Prestia is a true |iving lgend, a funk institution, and on of the most importnt innovators in th short history of the eIetri

bass. As a three-dad mmbr of ower of Power, h has pioneered fingrsty| funk and rinvented the onpt of groove severaltimes over. Lik B.B. Franis
King, Tony Benntt, or the |at John Entwist|, Roo is a musia| origina|-a tota||y unique sty|ist who has inf|uened ountIss bassists and who is oftn imitated but nevr dupliated. Born in Sonora, Ca|ifornia, and raisd south of Oak|and, in Fremont, Roo first pikd up a bass to ioin his friends in a neighborhood rok band. The quintet added soul and R&B inf|uens and

,.R00''

various brass and woodwinds aIong the way, and by 196B thy'd bIossomed into th fab|d funk fore that wouId bome known worldwid as Tower of Power' Givn a 10-piee horn band as his anvas, and feIlow innovative rhythm setion-mates Dave GaribaIdi on drums and Chester hompson On organ as his p|ett, Roo proeeded to paint |ines that forever hanged the definition of fee|. His brush? The 16th not. His briI|iant manipulation of the 16th-not pu|sa|ternating muted and ghostd notes, aents, and

spae-an best

be summed up as synopated

sou|. Over th ourse of 0P's eight smina| '70s a|bums (and 1988's Power) Roo's propulsive ..Can't ..S0uI pats 0n suh lassis as..What Is Hip,,,..StilI a Young Man,'' Y0u See,'' Vaination,'' ..Credit'' ..Oakland ,.You triggrd instant hip-sway and head.b0p Strok,'' and Got to Funkifize,'' among |egins of |isteners.

The'90s ushrd in a nw ra for T0P, who reorded the first of a string of si potnt a|bums t
dat, in|uding their |atest, 1akland Zone. Similar|y, Roo took a step forward f rom his obsured spot behind 0P's five-horn front Iine-in the proess |aiming his rightfuI plae among suh a||time bass arhetypes as James Jamerson, Larry Graham, and Jao Pastorius' hanks to two

instrutiona| videos (Fingerstle Funk and Franis Roo Prestia Live at Bass Da 199, and .1997 soIo debut, verbod on the 8s, bass fans were afforded a Roo's ritia||y alaimed

revaling look at th ingredients that make him the master of finger funk-for examp|e, his us of th third and fourth fingrs on his |ft hand to mute th strings to varying degrees, resu|ting in his trademark ghost-nots, and his nimble right-hand two-fingr attak and string.skipping dftness, whih fuels th unrlenting driv and angular me|odi motion in his support Iines and ear-grabbing upper-register fills.
Additiona||y, Roo spread his musia| wings. He appeard as a sideman on diss by Rihard |liot, Jak Sarang||a, Pery Mayfi|d, Luis Migul, T0P baritone sa |egend Do Kupka,s Stroke|and

Superband, and two Gov't MuIe projts: the band's A|len Woody tribute CD, The Deep nd, Vol 2, and Phish bassist Mike Gordon's aompanying feature fiIm doumentary, Rising Loy. ln the

proess, he was ab| to intrpret and xplore rok, bIues, jazz,LaIin and other musia| idioms, a|| whi| retaining his signature sound and onept. With his Iatest effort, Sittin, ln with Roo Prestia of Towr of Powr, Roo provids yt anothr inside view of his inimitab| sty| on four T0P hits ..sit in'' and pump and bump with his funk and four origina|s, offring bassists the opportunity to
band of 0P vts.

ABllUT THE
GREDIT

SIIIIIGS

hy R00 Prstia

In 19B5, when I rejoined th band aftr few years away, there Was a|ready a demo version bass part

nept Iaid down by Vito San FiIippo, who had p|ayed bass in my absene. And his was whol different
approah than min. Th way I was toId to think of the tune Was as f unk shuff|, and that's the way I f|t it, From there,
I

iust added my sty| to it and made it my own.

