Rocco Prestia

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Francis 'Rocco' Prestia is the bass player for "Tower of Power," the famed Oakland-based horn band.

His "pulsing" sixteenth notes along with David Garibaldi's funky drumming style formed the rhythm section that drove the band's trademark funky groove underneath the horn section on all of their early 1970s albums. He is a master of finger-style funk.

Rocco's signature sound is produced largely by using a left-hand muting technique whereby fingers 1 and 2 fret the chosen note while the other fingers of that hand rest lightly on the same string 'choking' its full sustain. This allows for a more vigorous right-hand plucking attack without losing control of the string's resonance. The sound produced is fiercely drum-like and percussive, yet without distortion, with the pitch remaining clear and accurate.

Until recently, it was on most occasions a Fender Precision Bass that has been used by Prestia, and for a period around 1991 a custom built Fernandes bass, but he now tours and records with a 4-string co-custom designed Conklin Bass.

He has a solo album too, entitled 'Everbody on the Bus !'

Rocco and his band, Tower of Power, played several times with the Latin singer Luis Miguel, providing his songs with a powerful and funky sound they never had.

He underwent a successful liver transplant surgery in 2002.