Tower of Power rehearsing Squib Cakes with CT and LP

Current members of Tower of Power plus Chester Thompson, Lenny Pickett, and Ray Greene rehearsing "Squib Cakes" on May 28th, 2018 for their 50th anniversary shows in Oakland.

[@organeu]

Fabulous HAMMOND player, great spécialist of the incredible B3, so, the sound of SANTANA. Respect.

[@tahseti1113]

I'd pay to watch them rehearse.

[@billytheweasel]

I remember CT playing a bass pedal solo in Seattle in the late 70's that made me feel like I was levitating. What an experience.

[@TheGreatGastronaut]

I watch this over and over. As a rehearsal, this is one of the best renditions and the full crew is there, including Lenny. CT was so tight here and his left hand and feet were his own pocket back line. That’s why TOP is so special, because the drums and string bass just punctuate it more, though often Rocco and others would stop during CT’s solo so that the pedals would do all the talking for the bottom end.

[@oldschoolfunkster1]

It's like watching magic!! They feed off each other's funk and it flows to their hands. As one sound. The sound of timeless r&b funk. BEAUTIFUL!!!

[@ne605]

More ability and marksmanship in his foot than most people have in two hands

[@billytheweasel]

Breathtaking every time.

[@kaydickerson1229]

MASTER of the Hammond B3 !

[@vesperpiano]

Priceless. Never quite believed what I'd heard about Chester's technique playing that solo. Seeing is believing. Simple awe struck by how talented he is!

[@stevenlusardi1999]

"heel and toe" !(#95159) B3.

[@gpapatgpapat2998]

I was 11 years old when I first saw TOP. Throughout my teenage years I would catch them whenever they came to San Diego. Chester was always a huge highlight every concert I saw. I was fortunate to talk to him at a hotel Mexico City as an adult when he was playing with Santana. Very humble man...

[@ryanhallwrites]

If you simply watch Chester's hands during his solo, you're missing a big part of his technique. His feet on those bass pedals just knock me out! When I first heard Back to Oakland and the album version of this song, I had no idea what it was but I knew I dug it hard.

[@tovarisch2788]

Aren't they pedals? :)

[@tovarisch2788]

@@Wally-H Somebody had misspelled it, but now it's fixed. NP.

[@ImprovUnedited]

Watching Chester is intoxicating. Kind of a daily habit some weeks. Wish there were more videos of him on KZbin. Whoever has got them (and that's you, too, Chester, if you're reading), could please upload them!

[@ernestwarren9497]

@@tovarisch2788, yes pedals but he doubles the Bass lines with his left hand on the lower keyboard too.

[@Erogyerb52]

His technique is the same as church organists who play pipe organs right?

[@tonygourdine512]

The B3 master !!!

[@marinemanagements]

One of the true masters of the Hammond, great to see.

[@dougmael]

I love watching CT work those bass pedals. He has such a deft touch with that left foot!

[@MeAndTheBoys_]

Holy moly,that Hammond is being manhandled right now! Lord have mercy!

[@Erogyerb52]

Damn, Chester still kicking ass!….”Your’e still a young man” Chester! Miss ya Rocco, and Mic.

[@ScottWDoyle]

Wow. This rivals some of the great arrangements from the big band era.

[@robertdowler8583]

Written by Mr. Chester Thompsen

[@TheMisterGriswold]

Mr. Chester D. "CT" Thompson

[@robertdowler3347]

@@TheMisterGriswold I saw him numerous times with the band.

[@patton303]

Thanks for showing Chester’s walking foot! Bafflingly amazing.

[@billytheweasel]

not of this world...

[@19brittani]

chester is LEGEND

[@patdevine2368]

Amazing video! Thank you for sharing. Chester never disappoints.

[@KotzCajon]

Thanks for posting!!!

[@robertbarnes9745]

Appropriately awestruck.

[@danielkannan6246]

Musicianship at its Divine level … 😍

[@juhanleemet]

so few views? and only 129 likes?!? wow! master at work here, awesome!

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

Fricken so tight air can't get in!!!!!🔥🔥🔥 Jamin and blazin right along cookin with nitrous!!!!!👋😎👍🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥❤❤❤❤

[@danjuric622]

Ah, too cool! Thank you so much for recording this tight room of TP sound! Lenny and Chester sounding great with his old mates.

[@organeu]

INCREDIBLE HAMMOND organ player, Chester Thompson is fabulous.

[@vitendogroup8125]

Man that was hot! So cool!! And so real. Thanks for sharing

[@vigulfmusicproduct]

It was on time we saw your rehearsal room Tower of Power! Good grooves:)

[@michaelroach4219]

Great video!

[@curtsteen4884]

Please come back to EQC IN tacoma wa. Saw you in 2022 .. big fan ,even in the 70s..

[@johnroberthanna1623]

CT burning it down.!!

[@volodymyrkoval6243]

Fantastic !!!

[@peterkadarmusic9728]

Daaaaamn!! The Master strikes again!!

[@eugeniotanteri5000]

MERAVIGLIA!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hanslundstrom2305]

CT !❤

[@FatTeddyBear11]

fun !!!!!

[@ThomasJJacksonVA]

And that's the rehearsal. Sheesh.

