Rocco Prestia
Encyclopedia
Francis «Rocco» Prestia (born March 7, 1951) is an American musician, the bassist of the legendary funk
band Tower of Power
and one of the most important figures in electric bass
' history.
, California
, Prestia started playing electric guitar
as an adolescent. When he auditioned for Emilio Castillo's band Tower of Power
, Castillo persuaded him to switch to electric bass
.
Prestia remembers an "immediate and incendiary" connection with the band's drummer, David Garibaldi
, with whom he would establish one of the most original and influential rhythm sections of all time. The drummer's fast, nervous style blended perfectly with the bassist's dry, percussive approach. The resultant combination, along with the band's powerful horn section, defined the band's distinctive sound.
Prestia worked with the band for the next three decades, then he became seriously ill in 2001. His fans and friends created a foundation in order to help pay the artist's medical costs. In 2002 Prestia underwent successful liver transplant surgery and since then he has gradually resumed his professional activity.
. He is a master of fingerstyle funk, a technique that he interprets in a very personal way. By lightly muting the strings with his left hand he gets a characteristic percussive sound, with the pitch remaining clear and accurate, that he uses to develop the highly inventive lines that makes his sound unmistakable.
With James Jamerson
, Stanley Clarke
, Anthony Jackson and Alphonso Johnson
, "Rocco" Prestia belongs to the generation of bassists that, a few years before, made possible the great revolution on the electric bass
that Jaco Pastorius
entailed with his innovations on mid-1970s. The influence of Prestia over the great bassist, that Jaco recognized openly, is clear on classic Tower of Power
tracks as the 1973 hit "What is Hip". On the other hand, Rocco cites James Jamerson
and the different musicians who worked for James Brown
(particularly Bootsy Collins
) as his main influences.
The figure of Francis "Rocco" Prestia has been largely identified with his Fender Precision basses (a purple transparent American Deluxe
and a natural ash-bodied short-lived signature model with a reverse split pickup and a 2-band EQ). In recent years he has maintained an association with the Conklin
company, that built for him one of the few four-string instruments in its catalog.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band Tower of Power
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
and one of the most important figures in electric bass
Electric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
' history.
Biography
Born in SonoraSonora, California
Sonora is the county seat of Tuolumne County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,903, up from 4,423 at the 2000 census. Sonora is the only incorporated community in Tuolumne County.-Geography:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Prestia started playing electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
as an adolescent. When he auditioned for Emilio Castillo's band Tower of Power
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
, Castillo persuaded him to switch to electric bass
Electric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
.
Prestia remembers an "immediate and incendiary" connection with the band's drummer, David Garibaldi
David Garibaldi
David Garibaldi may refer to:* David Garibaldi , American musician* David Garibaldi , American performance artist...
, with whom he would establish one of the most original and influential rhythm sections of all time. The drummer's fast, nervous style blended perfectly with the bassist's dry, percussive approach. The resultant combination, along with the band's powerful horn section, defined the band's distinctive sound.
Prestia worked with the band for the next three decades, then he became seriously ill in 2001. His fans and friends created a foundation in order to help pay the artist's medical costs. In 2002 Prestia underwent successful liver transplant surgery and since then he has gradually resumed his professional activity.
Technique and evaluation
Francis "Rocco" Prestia has built one of the pillars which support the modern electric bassElectric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
. He is a master of fingerstyle funk, a technique that he interprets in a very personal way. By lightly muting the strings with his left hand he gets a characteristic percussive sound, with the pitch remaining clear and accurate, that he uses to develop the highly inventive lines that makes his sound unmistakable.
With James Jamerson
James Jamerson
James Lee Jamerson was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s , and he is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history...
, Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...
, Anthony Jackson and Alphonso Johnson
Alphonso Johnson
Alphonso Johnson is an American jazz bassist who has been influential since the early 1970s.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Johnson started off as an upright bass player, but switched to the electric bass in his late teens. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, Johnson showed...
