KOOL AND THE GANG: STORY, MUSIC, DISCOGRAPHY AND MP3

a tribute to the best funky band

discography story and best mp3s

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Formed as a jazz ensemble in 1964 in Jersey City, NJ, Kool & the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the '70s, and one of the most popular R&B groups of the '80s after their breakout hit "Celebration" in 1979. Just as funky as James Brown or Parliament (and sampled almost as frequently), Kool & the Gang relied on their jazz backgrounds and long friendship to form a tightly knit group with the interplay and improvisation of a jazz outfit, plus the energy and spark of a band with equal ties to soul, R&B and funk.
Robert "Kool" Bell and his brother Ronald (or Khalis Bayyan) grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, and picked up the music bug from their father. A professional boxer, he was also a serious jazz lover and a close friend of Thelonious Monk. With Robert on bass and Ronald picking up an array of horns, the duo formed the Jazziacs in 1964 with several neighborhood friends: trombone player Clifford Adams, guitarists Charles Smith and Woody Sparrow, trumpeter Robert "Spike" Michens, alto saxophonist Dennis Thomas, keyboard player Ricky West and drummer Funky George Brown (all of whom, except Michens and West, still remained in the group more than 30 years later).

The growing earthiness of soul inspired the Jazziacs to temper their jazz sensibilites with rhythms more akin to R&B, and the newly renamed ... read more

Kool & The Gang found a special sound at the unique intersection of jazz, r&b, funk and pop. From the loose groove of Funky Stuff to the wild stomp of Jungle Boogie, the gentle romance of Cherish to the elegant disco of Ladies Night, and the street-smart chant Hollywood Swinging to the international anthem, Celebration, it's an extraordinary sweep of popular music. It has been created by the same core of players for thirty years: Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Khalis Bayyan, their longtime friends Dennis "DT" Thomas, Charles Smith and George "Funky" Brown, and past members Robert "Spike" Mickens, the late Ricky West, and Woody Sparrow

the best K&G songs on mp3

selected by The Power of Funky site

KOOL AND THE GANG - MISLED (full length version 4'47'') (4.491)
KOOL AND THE GANG - STEPPIN OUT (4.319)
KOOL AND THE GANG - STRAIGHT AHEAD (3.225)
KOOL AND THE GANG - OPEN SESAME (4.61)
KOOL AND THE GANG - FRESH (4.000)
KOOL AND THE GANG - JUNGLE BOOGIE (2.820)

DISCOGRAPHY

LONG PLAYING

1969

Kool and the Gang

1. Kool and the Gang (Kool & the Gang) - 2:57
2. Breeze & Soul (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 5:29
3. Chocolate Buttermilk (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:14
4. Sea of Tranquility (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 3:33
5. Give It Up (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 3:40
6. Since I Lost My Baby (Moore/Robinson) - 2:07
7. Kool's Back Again (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:53
8. Gang's Back Again (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:44
9. Raw Hamburger (Redd) - 3:37
10. Let the Music Take Your Mind (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:58

1971

Live at the Sex Machine - (De Lite)

In addition to having a great title, this 1971 release is one of the best of the group's early efforts. Combining the raw groove of James Brown with the melodic talents and jazz influence of hornmen Ronald Bell, Robert Mickens and Dennis Thomas, the band gives a solid workout to songs such as "Pneumonia," "Who's Gonna Take the Weight" and the Sly Stone hit "I Want to Take You Higher

1. What Would the World Be Like ... (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 4:29
2. Walk on By (Bacharach/David) - 5:15
3. Chocolate Buttermilk (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:09
4. Trying to Make a Fool of Me (Bell/Hart) - 4:29
5. Who's Gonna Take the Weight? (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 6:20
6. Pneumonia (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 5:22
7. Wichita Lineman (Webb) - 5:27
8. I Want to Take You Higher (Stewart) - 4:13
9. Funky Man (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 3:24
10. Touch of You (Jackson/Jones) - 4:14
11. Kool It (Here Comes the Fuzz) (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:58

1971

Live at P.J.'s De Lite - (De Lite)

