Another bass hero has left us. David Garibaldi hadn’t been playing with them for some time and Rocco was recovering from his surgery. Francis Rocco Prestia - Bass. Prestia is featured on 22 Tower of Power albums. May Francis “Rocco” Prestia R.I.P! Few bassists have a style that is as instantly recognizable as Francis “Rocco” Prestia’s funky, bubbly ghost and 16th-note playing. Dennis Harper Williamsburg Va. ? When people listened to Tower of Power it was always Rocco that they walked away talking about and he had a major impact on the music world.”. Francis “Rocco” Prestia, who performed with East Bay funk band Tower of Power for more than 30 years, died Sept. 30. My talent isn’t for me to define – that’s a job for other people. Kill Me!' “It’s a terrible loss to the music community,” Brian Rachlin, an administrator of Prestia’s Facebook page, wrote after his death. To be absent in body is to be present with the Lord. His work with Tower of Power has shaped what is expected of a funk bassist in terms of playing in the pocket and has subsequently inspired countless bass players. ©2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Prayers for the family and Emilio, Doc, & David G. Frank was a very sweet kid with really cool hair when we first met in junior high school and we actually brought him into our band because of his hair; he was a horrible guitar player. (March 7, 1951 – September 29, 2020) Last month the great bass master Rocco Prestia left us, but now he’s grooving in heaven. His concept of jamming and interaction in the rhythm section will always be an example to follow. As the fates would have it they both were playing at the show. I KNOW because there were a small group of people contacted when the beeper went off, so a few of us were part of Rocc’s transplant support team. He was born in Sonora, California.He was best known for his work with the funk band Tower of Power. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Francis Rocco Prestia Jr. (7 Mar 1951–29 Sep 2020), Find a Grave Memorial no. - Fremont Police Release Bodycam Footage Of Fatal Suspect Shooting Outside Hotel, Dublin Police Seize Pound Of Cocaine, Guns, Cash; 1 Arrested, April Storm Front Brings Showers, Allergy Relief To San Francisco Bay Area, Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. 1968 is when we changed the name to Tower of Power, and in 1969 we were pretty much on our way. Last year, he began work on a solo album to follow up 1999’s Everybody on the Bus! He was in my books my man growing up Tower of power he would stand. Tower Of Power are one of the coolest bands ever formed, not just because their bass player Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia is a man whose technique is slicker than an eel in Vaseline, but because their soulful, groovy blend of funk and old-school R&B has been on heavy rotation for most thinking music lovers for almost 50 (yep - count ’em) years. As I got older I realized just how original and crazy talented Rocco was. Talk about a tight rhythm section! RIP Rocco. As friends and families of the deceased are mourning the passing of their loved and cherished Prestia who has just died recently.It’s really a painful exit. The news was shared on social media with a note from bandleader Emilio Castillo. Download Full PDF Package. Francis Rocco Prestia Fingerstyle Funk Bass Lesson. Francis Rocco Prestia Jr. “The Legendary Sixteenth Note Groove Master”. !Will never be another like him.Thoughts to the family& friends.RIP Rocco.Heaven has a Band with no bonderies! Francis Rocco Prestia Death / Obituary – Tower of power bassist, Francis Rocco Prestia was pronounced dead on September 29, 2020, at the age of 69.. Francis Rocco Prestia Jr. of Sonora, CA, popularly known as Rocco Prestia died with family, friends and loved ones left in total devastation. Francis “Rocco” Prestia, who performed with East Bay funk band Tower of Power for more than 30 years, died Sept. 39. His lines on “What Is Hip” and “Only So Much Oil in the Ground” setting a new standard for right-hand dexterity that players still strive for today. He received a kidney transplant in 2014. This month I decided to pay tribute to the legendary bassist. FBPO: How would you describe your musical upbringing? Rocco was the most accomplished bass player of them all! Francis Rocco Prestia Fingerstyle Funk Bass Lesson. His musical talent was off the charts and he will never be forgotten. RIP FRP, and thank you for your immeasurable talent, power and grace. Rocco made it look so easy! Longtime Tower of Power bassist Francis “Rocco” Prestia has passed away after an extended health battle. Download. As a retired bass player hope I get to meet you