, "Rocco" Prestia belongs to the generation of bassists that, a few years before, made possible the great revolution on the electric bass
Electric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
that Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius
John Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....
entailed with his innovations on mid-1970s. The influence of Prestia over the great bassist, that Jaco recognized openly, is clear on classic Tower of Power
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
tracks as the 1973 hit "What is Hip". On the other hand, Rocco cites James Jamerson
James Jamerson
James Lee Jamerson was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s , and he is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history...
and the different musicians who worked for James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
(particularly Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
) as his main influences.
The figure of Francis "Rocco" Prestia has been largely identified with his Fender Precision basses (a purple transparent American Deluxe
Fender American Deluxe Series
The Fender American Deluxe Series is a line of middle-range electric guitars and basses introduced by Fender in 1998 and upgraded in 2004 and again in 2010.The American Deluxe line replaced the Plus Series models of 1987....
and a natural ash-bodied short-lived signature model with a reverse split pickup and a 2-band EQ). In recent years he has maintained an association with the Conklin
Conklin
Conklin may refer to:Places* Conklin, New York* Conklin, Michigan* Conklin, Alberta, a hamlet in Alberta, CanadaPeople* Chester Conklin silent film comedian* Groff Conklin, science fiction anthologist* Harold Conklin, anthropologist...
company, that built for him one of the few four-string instruments in its catalog.
Discography with Tower of Power
- East Bay GreaseEast Bay GreaseEast Bay Grease is the debut album by the soul funk group Tower of Power. It is characteristic of the Bay City funk style they helped to establish and further built upon throughout their career.- Track listing :...
(1970) - Bump CityBump CityBump City is the second album by the soul/funk group Tower of Power. The album cover is derived from a sketch by David Garibaldi. It's also their first album for Warner Bros. Records...
(1972) - Tower of PowerTower of PowerTower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
(1973) - Back to OaklandBack to Oakland- Track list :#"Oakland Stroke..." - 0:53#"Don't Change Horses " - 4:28#"Just When We Start Makin' It" - 6:30...
(1974) - In The SlotIn the SlotIn the Slot is a Tower of Power album released in 1975. It was their last studio album for Warner Bros. Records. It also marked the debut of new vocalist Hubert Tubbs...
(1975) - Urban RenewalUrban renewalUrban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
(1975) - Live and in Living ColorLive and in Living ColorLive And In Living Color is a 1976 live album by Tower of Power and is their last album on Warner Bros. Records. It features a few of their biggest hits and some gems from their first album East Bay Grease. David Garibaldi left the band again after this album...
(1976) - Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us NowAin't Nothin' Stoppin' Us NowAin't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now is an album by Tower of Power released in 1976, the band's first record on Columbia Records. Ron Beck takes up the drummers spot, after David Garibaldi exited for a second time. Also this would be the last album to feature bassist Francis "Rocco" Prestia for ten...
(1976) - We Came to PlayWe Came to PlayWe Came to Play was the first and only album released by BUX in 1976. The album was originally recorded in 1973 but Capitol decided not to release it. In 1976, however, when lead guitarist Punky Meadows and bassist Mickie Jones had success with their band Angel, Capitol tried to cash in and finally...
(1978) - Back on the StreetsBack on the StreetsBack on the Streets is an album by British blues-rock guitarist Gary Moore, released in 1978, and his first authentic solo record . Thin Lizzy bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott and drummer Brian Downey appear on four songs, including UK top 10 single "Parisienne Walkways"...
(1979) - Power (1988)
- Monster On A Leash (1991)
- T.O.P. (1993)
- Souled Out (1995)
- Rhythm & Business (1997)
- Direct Plus (1997)
- Direct Plus (1997)
- Soul Vaccination Live (1999)
- Dinosaur Tracks (2000)
- Oakland Zone (2003)
- The Great American Soul Book (2009)