Kool and the Gang

Formed by Ronald Bell originally as The Jazziacs - by 1969 they were called Kool and the Gang. Formed their own record label, De-lite. Without a lead singer, they produced funk songs from the late sixties to the early seventies with minimal vocals. This phase included releases like "Kool and the Gang", "Pneumonia", "Kool it", "Dujii", "Who's gonna take the weight" and "Chocolate buttermilk".

Kool and the Gang changed their pure funk sound to merge with the disco influences in the mid-seventies, recording songs like "Funky stuff", "Jungle boogie", "Hollywood swinging", "Higher plane" and "Rhyme tyme people"; these allowed them to break into the mainstream US singles charts.

As disco really took off in 1975, their music became even more disco friendly as they began to leave their funk roots, with "Spirit of the boogie", "Open sesame" and "Superband". By the time of their "Force" album of 1977, they were heavily disco-funk styled; listen for "Slick Superchick" and "A place in space".

Their last album of this era (1978's "Everybody's dancin'") unfortunately flopped - but it contained the full length disco cut of the fantastic title track.

Working with a new producer in 1979, Eumir Deodato ("Whistle bump") and a new lead vocalist, James Taylor, yielded the international smash single and album "Ladies Night" - a true classic. Listen also for the great "Tonight's the night".

"Celebration" was the second Deodato-produced album and was even better received than "Ladies Night" - the album quickly went platinum. Other singles of the early eighties included UK disco hits "Take it to the top", "Steppin' out" and "Get down on it".

Love and understanding / (instrumental) (De-lite 12" DISCO 1579, 1976) Open sesame / Love and understanding (De-lite 12" DISCO 586, 1976) Everybody's dancin' / You deserve a break (De-lite 12" MK-62, 1978) Ladies night (De-lite 12" MK-108, 1979) Hangin' out / Ladies night (De-lite 12" DDS-502, 1979) Morning star / Celebremos (De-lite 12" DDS-503, 1980) Take it to the top (De-lite 12" MK-165, 1980)

   

  1. Kool and the Gang (De-lite LP, 1969)
  2. Live at the sex machine (De-lite LP, 1971)
  3. Live at PJ's (De-lite LP, 1971)
  4. Music is the message (De-lite LP, 1972)
  5. Good times (De-lite LP, 1973)
  6. Wild and peaceful (De-lite LP, 1973)
  7. Light of the worlds (De-lite LP, 1974)
  8. Spirit of the boogie (De-lite LP, 1975)
  9. Love and understanding (De-lite LP, 1976)
  10. Open sesame (De-lite LP, 1976)
  11. The force (De-lite LP, 1977)
  12. A ten year documentation (De-lite LP, 1978)
  13. Everybody's dancin' (De-lite LP, 1978)
  14. Ladies night (De-lite LP, 1979)
  15. Celebrate! (De-lite LP, 1980)
  16. Something special (De-lite LP, 1981)                         
  17. As one (De-lite LP, 1982)

BACK