"Caribbean Festival" | ||||
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Single by Kool and the Gang | ||||
from the album Spirit of the Boogie | ||||
B-side | "Caribbean Festival (Disco version)" | |||
Released | 1975 | |||
Genre | Funk | |||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | De-Lite | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ronald Bell, Kool and the Gang | |||
Producer(s) | Kool and the Gang | |||
Kool and the Gang singles chronology | ||||
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"Caribbean Festival" is a song recorded by Kool & the Gang for their 1975 studio album Spirit of the Boogie . It was produced by the band and with writing credited to Ronald Bell along with the group. [1]
The song, issued as a single in 1975 by De-Lite Records, reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. [2]
Daryl Easlea of the BBC proclaimed the song "takes a swaggering sunshine-kissed rhythm and stretches it out over nine minutes of joyous improvisation." [3] Tony Green of Spin called the song "trance inducing." [4] Record World said that the single "Caribbean Festival" "lived up to its title" and has "whirlwind rhythms." [5] Billboard described it as being "mostly instrumental with pow- erhouse percussive beat and grabby horn leads, the vocal is just enough strategic yelling of key phrases to add to the total" and called it "a truly exciting single, great for dancing." [6]
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 55 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles [2] | 6 |
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B, soul, and funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964. Its founding members include brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, Woodrow "Woody" Sparrow, and Ricky West. They have undergone numerous changes in personnel and have explored many musical styles throughout their history, including jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco, rock, and pop music. After settling on their name following several changes, the group signed to De-Lite Records and released their debut album, Kool and the Gang (1969).
Spirit of the Boogie is the sixth studio album by Kool & the Gang, released in 1975. It can be seen as a follow-up to Wild and Peaceful (1973); the instrumental "Jungle Jazz" uses the same basic rhythm track heard in "Jungle Boogie", but lets the players improvise on their instruments. References to earlier works can be noticed. "Spirit of the Boogie" features Donald Boyce, who was rapping on "Jungle Boogie". Some African influence can be felt, and the band even play in a West-Indian style on "Caribbean Festival", another instrumental track, with once more much room for improvisation.
That's the Way of the World is the sixth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on March 3, 1975, by Columbia Records. It was also the soundtrack for a 1975 motion picture of the same name. The album rose to No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. That's the Way of the World has also been certified Triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA. In 2002, the band released live version of the album, recorded in 1975 – That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75.
"Jive Talkin'" is a song by the Bee Gees, released as a single in May 1975 by RSO Records. This was the lead single from the album Main Course and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100; it also reached the top-five on the UK Singles Chart in the middle of 1975. Largely recognised as the group's comeback song, it was their first US top-10 hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" (1971).
Wild and Peaceful is the fourth studio album, and sixth album of new material released by the funk band Kool & the Gang, and is their commercial breakthrough album. It was released in 1973 and was hugely successful on the Billboard R&B chart, reaching No. 6 and charting for 36 weeks. It also reached No. 33 on the Pop charts, making it the band's first entry into that chart's Top 40. The album spawned the band's first three Top 10 singles. "Funky Stuff" reached No. 5 R&B/No. 29 Pop. The hugely popular track "Jungle Boogie" soared to No. 2 R&B and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Hollywood Swinging" topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles in June 1974 while reaching No. 6 Pop. The latter two singles both sold over a million copies and were certified Gold by the RIAA. The album itself was also certified Gold.
"Jungle Boogie" is a funk song recorded by Kool & the Gang for their 1973 album Wild and Peaceful. It reached number four as a single, and became very popular in nightclubs. Billboard ranked it as the number 12 song for 1974, despite there being as many as 36 No. 1 singles that year.
The Force is the ninth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1977 on De-Lite Records. The album peaked at No. 33 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
"Shining Star" is a song by Earth, Wind & Fire's album That's the Way of the World, issued as a single in January 1975 on Columbia Records. The song rose to No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart, becoming their first single to top both charts. It has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
"Hollywood Swinging" is a 1974 song by R&B/funk band Kool & the Gang from their album Wild and Peaceful. It was written by Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, George M. Brown, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Claydes Charles Smith, Dennis R. Thomas and Rick A. Westfield.
"Higher Plane" is the name of a hit song by R&B/funk band Kool & the Gang and written by Robert Earl Bell, Ronald Nathan Bell, George Melvin Brown, Robert Spike Mickens, Claydes Charles Smith, Dennis Thomas and Rick Westfield. From the album Light of Worlds, the single spent one week at number one on the R&B singles chart in October, 1974. It also peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The song was included on the 1975 Kool & the Gang Greatest Hits! record.
"That's the Way of the World" is a song recorded by the band Earth, Wind & Fire, released as a single in June 1975 on Columbia Records. The song reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)" or "Take My Heart" is a 1981 single by Kool & the Gang from their album, Something Special.
"Fresh" is a song by the American group Kool & the Gang. Released as a single in 1984 from the album Emergency, the song peaked at #9 on the U.S. Hot 100 chart, and #11 on the UK chart. It also reached number one on both the U.S. R&B chart and U.S. Dance chart.
"Spirit of the Boogie" is a funk/soul song recorded by Kool & the Gang as the title track for their 1975 album.
"Cross My Mind" is a single released in 2005 by American R&B/soul singer/songwriter Jill Scott and from her second album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2. The song was an R&B top 40 hit, peaking at number 38 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song earned Scott her first Grammy Award in 2005, for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.
"Too Hot" is a song recorded by the American band Kool & the Gang for their 1979 album Ladies' Night. It was written by George Brown and Kool & the Gang, and produced by Eumir Deodato and Kool & the Gang. The song reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Steppin' Out" is a hit song for Kool & the Gang. It reached #89 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #12 on the R&B chart. The song was re-released in 2004, featuring Beverley Knight, for the remix album The Hits: Reloaded.
"Rags to Riches" is a song recorded by R&B/Funk band Kool & the Gang for their 1988 compilation album Everything's Kool & the Gang . Released as a single, the song reached No. 38 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 26 on the German Pop Singles chart.
"Open Sesame" is a song recorded by Kool & the Gang for their 1976 eponymous studio album. The song, issued as a single in 1976 by De-Lite Records, reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 13 on the US Billboard Disco Action chart.
"Let the Music Take Your Mind" is a R&B/funk song recorded by the band Kool & the Gang for their 1969 album debut eponymous album. It was produced by Gene Redd and written by Redd along with Kool & the Gang.