I

h otavs just sounded good to me.

wantd to filI up th spa but

was Iimitd to whre

..notey.''

ouId go

pith- and motion-wise, so the otaves fiIIed it out ni|y without bing too

|'m pIuking the Iow

notes with my first fingr and th high nots with my seond finger. Again, you need to p|ay stato and

you nd to push-spia||y the qUafier notes-and you ra||y hav to naiIth downbat of eah bar; othrwise, you'Il sound Iike you'r trying to ath up th whoI tim. D0Wl

0 HE NIGHGIUB

[T0P |adr/saxophonist] miIio CastiIIo cam up with th onrpt of th bss Iine moving from the root to
th 5th to the otav. It was on|y our sond a|bum |Bump Cit,Warner Bros', 1972], nd I didn't vn have muh of a sty| yt, so it didn't sm out of the norm to m. Same with the odd meter bars-it a||fe|t pretty

nturIto m beause

didn't know any bttr. This part is mor me as opposd to

..Wht

is Hip'' beause

of the spae and broken-up patterns in the bass Iin. The aents ar key, Iike the t0p not in the root-5th-otav shape. A|so, as with most of ourtunes, it's impotant to p|ay on top of the beat here. That seems to be a signature of the East Bay/OakIand Dve and I both pIay that way.

sound-

THERE'S 0NtY

s0

lvIUGH

olt lN l|E

G0UN0

The onept ra||y revolvd around th |yri. The groove is straight-ahad baIIs-to-the-waI| 0ak|and funk' It's ..What Is Hip,'' but with mor of my natura| broken.up, use-of-spae sty|e. Bause of th puIs driving, like of it, you'|| wani to kep it as rven s possib|e, evn though th groov is intns and pats mov around note-wise. As for th fe|' you hav to stay 0n top of it and push it with staato nots, but it's mre about th ovra|I fIow than any speifi aents.
|

|isten to everything: the vo|, th horns, the rhythm setion, and speia||y th drums' I don't foIIow any

partiu|ar part of th

kit-it's

more Iike I har Dave's who|e pattern and |ok into a part of that.

WIIAT 18 HIP
This tune is different from th othr Towr of Power songs beaus Dav GaribIdi had a onept of steady, .l6th nots 0n 0ne pith-th -running through th tun, as opposd to th usuaI synopation droning and ghost notes I play. I remember thinking to mys|f at first: Mn, tht ain't funky' 0f ours, as it turnd out, it's vertunk' 0n top of that, when w rorded it thy aidntal|y mid th bass very Ioud, whih brought it out vn mor. It has beome a signatur, not just for m, but for the band. Inidnta||y, th song ,.Going Down.'' was original|y inspired by the oId bIus tune Whn pIaying thos-l6th notes, more than anything, make ihem ven. Also, they're dampnd, but not as muted as l usually play. h otavs and the fiIIs
I

add are justfor oIor;those ar ra||y up to the player.

With my right hand

pIuk altrnating my first and seond fingers, starting with my first. With my |ft hand
I

l frt th nots with my indx and middl finger and I us th 3rd and 4th fingrs to dampen or mute the

ots Th right hand attack a|so helps. I pIay vry shot nots
Prsna|I'',. ] tust tr,l to r|a s that I don't ramp u

don,t raI|y hav any tips on stamina'

D0N,T l(N0I( lT
his is basia||y a jam' It's a l-|V hord progrssion tht movs up a ha|f step nd then stays on th I. It's .l970]. ..Knok Yours|f 0ut'' [from ast Ba Grease, Rhino, |t has rminisent of th owr of Power tune pie you where should take hanes nd experiment and b inspird the sam kind of feI. It's th kind of
by the so|oist. I sot of do my gl|oping thing whr l play n ighth note foIIowd by two 16th notes pr

bt. | |ay off th on at tims, whih an be funky.

F.TUNI( 0n this one We tried to lay bak a Iittl bit and not be so on top, as we usual|y are. The groovr atua||y
oms from somthing w hit on Iive with T0P whi| pIaying bhind the kyboard soIo on '.(To Say the

Least)You're th Most', |Irom Urban Renewa[ Warner Bros.'

.|975].