1. N.T. (Handy/Horne/Kool & the Gang/Redd/Redd) - 6:29
2. Ricksonata (Kool & the Gang/Westfield) - 5:39
3. Sombrero Sam (Lloyd) - 6:42
4. Ronnie's Groove (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 2:57
5. Ike's Mood/You've Lost That Loving Feeling (Hayes/Mann/Spector/Weil) - 10:05
6. Lucky for Me (Smith) - 3:02
7. Dijjii (Westfield) - 6:02
8. Penguin (Kool & the Gang) - 5:10

1972

Music Is the Message - (De Lite)

1. Music Is the Message (Kool & the Gang) - 5:18
2. Electric Frog, Pt. 1 (Kool & the Gang) - 3:43
3. Electric Frog, Pt. 2 (Kool & the Gang) - 3:02
4. Soul Vibrations (Kool & the Gang) - 4:39
5. Love the Life You Live, Pt. 1-2 (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 5:40
6. Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) (Bell/Creed) - 3:26
7. Blowin' in the Wind (Kool & the Gang) - 2:31
8. Funky Granny (Kool & the Gang/Redd) - 5:55

1973

Good Times - (De Lite)

1. Good Times (Kool & the Gang) - 4:16
2. Country Junky (Kool & the Gang) - 2:55
3. Wild Is Love (Brown/Mickens) - 3:24
4. North, East, South, West (West) - 3:38
5. Making Merry Music (Kool & the Gang) - 3:04
6. I Remember John W. Coltrane (Bayyan) - 4:02
7. Rated X (Kool & the Gang) - 4:02
8. Father, Father (Brown) - 5:37

1973

Wild and Peaceful - (De Lite)

Prior to James "JT" Taylor adding pop flavor vocals, which help garner a handful of top selling albums, this was Kool & the Gang's most successful album, spawning three bonafide R&B hits. Produced by Robert Bell, and featuring Donal Boyce's incredulous vocals, these rather simplistic songs have held up well. The fast, chugging "Jungle Boogie" was a club favorite, and almost 27 years later it's syndicated sports talker, Jim Rome's, theme song. "Funky Stuff," with it's "whoa, whoa, whoa" hook, was slower and spacier than "Boogie," amateurish vocal lines that anyone off the street could have done hold the trite groove together. The band formerly known as the Jazziacs got their first R&B #1 with "Hollywood Swinging," a slightly faster than mid-tempo song with whistles, festive ambiance and lead vocals by keyboardist Ricky West. All three hits were inspired by Manu Dibango's "Soul Makasso," and were recorded in one night at a studio in midtown Manhattan. The title cut flashbacks to their prerecording jazz days, when they dazzled New Jerseyites with their playing skills.

1. Funky Stuff (Bell/Lowery/May/Moreno) - 3:00
2. More Funky Stuff (Kool & the Gang) - 2:50
3. Jungle Boogie (Kool & the Gang) - 3:03
4. Heavan at Once (Bayyan/Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 5:01
5. Hollywood Swinging (Kool & the Gang/West) - 4:36
6. This Is You, This Is Me (Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 5:23
7. Life Is What You Make It (Kool & the Gang/Thomas) - 3:53
8. Wild and Peaceful (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 9:26

1974

Light of Worlds - (De Lite)

1. Street Corner Symphony (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 4:32
2. Fruitman (Kool & the Gang/Westfield) - 5:19
3. Rhyme Tyme People (Kool & the Gang/Saunders/Thomas) - 3:19
4. Light of Worlds (Kool & the Gang/Smith) - 4:21
5. Whiting H. & G. (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 3:17
6. You Don't Have to Change (Kool & the Gang/Mickens) - 2:39
7. Higher Plane (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 4:57
8. Summer Madness (Kool & the Gang/Mickens/Taylor) - 4:16
9. Here After (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 2:54

1975

Spirit of the Boogie - (De Lite)

1. Spirit of the Boogie (Bayyan/Boyce/Kool & the Gang) - 4:52
2. Ride the Rhythm (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 2:55
3. Jungle Jazz (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 4:43
4. Sunshine and Love (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 3:46
5. Ancestral Ceremony (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 3:39
6. Mother Earth (Bayyan/Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 5:38
7. Winter Sadness (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang/Smith) - 5:04
8. Caribbean Festival (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 9:26

1976

Behind the Eyes - (Polydor)

1976

Open Sesame - (De Lite)

1976

Love & Understanding - (De Lite)

