mike Bogart's valve trombone solo on "Could've Done It Better" and Tom Politzer's bubbling tenor sax on "Eastside." Trumpeter Adolfo Acosta also deserves mention for hitting some of the most sky-scraping notes this side of Arturo Sandoval.

Of course, the evening's highlight was "What Is Hip?" -- as delicious and wicked as ever -- although the evening ended on a quieter note with the ballad "You're Still a Young Man." Still, in just 70 minutes, the band showed that while what is hip may be fleeting, Tower of Power has managed to endure.

Tower of Power
At: Scullers Jazz Club, Tuesday night