The fi||s are iust me adding oIor.

tRE tAtt|N'FUNI(
We wantd to do something that had more strutur to it, but was stiIl iammy; that's why we have that phrase-ending unison Iine. It's the s|owest of aIlth groovrs and it Iies right in the ut. The emphasis is on .l6th th downbeats, and th first note of eah phrase is played short' Also, it's obvious|y impotant to naiI th unison Iin with eVrvone'

HIP.E.JAIllI
This is nothr groove that omes from a Iive 0P tune. |t's Iose to what we've been playing Iate|y afterth ,,What is Hip,'' when th voaIs om bak in. This groov |as right in th middI organ so|o at th end of
of the poket. Ther are rtain ligurs that anhor th phrass, Iik the thre upper registr ighth notes at

the end of th first measure of the opening four-bar phras. 0ne you get those th rrst fa|ls into p|ae.
U|timatly, the |ast four traks are jms, so don't think, just p|ay! Don't try t0 go whre I go; go where the

musi takes you' Th sam holds tru for the first four T0P traks. hat's th wy I feI about this whoI projet. h wy I p|ay is {or your own inspiration or amusement; th point is nt t0 0p what I do, it's to have fun and se what's it's lik to pIav with mv band. Sta| what vou want to staI nd then tak off on your own!

;:":; :f.;;;1

:i;;

'i',

i:::':i:

r;

l;,
;;:

i, i:' ,1r,;;.i.t:;;t

;l .'i

;:: ;;:,i:
& $xx8

Ll*

s Y-*$q

$w"&$* X*Et

6
11 17 24 33 38

Grdit
Down t0 tn Nightlh
Thn,s llly So Mh llil in th Gnond

2 4

3 5 7

What ls Hip

I
l0
12

]l0nt l(nolt lt
t.Fnlt

I
11

42 45

tr Fallin,
llip-E-Jam

Fnlt

l3
15

14

l6

48

Bass llotation Legend

REDl
Words and Musi by Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka and John Whitney

Intr

Moderate Swingl = Half-tim fel

-Jt44 ( : J ) ) Cm7
N.C

/tt

e(

-horus
3rd tim, Bass: w/ Bass

N..

ill

F7

*w/ Lad Vo. ad lib on rpats

Go

and

B1

N.C.

1.

2.,' S dditionl lrics

Yu an

do the

town,

paint it

up

rd.

J-J-

Bass

Fill

:.,.g^:

: R;.:s

-986 ..

A.kt \1Us., steDhen Kupk Songs (sAP) nd LW-Bob songs (B|vl) !'. <z: ','!s ^. S:E"er KJck Sns dministed by Bob-A-Lw Songs
-..=.^'1

.^z C::,.

^:

S-.:

A. R hts Rsrvec

wor

. ry 'bout a

thing, yu

don't nrd-

no

bread

Kp th spir -

it

flow -

ing,

ain't

no

bis -

thing

Fl

You

don't

th

sn.

Go nd

gt

it

-JJ-

To od

Go and

gt

it

Synth Slo

Bg

GDlD

B1

D7

Go

and

-J----r

-J-----

*Horns ar' fol Bss (nt two bIs)

oa

F7rls

B7

---.*-

-J----rrd -

-Jred

it. With your good

**

outro-Chous
F7

Go

and

It

bl

|2
N.C.

Id . lt.

Go

and

Dbs

^t (P)

-3-

dditiol Lris You an pa our bills, op

a tailor.mad suit. Sign on th lin, ou don't nd no loot. G and get it with our good rdit. You an rnt a ar and fill th tank with gas, Cruis to th limit without no ash. Go and gt it wlth your good rdit. (T Bridg
3.

Imprss yur frinds, do it t the max. And what d you know? You don't nd n srtch. G and gt it with our good edit. Burn your ris like ya don a lot of talking. That nd a sond lok' and tak a hony sukl, mther ain't no fol Go and gt it with ur god rdit. (o Bridg)

DoWN o HE NIGHGLUB
Words and Music by Stephen Kupka, Emilio Castillo and David Garibaldi

u.Tin

2.,. S dditil lris

Sat-ur-da

aus thr's

Cooight 1975 Stephen KUpka songs. Aikt usi and Gariba|di usi (ASCP) l Rights Administeed by Bob-A.Lw Songs ...+.^z|:. e C::',..g*: Se'-.ed A r R'gl^Is Rse\ed

'11

hrus
B1

bl
D

n ' 11. on pla-

to

go,

Down

to

thr

night

lub;

oh,

D9

B1

\\om - n

tous

ly

th

night

lub,

To ^1

od+
B7

---_--___-___l E

bump

- ty

ump

- t

bump

ooh' th

peo

Bidge 29

0u]

lng

Bump
-

Crt

y)

Th joint

Bump

rt

).

th ma - ma's b-

hump

- ing-

You know th

band

th

beat

th band

pump

lng

Woh!

rLl

D'S. l od

Down to

th

bum

t bum.

