''Direct'' is a 1981 live in-studio album by

Tower of Power Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted ...

. It was their only album for the direct-to-disc record label Sheffield Lab. It also marked the return of original guitarist Willie James Fulton, not heard from since 1972's '' Bump City'', and the last album to feature saxophonist Lenny Pickett. Mark Sanders plays drums on this album. Between this album and their 1987 comeback album ''

Power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...

'', they would record the sessions that later became the ''Dinosaur Tracks'' CD. Besides that, save for the original single release of "Simple as That" (from the same ''Dinosaur Tracks'' sessions), this would be their last new release until 1987. It contained mostly songs from their previous albums, but included new material as well. ''Direct'' would later be re-released with alternate takes on CD as ''Direct Plus!'' in 1997.

Track listing

Side One # "Fanfare/And You Know It" (Greg Adams/Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) originally recorded for '' Back on the Streets'' - 2:44 # "You're Gonna Need Me" (

Albert King Albert King ( Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps best known for his popular and ...

) New track - 4:02 # "Squib Cakes" (Chester Thompson) originally recorded for '' Back to Oakland'' - 7:34 Side Two # "That's Why I Sing" (Chester Thompson) New track, later re-recorded during the ''Dinosaur Tracks'' sessions in 1983 - 4:57 # "What is Hip?" (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) originally recorded for ''

'' - 4:40 # "Never Let Go of Love" (Greg Levias, Hilary Thompson, Michael Jeffries) New track, later re-recorded during the ''Dinosaur Tracks'' sessions in 1983 - 4:06

Personnel

* Michael Jeffries – lead vocals * Chester Thompson – keyboards, arrangements (3, 4) * Willie Fulton – guitars, lead vocals (2) * Vito San Filippo – bass * Mark Sanders – drums *

Victor Feldman Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...

– percussion * Lenny Pickett – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, saxophone solo (3, 6) *

Emilio Castillo Emilio Castillo (born September 24, 1950) is an American saxophone player and composer, best known as the founder of the band Tower of Power. Background In 1965, Emilio Castillo took to music after he and his brother Jack were caught stealing b ...

– tenor saxophone *

Stephen "Doc" Kupka Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the ...

– baritone saxophone *

Mic Gillette Mic Gillette (May 7, 1951 – January 17, 2016) was an American brass player, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay. He is best known for being a member of the bands; Tower of Power, Cold Blood, and The Sons of Champlin. He p ...

– trombone, trumpet, flugelhorn * Greg Adams – trumpet, flugelhorn, arrangements (1, 5, 6), flugelhorn solo (3), trumpet solo (5) * Rick Waychesko – trumpet *

Jim Gilstrap James Gilstrap is an American singer and session musician. He is best known for his 1975 solo hit single " Swing Your Daddy", as well as singing co-lead to the theme from the TV series ''Good Times''. Career Gilstrap was born November 10, 1946 ...

– guest singer * Edie Lehmann – guest singer *

Oren Waters Oren Waters is an American vocalist best known for his work with the backup singing group The Waters, his siblings: Luther, Maxine and Julia. As an ensemble, Waters has been a part of 260 gold and over 100 platinum albums with artists including ...

– guest singer

Production

Doug Sax Doug Sax (April 26, 1936 – April 2, 2015) was an American mastering engineer from Los Angeles, California. He mastered three The Doors' albums, including their 1967 debut; six Pink Floyd's albums, including '' The Wall''; Ray Charles' multiple ...

– executive producer *

Lincoln Mayorga Lincoln Mayorga (March 28, 1937 – July 3, 2023) was an American pianist, arranger, conductor and composer who worked in rock and roll, pop, jazz and classical music. Life and career Pop music in the 1950s and 1960s Mayorga was born in Los An ...

– executive producer *

Spencer Proffer Spencer Proffer (born Salek Profesorski, December 25, 1948) is an American media and record producer. He is the CEO of Meteor 17, a convergence media production company based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Proffer produced the firs ...

– executive producer * Larry Brown – producer, recording * Mike Sanders – assistant engineer * Tom Pessagno – technician * Patricia Meredith – production coordinator * Dave McDonald – production manager * Tina Nichols – design, illustration * Miguel – photography Sheffield Lab credits * Steve Haselton – chief engineer * Andrew Teton – field chief technician * Lincoln Mayorga – booth supervisor * Dick Doss – disc processing * Rick Goldman – disc processing * Mike Reese – lathe operator * Lois Walker – lathe operator * Ed Hukoveh – lathe design

References

{{Tower of Power 1981 live albums Tower of Power albums