[@villegas24]

Chester T, what a god.

[@cym247]

Tower of Soul Music

[@tomlehr861]

The california organ sound

[@ErikShen2907]

TOP IS GOD!!

[@alcambrola2834]

There's only one CT!

[@sampowellmusic]

i believe this is the best video available that clearly shows CTs technique / coordination of 3 different parts at once! and he was getting into some modal stuff with his right hand very impressive.

[@braveDave57]

I made this movie just for me, but when I got home and watched it I knew I needed to share it with the organ playing community. There's nobody quite like him.

[@sampowellmusic]

@@braveDave57 thanks so much for sharing it!

[@tommaimone6526]

Can't thank you enough. This piece hits the sweet spot of my soul, ever since I first heard it. To watch the master at work from the vantage point that your film catches .. pure joy. You've done a great thing by posting this! @@braveDave57

[@jmobass]

Damn!!!

[@loupomanti1]

I take it you took this vid Dave. Awesome.

[@braveDave57]

Lou Pomanti I shot this video just for me, but then when I got home from the shows And watched it I new EVERYONE who plays B3 would want to see it. Chester has such a unique sound!

[@ericwilhelm2941]

Chester swingin' HAAAAARD .

[@robertdowler8105]

He wrote the Instrumental

[@downpatmusic]

Pedal bass line playing holding it down is happening like a another musician added. They should pay him 2X for the extra part!

[@johnsmall5901]

Really diggin' the left foot from 1:45 ...

[@claryscat]

That was before the train wreck. DG & MarkVW!!! Those guys are slayin' the groove. It's incredible to see them do it now after all they been through... I guess if this is what you knew you had to look forward to... there was never any alternative. Tommy E. & LP = Badd-azzed!

[@braveDave57]

Actually, this is well after the train incident... it was filmed just over a year ago, in May of 2018

[@richguajardo7632]

That's a bad man!

[@jet357]

Thats Tony Lindsay from Santana with his back to the camera.

[@robertdowler3347]

I thought Larry Bragg's.

[@MsIsabelle21]

This is a hip thing. If I got to explain it, you don’t understand. This stands the test of time especially with its master and LP!

[@rickfobes5386]

Incredible...Watching this raw rehearsal is so cool.... Is that Tony Lindsay from Santana sitting next to him??

[@braveDave57]

Correct! Tony and Sal's wife Melanie sang BGV's for these concerts

[@bankovicalexandre7221]

I still didn't get the foot pedal work at 2:21 his left hand does a root/octave ascending pattern. What does the left do at this time ?

[@chavaportillo7277]

Bankovic Alexandre He's playing Bass foot pedal and knocking it out of the park that's experience there !!!🎼🎼🎼🎼😎

[@nytom4info]

Cool!!! But with out a second organ... how do you hold down that one note? I used a roll of quarters! 😉

[@davidmccall4776]

@nytom4info- you hold it down with the right pinky finger. Hope that helps. Peace.

[@kpingvin]

4:27 i cri evri time

[@6strings5904]

Rocco did not hear that solo.

[@braveDave57]

Hi Gabor. Rocco was there that day... He played on 4 or 5 songs at the 50th anniversary shows. His health had deteriorated quite a bit by that time, and while he still sounded great, he didn't have the stamina to play more of the show.

[@kjc9trader491]

Chester be using a Yamaha Motif 8 on top - My Man!! (My Fave Keyboard)!!!

[@robertdowler8105]

Dem are rather tasty cakes,a different obscure rendition each time served up.

[@braveDave57]

Hey Bob! You just came up on Facebook as someone I may know... I thought we were already friends, but I guess not. Message me there if you get a chance!

[@robertdowler3347]

@@braveDave57 Will do.

[@timothymichaelkral6767]

Tribute to the Raiders and John Madden.

[@Saxtafunkta-fecta]

That organ like a lead sled dog

[@tracer8115]

xD

[@bobviavattine1715]

Hey turn up Adolfo. (-:

[@braveDave57]

Ha! The “mix” is just what my iPhone picked up. I’m standing right next to Chester’s Leslie, specifically so I can film his left foot!

[@bobviavattine1715]

@@braveDave57 Lol Freinds with Adolfo, just bustin' if he were to see this. Any TOP video is a good TOP video...... Thanks for the post.

[@branwerks6978]

Ok enough ..... DG needs to stop playing the same shit over and over. He phrases the same no matter what song or who's soloing. It's predictable, and an insult to the soloist. DG doesn't interact with the improv of the soloist, he only plays his stock phrasing and and what's become his 2 or 3 stock fills. It's been this way a long time now, well before his accident.

[@chauncywashington2227]

What the ????? another "you need to" critic from a different world..........

[@jwjeffrey]

I'm sure you would go up to David and tell that too his face

[@branwerks6978]

Actually, I would. It's the truth. And what, is Chuck Norris his bodyguard ? Why don't you educate yourself before making some stupid bully remark.

[@bobbyvandell9509]

branjerk

[@branwerks6978]

That's great psychology. Why don't you say something bad about my mother. Better yet, prove that you know what you're really listening to instead of posturing as a DG fanboy.