Down to

th

slik,drunk.

sllk.
drunk.

I
)

w/ Lad Vo. ad lib

BDl
?

GDmajl

night - lub

th

Gmaj7

night

- lub.

To

the

Gmaj7

nisht . lub.

GbmajT

Gmaj.|

Gmaj7

th

night- lub

dditiol Lris

2. sitting by the dan floo, heking it out,

Wathing th man with th fast ft. H's got th hippst thrads and th ad bugaloo, And a ig Id bg o triks.

2d horus:

Down to th nightlu. You an gt what you want if u knw whI to find it

To th nightlub, W b slik' slik, slik. (To Bridg)

Th night's almst gone and w'r Still golng strong; The part's bn so harty. l hop it dosn't show whll l'm driving down th road That I had too muh t drink.

rd hrus.' Down to th nightlub.

If u got th dough th liquor will flw. To the nightlub. Tid on a drunk. drunk. drunk' (To d)

lo

THERE'S oNLY so MUH oll lN HE GRoUND

Words and Musi by Stephen Kupka and Emilio Castillo
Intr

MediumFunkJ =120
Gm
(Drums

Bss Fig. l

Abm

l. Nw - thr's on .

\-ers

Gm

muh il

th

gound;

soon -

r or

lat -

oyright

o 1974 Stephn Kupka Sngs and Arikt usic (ASCAP) 1 Rights Administered by Bob--Lew Songs ^,...1z|'.^a: 633','. ght secued A l R]ghts Rsrvrc

17

ths

on-t

muh

round.

ll this to-

your kids-

whil_ ou're

driv

ing

'round- down

town, _

that

thI's

on

th

ground.

]os

with -

out_

that

18

lik w're

do

things fr

surr

will -

not

fat

got

suf

int

ful.

2., . 'aus_ thr's

Bss

Fill

\ erse
Bass: / Bass Fig'
1

Gm 7a-

lr'

so

muh oil

the

ground;-

soon-er

or

lat

none a -

round.

l(2.l. Al - trr

nat sour

T11 thisto

your hil

- es
- dren

of-

pow

while ou'r driv

r must- b found,ing 'round- down - town,Gm

Bass: w/ Bass Fig. 1 ( 1st 7 mas')

'ause

that

thr's there's

on on

.
-

Gm

Am

so so

muh il muh oil

in in

th

ground.

thr ground.

|
.l

Said-thr's

on -

ly so

muh

oil-

in-

this

arth;_

1rs

fat

of

life,

for

what

it's

worth.

D1fl,s

Some-thing

v - .ry

1it.

tle- girl and bo-

should

know-from birth,.
Chus C9

that thr'son

ly

so muh

oi1-

in

the rarth.

]d ti' Bass: w/ Bass Fill 2

Gm

There's no-

us

tbr -

our

bus'

Bss Fill 2

2a

Ain't

no

use

our

bus.

Gm7

t)

1.

:ustr{

as
W

sum

krep

that on

what- We
like

we'r do

us

wi]l not
ino thin

or

. dsure

To od
Bo.7

will

b . ond_
not

su b

ply,
oo1.

but soon It's

nough fat

th

worldJust

ain't got-

will wath

the

wlls _

run

suf

fi

_ -

rnt

Guita Solo
Bss: w/ Bass Fig. l

Gm

Bg

..1,

a1

oau
D1#s

Gm

W an't

gt

s muh

oil.

;1;)

so muh

oil.

on

s muh

oil.

C911

WHAT IS HIP
Words and Musi by Stephen Kupka, miIio CastiIIo nd Davjd Garibaldi
Intro Mdrate Funk; = 102

ton rpt'

1st note is

plyd on otv u. **Play stato throughout

lz

;,.
want to Jump out_ your dditionl lrics

1.