in Heaven one day. RIP Rocco Prestia. He was 69. This post will be updated with more information as they are made available and public. King’s string bends, chuck berry’s two-note chords, and Larry Graham’s thumb slaps, Francis “Rocco” Prestia’s groove-defining use of muted 16th-notes has become an instantly recognizable fingerboard innovation that has remained a soul-soothing constant in a fast-changing world. I tried to play bass. R.I.P FRANCES ROCCO PRESTIA. Michael Manring, Andy Gonzalez, Francis Rocco Prestia & Victor Wooten: Michael Manring, Andy Gonzalez, Francis Rocco Prestia & Victor Wooten - Bass Day '98 ‎ (DVD-V) Hudson Music, Hal Leonard: HD-DVD-BD21, HL00320336: US: 2002: Sell This Version “My father had hired a teacher named Terry Saunders to teach us one song a week and the first thing Terry said to Frank was, ‘You need to play the bass!! RIP. Those 16 note runs he was doing was unbelievable; especially the way it was locking in with David’s drumming! Clayton Call/Redferns I heard Tower of Power in 1971 I think, at Winterland in San Francisco. Francis “Rocco” Prestia, the bass player for the East Bay funk band Tower Of Power for more than 30 years, died at a hospice center in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Sept. 30. 216196214, ; Maintained by Find A Grave Burial Details Unknown. May you find peace. Your music will live on and comfort us. I came more from that R&B background, so when the two styles collided what came out of it is pretty much what you hear from me today. Emilio Castillo’s words are lovely. Francis Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power' bassist) shows his bassline! Glad I had the chance to see him those 3 shows. Good bye my friend, Big George. !’ How right he was!!!”. “When people listened to Tower of Power it was always Rocco that they walked away talking about and he had a major impact on the music world.”. REST IN PEACE FRANCIS ROCCO PRESTIA JR. Prestia has always been my biggest influence on the sixteenth note groove. “I’m still in kind of shock with this reality…he’s gone. READ PAPER. Garabaldi posted his own tribute to Prestia on his Facebook page: “My brother Francis Rocco Prestia has gone to be with the Lord,” he wrote. Inspired by bassists like Motown’s James Jamerson, Prestia developed a style of playing that utilized a mix of “staccato 16th notes, ghost notes and muted left hand techniques,” according to Bass Musician Magazine. The issues, which were never identified, led the band to start a foundation to help him with his medical costs. Man, another legend gone. © 2021 No Treble, LLC and respective copyright holders. When people listened to Tower of Power it was always Rocco that they walked away talking about and he had a major impact on the music world.” Originally a guitarist, Prestia played with the band for three decades and developed his own style of bass playing that was described as “FingerStyle Funk.” His performances on tracks such as “What Is Hip?” “Don’t Change Horses (In the Middle of the Stream),” “Soul Vaccination” and “You’re Still a Young Man” helped establish Tower Of Power’s reputation as one of the genres best groups. Prestia had many health problems, and received a kidney transplant in 2014. Health issues over the past two decades forced him to sit out most performances, and the permanent bass chair has been filled by Marc van Wageningen since 2018. 1 – “You’ve got to Funkifize” Prestia … We had a magical, unspoken connection.”, NEW ORLEANS, UNITED STATES – MAY 1: Francis Rocco Prestia performing with Tower of Power at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1, 2008. To say that Francis Rocco Prestia was a huge part of the Tower of Power sound is a gross understatement. Rip Rocco, there’s a bass rig waiting in Heven for you. He fought a long fight over the last 20 years and now he’s with the Lord and heaven is his home. Made me look @ my bass lines differently! Sleep well my friend until we meet again. Many words will be said. OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Francis “Rocco” Prestia, the longtime bassist for Oakland funk pioneers Tower Of Power, died overnight Wednesday after a long battle with various illnesses, according to friends and family. I saw TOP more times than I can count. So glad to have met you in Scottsdale. It was a LIVER TRANSPLANT folks? I brought him back a little bit and he brought me up a little bit, if that makes sense.”. Rick, Skip, Mic and Heavens TOP now have the best Bass player in their Band. I’m going to do my personal TOP playlist in tribute to the man and the band! !’ How right he was!!! God rest your soul. Also heard my brother Dave’s band Copperhead, Stoneground, Pink Floyd, and Hot Tuna at the same venue. RIP Rocco, you were and have been an inspiration in my bass playing style. Another bass hero has left us. Prestia was the first bassist in the band and the longest-tenured in its 50-year career. Prestia and drummer David Garibaldi became the band’s rhythmic backbone for its hard-driving funk sound. Tower of Power leader Emilio Castillo posted a … ???? We will keep our dreams alive and pray for your family and friends. It naturally happened. Francis “Rocco” Prestia, who performed with East Bay funk band Tower of Power for more than 30 years, died Sept. 30. you change the world for the better. Their on stage hands and fingers moving funk hip motion OG bass player i will miss him i bet right now God and Jesus are savior are funk out jam out to you got to funkize respect Rod Mayve sr from phx az loves Tower of Power RIP brother i see you soon, One of thee best player I’ve heard with his 16 notes playing tectnics he will be missed. 1970 is when we acquired [drummer] Mr. David Garibaldi. Like B.B. No Treble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com. By 1970, the now renamed Tower of Power—now including trumpet/arranger Greg Adams, first trumpet Mic Gillette, first saxophone Skip Mesquite, Francis "Rocco" Prestia on bass, Willie Fulton on guitar, and drummer David Garibaldi—signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and released their first album, East Bay Grease. Remarkable bassist the best for the best band ever. “To say that Francis Rocco Prestia was a huge part of the Tower of Power sound is a gross understatement,” Tower Of Power bandleader/saxophonist Emilio Castillo wrote on Facebook. Thank you Rocco for putting the funk securely in the pocket. This paper. As a bass player he was totally unique and as a person he was one of a kind. He was 69 and was at a hospice center in Las Vegas. Tower of Power bassist Francis Rocco Prestia demonstrating some fingerstyle funk. This life is such an amazing process. rapidly changing world. With BB King’s folded strings, Chuck Berry’s two-note chords and Larry Graham’s thumb, Francis “Rocco” Prestia’s 16-note muffled groove-defining use became an instant recognizable innovation in the neck that remained a constant comforting for the soul. The news was shared on social media with a note from bandleader Emilio Castillo. Fig. R I P Rocco. Serious health problems struck Prestia in 2001 and led him to limit his participation in the group. He changed the way bassists play with his rapid-fire, 16th-note fingerstyle funk. “Some of us were blessed to have a few parting words with him over the last few days and for that I’m so grateful. When he auditioned for Emilio Castillo's band, Tower of Power, Castillo persuaded him to switch to electric bass. Longtime Tower of Power bassist Francis “Rocco” Prestia has passed away after an extended health battle. Find Francis "Rocco" Prestia bio, music, credits, awards, & streaming links on AllMusic Many people know that I always called him Frank because his name was Frank Hueton back in 1965. Power and grace with musical force. “Our dear ‘Rocco’ passed away last night, peacefully with his family by his side at a hospice in Las Vegas,” he wrote. HE WAS THE EXTREME BASSIST AND EVERY BASS PLAYER IN THE WORLD LOOKED UP TO BE AS GOOD AS HE WAS! “Once we got hip to soul music in late 1967 or something like that, we started adding horns and such. R. I. P Frank from myself and Merseyside xxx. Francis Rocco Prestia Death – Dead | Obituary – Passed Away. His syncopated style would prove to be a substantial influence on other bass players during the 1970s, most prominently Jaco Pastorious, who incorporated Prestia’s approach in his own busy contrapuntal playing. Thanks for all the great music. He was 69 and was at a hospice center in Las Vegas. His style evolved as the band did, he told us in a 2014 interview. I’ve been blessed on so many levels, I can’t count them all. “Well, it was actually very natural for me,” he said. 2 of the times Bobby Vega was filling in for Rocco; then Rocco the last 3. Francis Rocco Prestia was born on March 7, 1951, in Sonora, California. Historically Low Water at Lake Sonoma Points to Potentially Devastating Drought, Curry’s 'I Can Do All Things' Catchphrase Inspires East Bay ICU Nurse, posted a tribute to Prestia on his Facebook page, Bay Area Armenian Americans Pleased by Pres. I am deeply in debt to your talents!!! I was sitting in first balcony section to the side of the band so I could really watch what they were doing. Garabaldi posted a tribute to Prestia on his Facebook page: “My brother Francis Rocco Prestia has gone to be with the Lord. RIP Baby, you’re already missed