Skip Mesquite was Tower of Power's original Lead Tenor Sax player. He recorded with band on their first two albums: East Bay Grease and Bump City.

His solo on 'You've Got To Funkifize' is one the most memorable solo performances in Tower of Power's vast repertoire.

Skip was the first in a long line of lead tenor players. After leaving Tower of Power, Skip joined another Bay Area band, Cold Blood.

His recording credits include: Santana, Jennifer Warnes, Redbone, Tower of Power, Cold Blood, Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show just to name a few. He has toured with Deniece Williams and currently works with Lenny Williams, another Tower of Power Alumnus.

As a songwriter, Skip has placed songs with Greg Adams and wrote one song on the Tower of Power CD “Oakland Zone”. Skip remains active with recording and live dates throughout the West Coast.

Photo from the collection of Mic Gillette