S ou
2

trik

. S

bag

3d

tim' Bass: w/ Bass Fill 2

but

ou ain't

Just

sur

what,s

hip'

opyright
4.1

1972 Stphn Kupk Songs, Aikat usic and David Griba|di |Vusi (SCP)

A| R ghts Administed by Bob-A.Lew Songs i^..^. ^^l ccv oht seUrd A|| R ohts Resrvd

opyright Rnewed

to

let

your

hair

grow, _

uk op-ing

but

sm

how you

know

th's muh_

hous 9

Tell m,

tell

m,

do yu thlnk_

2nd & 3d ljm, Bss: w/ Bl Fi||

ou

If you'r

ral - l

hip,

Bss

Fill

25

pass

- ing-

yars

would shw-

you

on a hi

trlp.

But what

is

hip?

Guit Sol

Z'

2.

So

you

Bridg

A9

B9
a

oil?

A9

ls.

Com_

on.

Wll,-

'all.
rs.)

Lis -

tn,

27

som

- tims hi - ness

is

D.S. l od

So

ou

-- .
l'.

> -. ......... l .

---.I

_
+>
-

aa

28

o#s

outr

ofiq

Bss Fig.

o#s

o1s

Bass: w/ Bss Fig. 1 (4 l/2 times)

D9

D#99

D9

o#g s

Dfr9
++^

I,9

(What is

hinq

Tell me, tll-

do you think_

flq s
t==-:
you know?

Wht

is

hip?

you'r

ral - ly p#s

on

DFg

pss

- lng

years

will

show.

D9

What

is

Tell
hip?

me,

tll

m'

#s s

do

you

\iL
\\

ht

is

hi'l

aus if

\ou.r

r]

- 1r

hi.2

pass - ing

ears

_ will

show,

y'a1l

\--_--l/

Wht

is

Like

to

know.

hip?

What

is

hip?-

th
hip?

loths

that

ou-

war?

t,- t -2a,2

What is

lik hip?

to

know

what

bod-y
hip?

t1l

m-

what

hi

means,

What is

hi

n?)

J]

D9

frs

N.C.(5)

(What

is

hip?)

dditiol Lris
So you bam a part of th new rd, smokin' only th bst weed, Hangin' out on the so-alled hippst set. sen at all the right laes, sn with just the right fas. You should b satisfied but still it ain't quit right. (To horus)

so you wnt and found you a guru ln an ffort to flnd ou a nw you, And mayb vn managed to rais our onsius lvel. Now ou'r starting to find th right road, th's one thlng you should know What's hip today might bom pass6. (To Chrus)

DoN'T KNocK l
By Franis Prestia, Jeff TameIier. Dvid Garib]dj nd Roger Smith

derate Funk J =128 D7

(Guitar in)

D'7

35

Begin fd

Fde out

!--l

+ + * -6

'

.'

l U

ffi.

F.FUNK
By Franis Prestia, Jeff ameIier, David Garibaldi and Roger Smith
A ft' }Ioderatl.l N.'
(Drums)

112

F7
(Guitar in)

1 r

1 3 | st/-

't 1 1 1 1 3 1 s

'r

1 3 r s

'

F]
--tt

-- - - u

,l

lllll

ltllllls

'

38

Copyright @ 2002 oor |Vusi' Sweet Samantha Songs, Gariba|di |Vusi (ASCAP) nd Roger Ray Smith Musi (Bl) A|| Rights for oor |Vusi and Sweet Smanth Songs Administered b Bob-A-Lew Songs InterntionaI Copyright Seured A|| Rights Reserved

-#

llttls
tv

lts
l-l

ri
II

F7
\ L q \ \ O '
I

-t
9

'1

'1

1 .l 1 1

fr

#
1
l

..11135

Fde out

.1

FRE FALLIN'FUNK
By Franis Presti, Jeff Tmelier, David GaribIdi and Roger Smith

derately j Dm7

= 92

-z-

5\

3 3 2

lLl

Dm7

E
(Drums)
(Guit ln1

Dm7

-1

'tI

HIP.E.JAM
By Franis Prestia, Jeff ameIier, Dvid Garibldi and Roger Smith

dratelv.l = 116

l:

55

6rt

Rpt d fd

Bass music can be notated two different wavs: on a musical staff, andin tablature
Notrs: na

Bass Notation Legend

H ilUsIcAL sAtF shows pitches nd rhythms and is divided b bar lines into -. = :'.. r ] lhes are nmed after th first seven Ietters o{ the aIphbet'

ALAUR grah a|ly rprsnls th bass fingebrd' h h0riz0nta|

Strings: high G
|ine
D

-:-.:::.:;

str ng' nd eah numbr represents fret'

|oW

3rd strinO'

oen

2nd string' 2nd

fret

,1st

& 2nd strings 0en, p|rd together

'rAl'thlER-0N: strike the fist (|owrr) note

.-...... :h sound the highr note (0n the ]:-: ::- .jl |/ th nother fingrr by,frtting it

With

:.]-:::king'

PULL-OFt: P|e both fingers 0n the nots t0 be soundd' Strik th Jirst Ote and With0ut piking' pu|| th finger off to soUnd the seond (|0We0 note'

LGATo SLIDE: strikr th first note and thrn sIlde the sm frt-hand {inger up or down to thr sOnd n0t. h sond note
ts n0t strUk'

sHIF sL|DE: same as egto s|id' pt

the srond note is struk'

r'.ated b continUoUs| hmmering :Lll ng Off.

'..J.

apid|y alternate Drtwern tne

REMoLo P||NG: he

nOt is pikd s raid|y and 0ntinU0Us| as possib|'

VlBRATo: he string is Vibratd by rapidIy

bnding and rrlasing the not With the frttinq hand.

SHAKE: Using 0n finger, rapid| |terntr brtween two 0tes on 0nr string b sIiding either ha|lstrp bve or beIow'

f. tr*..^^..^^^.

.-. . :. .nd

l{AURAL HARM0NIC: strike the note

gtt|y touhes th strig : ..-: , .'',r th frt indiatd'
I

Whi|

NIUFFLD SRINGS: A prussiv sund is prodUed by |aying th Jrrt hnd ar0ss th string(s) WithoUt dpressing thm and striking them Wi.th the pik hnd'

BND: strik the notr and bend intrV| shown.

th

BEND AND RELEASE: strik the otr and bnd up as indiald, thr r|ese bak to th 0rigina| note, 0n| the Jirst n0te is stru0k'

clG.HAND AP: Hammer

|.h

(..tp.') the fret .h,.n'.k-hnd.. idq or a1.l n. || nf{ tn th nnt fretted

LEF.HAND AP: Hammer (..tap'') the fret ..fret-hnd'' indiated With th indX 0r
middIe finge.

SLAP: strik (.,s|p'') string with righthand

th
u

P0P: Snap (',pop.') str nq

ind 0r middIr f ingr

th

ght-hnd

mb.

Additional Musical Definitions

. . . . . .
Antual note (p|ay it |0udr)

D.. al Fine

. .

Go bak t0 the beginning 0f the song nd p|a until the measure marked "Frje" (end).

tD

(ant)

Aentuale notr With grt intensity

Bass Fig.

Labe| usrd to rec|| recuring pttrrn'

P|

thr note shot

Fitl

LabeI used to idnti{y brif pattrn Whih is t0 b isrtrd into th arrngmnt'

Downstroke

ar

Instrumnt is silent (dr0ps 0Ut)'

Upstrok

Rrpeat measUres btwrn signs'

-5

L00a

G0 bck to the sign ( x )' then p|a unti| thr measUr marked ',o oda''' then skip t0 the seti0n lbeIled,,0da'''

lD.

When a repeatd sti0n has differet endings' pIay th first nding on| th Jirst time and th s0nd rnding 0n| the second time.

N0T:

b|tU Umbs in parrnthess mean:

], h n0t is b nq sUstined

OVr a system (note in standard notation is tird). 0r t iS sUst d' bUt a nrv/ artiCUIation (sUh as a hmmr-n. pU||-off. slide or vibrato begins), or _.: .-l: . ; b.. ]Ucibl qhost'' nOt (note i standard nottion is a]so in parnIneses)'