So I was a kid in California when Tower of Power came out with the album that gave us “What is Hip”. Tower of Power was from Oakland, and back in those days I’d listen to AM radio from San Francisco and they played this song quite a bit. I’ve always wondered if it was just a regional hit, or if it did get national airplay.
I have a very soft spot for the funk music of the 1970s, and What is Hip is embedded. It’s amazing what 11 musicians can put together on vinyl in a single song. The horns are fantastic.