Love and Understanding is an odd combination of studio and live cuts, all performed when Kool & the Gang were at the height of their funk powers. Oddly, the live cuts are better than the studio tracks, which are a little weak. On the live songs, Kool & the Gang truly take hold, playing some sweaty, funky workouts that make the album worth hearing

1. Love & Understanding (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang/Smith) - 7:51
2. Sugar (Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 5:37
3. Do It Right Now (Kool & the Gang/Nash) - 3:55
4. Cosmic Energy (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang/Smith) - 3:11
5. Hollywood Swinging (Kool & the Gang/West) - 5:40
6. Summer Madness (Kool & the Gang/Mickens/Taylor) - 8:01
7. Universal Sound (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang) - 4:04
8. Come Together (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang/Smith) - 2:48

1977

The Force (De Lite)

The Force is no such thing, it's a mundane set where the group from Jersey never achieves what they were trying to obtain. It comes after their first run of hits and before their celebrated era which included super hits like "Celebration, " "Too Hot, " and others. You won't find any chart busters here "Slick Superchick" failed miserably, and rightfully so, it's a bad example of disco/funk with an undistinguish lead vocal. They try to emulate Earth, Wind & Fire on the embarrassing "Mighty, Mighty High." "Just Be True"-not the Curtis Mayfield classic-is a boring ballad, and the title track attempts to connect fusion with funk. While the musicianship is excellent, there's not a memorable song in the bunch.

1978

Everybody's Dancin' - (De Lite)

1979

Ladies' Night - (De Lite)

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Kool And The Gang began their shift from funk to smooth pop and light R&B with this album. The title cut was a monster hit, and introduced lead singer J.T. Taylor and new producer Eumir Deodato. Deodato put the horns in the background, changed the arrangements, and replaced the prominent electric bass lines of Robert "Kool" Bell with lighter, synthesized rhythms and drum tracks. They were ready to move into new territory, but many fans of the wonderful '70s funk sound were dismayed.


1. Ladies Night (Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 6:38 

2. Got You into My Life (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 4:25 

3. If You Feel Like Dancin' (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 5:05

4. Hangin' Out (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 5:31 

5. Tonight's the Night (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 7:21 

6. Too Hot (Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 5:05

1980

Celebrate! - (De Lite DSR 9518)

The album that cemented Kool And The Gang's new status as pop icons in 1980. It ruled the pop and R&B charts for almost the entire year, and they got their first number one pop hit with "Celebration," the song that defined their new sound. J.T. Taylor emerged as a romantic idol, and they went on to sustain this success through the mid-'80s.

1. Celebration (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 5'00
2. Jones Vs. Jones (Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 4'18
3. Take It to the Top (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 4'19
4. Morning Star (Kool & the Gang/Mickens) - 3'46
5. Love Festival (Kool & the Gang/Smith) - 5'16
6. Just Friends (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 4'23
7. Night People (Bell/Kool & the Gang) - 3'47
8. Love Affair (Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 4'21

1981

Something Special - (De Lite DLP 9003)

With their long track record, Kool & the Gang have always offered dance-provoking rhythms and Something Special fits that bill, too. Featuring the number one single "Take My Heart (You Can Have It if You Want It)," James "J.T." Taylor approaches the song in a cool, mesmerizing tone, closing out the vamp in his falsetto with a burst of energy while the background vocals chant the sub-title throughout the chorus. Not known to lead a song in falsetto, J.T. further utilizes this talent on the motivated rhythms of the nocturnal scenario of "Steppin' Out." It maintained a steady stride, rising to the number ten spot on the charts.
The third single from the album was "Get Down on It." As the title indicates, this is a gritty funk track that worked its way up the charts to claim the number three position, selling more than 500, 000 copies. Although there were no more charted singles from this album, the entire collection is deserving of recognition. On a slower note, "Pass It On" and "No Show" received regional airplay. The former encourages people to spread love to all children, and the latter is a sorrowful account of a man left standing in the rain, waiting for the love that never showed. Both singles have similar rhythm arrangements. As for inspirational songs, "Stand Up and Sing" is a moderately paced single with lyrics that are uplifting.