SO VERY MUCH.?? “To say that Francis Rocco Prestia was a huge part of the Tower of Power sound is a gross understatement. So much talent. Frank you will truly be missed but finally at peace. He is with God now. A short summary of this paper. Bass legend Francis Rocco Prestia is best known for his decades-long association with the iconic West Coast funk/R&B band Tower of Power. “I’m still in kind of shock with this reality…he’s gone. One of a kind Bassist that’s for sure. HAIRS. RP: I started playing guitar when I was young. dani. RIP Rocco. Under the tutelage of jazz guitarist Terry Saunders, he switched to bass. He was a one of a kind person and player, and was a gift. Quite a few laughs. Warren Haynes was among the many musicians to honor longtime Tower of Power bassist Francis “Rocco” Prestia following his death at the age of 69 on Tuesday, September 29th. He leaves behind a legacy through his recorded music and videos and will live on in the memories of all the fans all over the world that he thrilled with his work.“. It was a pleasure to know you and call you friend. GRAB YOUR BASS AND LET’S GROOVE WITH PRESTIA! Watching and listening it was always ” how did he do that?” R.I.P. Biden's Recognition of 1915 Genocide, Hayward Woman Fosters More Than 80 Infants In Her Home Over The Past 34 Years, Rare Fin Whale Likely Killed By Ship Strike; Fifth Whale Carcass To Wash Ashore In 3 Weeks, UPDATE: Suspect Arrested After Terrorizing Pleasanton Neighborhood With Rifle Fire, Oakland Youth Violent Crime Sprees On the Rise During COVID-19 Pandemic, Sunday Morning Earthquake Swarm Rattles Lake Tahoe Area, San Mateo Man Arrested In Fatal Saturday Night Stabbing, Minivan Passenger Dies, Driver Hurt in Rollover Crash on Altamont Pass, 'Kill Me! When he came in, he was a very, very busy player. Taylor. Rocco was so unbelievable! He was 69 years old. Francis “Rocco” Prestia, the longtime bassist for Oakland funk pioneers Tower Of Power, died overnight Wednesday after a long battle with various illnesses, according to friends and family. Forged in the iconic R&B band Tower Of Power, the magic and mystery of Prestia’s music […] First saw TOP open up for Credence Clearwater and Bo Didley in Fort Worth Texas in 1973 as a young 15 yr old . 0 Full PDFs related to this paper. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Francis “Rocco” Prestia. Get the latest news, videos, lessons, and more in your inbox every morning. A beautiful eulogy for a great player. Rocco. One of my favorites from way back when TOP started. In 2014, Prestia received a kidney transplant. The bass community will never forget you or your contributions. Prestia has left us an incredible legacy in the concept of groove and in the application of the technique. According to Castillo, when Prestia joined the band in 1965, his friends knew him as “Frank Hueton.”, “Frank was a very sweet kid with really cool hair when we first met in junior high school and we actually brought him into our band because of his hair; he was a horrible guitar player,” Castillo wrote. RIP ROCCO YOU WILL BE MISSED! Your style sound & Tower of Power will live on forever! R.I.P. Rest In Peace Rocco thanks for decades of soulful funk you’ll be missed ??? I still have his lesson video he did for video progressions. “Our dear ‘Rocco’ passed away last night, peacefully with his family by his side at a hospice in Las Vegas,” he wrote. We saw them so many times. Rocco Prestia Obituary, funeral arrangement, any GoFundMe page We are unable to confirm if a GoFundMe was created by the family/friends of the deceased at the time of this publication. You were one of a kind and will be missed.? So many shows. Rocco Prestia Death – Dead: A great loss was made known to insideeko today, September 30, 2020. Find the latest tracks, albums, and images from Francis Rocco Prestia. Born in Sonora, California, Prestia started playing electric guitar as an adolescent. I saw TOP and Rocco many times in CT clubs.Shows were incredible always! RIP. This evening he peacefully passed away,” the post read. We had some good times Rocco. Prestia had been battling various illnesses since 2001 – in 2014, he underwent a “lifesaving” kidney transplant.. Tower of Power bandleader Emilio Castillo confirmed the news on the band’s official Facebook page, writing: “Our dear "Rocco" passed away last night, peacefully with his family by his side at a hospice in Las Vegas. Was best known for his work with the band so I could really watch they. To audition for classmate Emilio Castillo 's band, Tower of Power, persuaded... The bass was a good man the bass was a one of a kind and will missed! 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