KoolAndTheGang

Kool
and
The Gang

    Robert "Kool" Bell and brother Ronald 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 remain in the group more than 40 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 Soul Town Band began playing clubs in Greenwich Village. After a mix-up with a club owner resulted in the group being billed Kool & the Flames, they moderated the title to Kool & the Gang and found a leg up with the tiny De-Lite Records.
     Their 1969 self-titled debut album was an unexpected hit, with the first single, "Kool And The Gang," debuting on both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts (rare in 1969). The subsequent singles, "The Gang's Back Again," "Let The Music Take Your Mind," and "Funky Man," were also minor R&B hits. Other standout tracks include "Raw Hamburger," "Chocolate Buttermilk," and "Kool's Back Again." Though barely over a half an hour long, "Kool And The Gang" is a blast of a record that contains strong elements that would become the band's trademarks: smooth melodies, suave rhythms, and brassy horns. Three singles from their self-titled debut album hit the pop charts, and although the position wasn't incredibly high, Kool & the Gang became a quick success on the R&B charts. Though they started as a jazz band it was apparent by their first album that they had realized the power of funk and like many artists of the late 1960's early 1970's Kool & the Gang would gravitate towards dance music later on.
     Always a staple of their appeal, the group's live act was documented on two 1971 LPs, "Live At The Sex Machine" and "Live At P.J.'s," including left-field covers of "Walk On By" and "Wichita Lineman" (as well as the not so unusual "I Want To Take You Higher"). Besides a great title "Sex Machine" is one of the best of the group's early efforts. A raw James Brown groove that meets the jazz sensibilities of the gang. The "P.J.'s" set, which is totally different, seems more jazz oriented and obviously when you release two live albums in one year they have to feature different tracks. "P.J.'s" features a stunning 10 minute "Ike's Mood/You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" medley.
     Studio albums followed in 1972 ("Music Is The Message") and 1973 ("Good Times"), but it was with Kool & the Gang's sixth album, "Wild And Peaceful," that they hit the big time. Prior to James "JT" Taylor adding pop flavored vocals, which helped 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 31 years later it's syndicated sportscaster, Jim Rome's, theme song. "Funky Stuff," with it's "whoa, whoa, whoa" hook, and amateurish vocal lines hold the trite groove together. The band 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.
     1974's "Light Of Worlds" had the hit "Higher Plane" and the title track of 1975's, "Spirit Of The Boogie" was a charter. But late in 1976, Kool & The Gang released the hit album, "Open Sesame." The 12" single was an instant club smash and was featured on the best selling movie soundtrack of all times, "Saturday Night Fever," it earned Kool & The Gang two Grammy Awards.
     After two Grammys and a massive hit on the best selling soundtrack of all time you would expect something special, 1976's "Love And Understanding" didn't quite deliver. The title track was a relatively modest club hit but the rest of the album 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.
     1977's "The Force" is a mundane set where the group never achieves what they were trying to obtain. While the musicianship is excellent, there's not a memorable song in the bunch.
     1977 also brought "Everybody's Dancin'" a re-issue of "The Force" album which included the nearly 12-minute disco track "Mighty Mighty High." An overlooked treasure that found it's market on the black/gay dance market.
     In 1979 the Gang added vocalists James "J.T." Taylor and Earl Toon Jr., with Taylor emerging as the key member in a new era of success for the group, which coincided with their employment of an outside producer. Eumir Deodato refined the qualities already inherent in the group's eclectic style and together they embarked on a series of highly successful international hits starting with "Ladies Night" and "Too Hot" numbers eight and five on Billboard's Top 40. The album, "Ladies Night," marked their shift from funk to smooth pop and light R&B. 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. The album also featured the smooth dance cuts "Tonight's The Night" and "If You Feel Like Dancin'." But it was the 12" single of the title track that crossed all barriers, from white straight clubs to black gay clubs, it seemed that everyone was into 'the gang' and indeed they were. Sales of the album pushed into the platinum zone, their first one.
     When the American hostages returned home from 444 days of capitivity in Iran on January 26, 1981, the uplifting anthem that greeted them was "Celebration" the first number one pop single for J.T. Taylor and Kool & The Gang. "Celebration" was also the theme song of the 1981 Superbowl and it ruled the pop and R&B charts for almost the entire year. The eight-man outfit had plenty of reason to celebrate when their 16th single entered the Hot 100 at number 87 on October 25, 1980, and rose to the top 15 weeks later. Their only number one single, it was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. and it's appeal was so massive and global that the group even recorded it in Spanish ("Celebremos"). Though the album didn't spawn another massive radio hit the club scene took to it like fish to water. "Jones Vs. Jones" and "Love Festival" were both import-only 12" singles while "Take It To The Top" was a promotional-only 12" release. All three cuts were moderately rotated club records which helped the album become their second platinum release.
     Kool & the Gang have always offered dance-provoking rhythms and 1981's "Something Special" fits that bill, too. Featuring the number one R&B and number 17 pop 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 R&B 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.
     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. 1982's "As One" 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. After three platinum albums in a row this one ended that streak, but it did go gold.
     Two albums followed in 1983. "In The Heart" had the crossover hit "Joanna" and with "Twice As Kool" they cemented their ranking as the most successful black pop band of the 1980's. But 1984's "Emergency" 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. The first release, "Misled," with 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 band hit a more tranquil note with "Cherish." With its adult contemporary appeal, the 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.
     Kool And The Gang had their last fling with crossover success with the 1986 album "Forever," 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.
     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. 1989's "Sweat" is probably the worst album of their career.
     1993's "Unite" and 1994's "Night People" failed to bring any magic to the gang, it was apparent that without J.T. the crossover sound was gone.
     By 1996 both Kool & The Gang and J.T. realized that trying to succeed without the other was futile. A reunion and a billing change brought the two forces back together for a much-anticipated release. Expectations were high from both the critics and fans for "State Of Affairs." Unfortunately the album didn't deliver, the magic that once was created by the two factions now seemed forced and mechanical. The bulk of the material tries to be high-tech R&B, instead of the smooth funk they used to deliver.
     The supreme irony of clunky-sounding funk numbers like "Crabs In A Barrel" is that at the same time this album was released, soul revivalists like D'Angelo and Maxwell were making celebrated debuts with music that owed not a little to Kool & the Gang's sweaty 1970's grooves. But the group missed that development completely, using robotic programmed rhythms to ruin even appealing tunes, like the wistful "In The Hood." Classy ballads like "Second Thoughts" and "Reunited" are about the only sign Taylor and his bandmates could still deliver the goods.
     Although Taylor did reasonably well with his solo recordings (many of which were produced by Ronald Bell), Kool & the Gang quickly sank without him. They replaced Taylor with three vocalists, Skip Martin (formerly of the Dazz Band), Odeen Mays and Gary Brown, but failed to chart. They are now reduced to playing the "oldies" circuit while J.T. has formed his own label and continues to record and perform. In 2001 Kool & The Gang released a new album with a crop of modern funksters entitled "Gangland." J.T.'s latest album is a "Greatest Hits" package also released in 2001.
     A tip of the hat to one of disco's early bands that helped shape the sound of the genre's music........