1. Steppin' Out (Bell/Kool & The Gang/Taylor) - 4:51
2. God Time Tonight (Bell/Kool & The Gang/Taylor) - 4:59
3. Take My Heart (Brown/Kool & The Gang/Smith/Taylor) - 4:01
4. Be My Lady (Bayyan/Kool & The Gang) - 4:14
5. Get Down on It (Bayyan/Kool & The Gang/Taylor) - 4:58
6. Pass It On (Brown/Kool & The Gang/Taylor) - 4:34
7. Stand up and Sing (Bayyan/Kool & The Gang/Taylor) - 4:35
8. No Show (Bayyan/Brown/Kool & The Gang/Taylor) - 4:25
9. Stop! (Bayyan/Kool & The Gang) - 3:21

1982

As One - (De Lite DSR 5805)

During their eight year reign as one of the premiere R&B/funk bands, Kool & the Gang featuring James "J.T." Taylor on lead, had one top ten hit after another and quite a few number one hits. This album did not spawn any number one singles, but it did house two festive top ten numbers in "Big Fun" and "Let’s Go Dancin’ (Ooh La, La, La)." The former has a rapid groovin’ bass line accentuated by some jittering horns. The latter is Carribean-flavored single ideal for a popular party/cook-out dance called the electric slide. Respectively, they peaked at six and seven on the Billboard R&B charts. Though it appears that the lyric to the title song depicts a relationship between a man and woman, it is actually speaking of the band as an unit. The nine piece outfit also pays homage to the great bandleader Cab Calloway with the rhythmic number "Hi De Hi, Hi De Ho." Aside from the two released singles, this album does not have that constant spark like some of their more accomplished efforts

1. Street kids - (Brown/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 5'50
2. Big fun (Bell/Taylor/Brown/Kool & the Gang) - 5'00
3. As one (Mickens/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'41
4. Hi de hi, hi de ho (Bell/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'22
5. Let's go dancing (Bayyan/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 6'40
6. Pretty baby (Brown/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'43
7. Think it over (Williams/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'35

1983

In the Heart (De Lite)

1983

Twice as Kool - (De Lite)

1984

Emergency - (De Lite DLP 9011)

This album marked the end to Kool & the Gang's 15-year association with De-Lite Records. The group impressively charted each of those 15 years including ten number-one singles. Emergency continued that tradition, and was responsible for two of those number-one singles. The first release, "Misled," awith its crackin' bassline led the charge; it peaked at number 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. "Fresh," an invigorating dance single with melodic verses and accented chorus chants followed and surpassed "Misled," aclaiming the top spot. Mostly known for their funk and dance songs, the nine-piece band hit on a more tranquil note with "Cherish." With its adult contemporary appeal, the tender-flowing single eased its way to the top of the charts. All three of the aforementioned singles were also Billboard Pop Top-Ten singles. The final chapter in the group's De-Lite Records catalog was the release of the title track, "Emergency," a rock-flavored single which crested at number seven on the Billboard R&B charts.

1. Emergency (Brown/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 5'17
2. Fresh (Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'22
3. Misled (Bell/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'56
4. Cherish (Bell/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'45
5. Surrender (Kool & the Gang/Taylor/Williams) - 5'00
6. Bad Woman (Brown/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 5'35
7. You Are The One (Kool & the Gang/Taylor/Williams) - 7'00

1986

Forever - (De Lite/Mercury 830398)

Kool And The Gang had their last fling with crossover success with this 1986 album — the last one with J.T. Taylor as their lead vocalist. They got three more chart hits, and while "Stone Love" or "Victory" didn't reach the number one spot on either survey, they both cracked the pop and R&B Top 10. They were like most of the hits the group enjoyed during their pop run likable, lightweight, feel-good material without the punch of the past, but still viable.

1. Victory (Bayyan/Bell/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'37
2. I.B.M.C. (Bayyan/Bell/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'14
3. Stone Love (Smith/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'37
4. Forever (Bayyan/Bell/Kyles/Taylor) - 5'03
5. Holiday (Williams/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'12
6. Peacemaker (Brown/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 4'35
7. Broadway (Williams/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 3'40
8. Special Way (Bayyan/Bell/Kyles/Stubbs/Brown/Taylor) - 5'26
9. God's Country (Gulpepper/Kool & the Gang/Taylor) - 5'04

1989

Sweat - (Mercury)

Things changed drastically for Kool And The Gang in 1989. J.T. Taylor departed, and they were caught without a standout lead singer for the first time since 1978. They had also transformed the sound so much that they couldn't go back to funk, which by now was passe anyhow. So they cranked out a completely faceless, aimless record, one so desultory that it was sad for both fans of the old and new sound to hear it. It's probably the worst album of their career.

1. I Swet (Bayyan)
2. This Is What a Love Can Do (Bokowski/Varner) - 4:13
3. Never Give Up (Bellochio/Habeeb) - 4:42
4. You Got My Heart on Fire (Haynes/Williams) - 6:29
5. Someday (Bayyan/Martin) - 4:58
6. Raindrops (Booker) - 3:50
7. In Your Company (Booker) - 5:53
8. I'll Follow You Anywhere (Gazeley/Scher) - 5:37
9. All She Wants to Do Is Dance (Booker) - 3:55
10. How Can I Get Close to You (Brown/Thomas)
11. You Are the Meaning of Friend (Block/Smith)

1993

Unite - (RCA)

1994

Night People

1996

State of Affairs - (Curb)

1. Salute to the Ladies (Bayyan/Taylor) - 3:24
2. In the Hood (Bayyan/Taylor) - 4:50
3. Color Line (Bayyan/Taylor) - 5:05
4. Second Thoughts (Bayyan/Taylor) - 5:12
5. Crabs in a Barrel (Bayyan/Taylor) - 4:44
6. Woman, Lover, Friend (Bayyan/Taylor) - 4:55
7. Game of Love (Bayyan/Taylor) - 4:25
8. 90's News (Bayyan/Taylor) - :58
9. Life in the 90's (Bayyan/Taylor) - 5:51
10. Friends (Bayyan/Taylor) - 6:00
11. My Body (Bayyan/Taylor) - 5:05
12. Reunited (Bayyan/Taylor) - 5:14

COLLECTION

1974 The Best De Lite 

1974 Kool Jazz De Lite 

1975 Kool & the Gang Greatest Hits! De Lite 

1981 Kool & the Gang's Past Hits De Lite 

1982 Kool Kuts De Lite

 1983 At their best De Lite

1988 Everything Is Kool & the Gang: Greatest Hits Mercury 

1988 Greatest Hits & More Polydor 

1990 Ballads Collection Alex 

1990 Dance Collection Alex 

1991 14 Love Songs Alex 

1992 Anthology Alex 

1992 Remix Collection Alex 

1992 Back to Back: The Best of Kool & the... Priority 

1992 Back to Back K-Tel 

1992 Best of 2 Super Acts on 1 Great Compact Disc K-Tel 

1993 The Best of Kool & the Gang Mercury 

1994 Collection [Essex] Essex 

1994 Celebration: The Best of Kool & the Gang... Mercury 

1995 Hollywood Swinging Rebound 

1995 Ladies Night Rebound 

1996 New York City Kool Music Deluxe 

1996 Greatest Hits Live [Milan] Milan 

1998 All-Time Greatest Hits Curb 

1998 Greatest Hits Live [Rhino] Rhino 

1998 Great & Remixed '91 Polygram Germa 

1998 Greatest Hits Live [] 

1998 Greatest Hits Polygram 

1998 Great Kool & The Gang Live Goldies 

1999 Greatest Hits Live [Japan] Import 

1999 Singles Collection Polygram Inter 

1999 Ladies Night: Greatest Hits Live Cleopatra 

1999 The Very Best of Kool & the Gang Polygram 

1999 12" Collection & More Polygram 

2000 20th Century Masters - The Millennium... Polygram 

2000 Collection [Polygram International] Polygram Inter

SINGLES

1973 Funky Stuff/More Funky Stuff De-Lite
1973 Jungle Boogie/North, South, East & West De-Lite
197 Funky Man/1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 De-Lite
1991 '91 Megamix Alex
1992 Fresh (Remix) Unidisc
1993 Ladies Night Unidisc
1993 Lets Go Dancin' Unidisc
1993 Unite [Cassette Single] JRS
1996 Salute to the Ladies Curb
1998 Always UCA
1999 Always (Remixes) Clip UK
1999 Summer (Remixes) Clip UK