| Kool and the Gang | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 1969 | |||
| Studio | Bell Sound (New York City) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 32:12 | |||
| Label | De-Lite | |||
| Producer | Gene Redd | |||
| Kool & the Gang chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [2] |
Kool and the Gang is the debut studio album by funk band Kool & the Gang. The album was released in December 1969, [3] and reached No. 43 on the Billboard R&B albums chart.
The singles, "Kool and the Gang" and "Let the Music Take Your Mind", both peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Best-Selling Soul Singles chart. [4]
De-Lite Records – DE-2003:
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kool & The Gang" | Kool and the Gang | 2:54 |
| 2. | "Breeze & Soul" | Gene Redd & Kool and the Gang | 5:29 |
| 3. | "Chocolate Buttermilk" | Gene Redd & Kool and the Gang | 2:14 |
| 4. | "Sea of Tranquility" | Gene Redd & Kool and the Gang | 3:34 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Give It Up" | Gene Redd & Kool and the Gang | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Since I Lost My Baby" | Warren Moore & Smokey Robinson | 2:08 |
| 3. | "Kool's Back Again" | Gene Redd, Jimmy Crosby & Kool and the Gang | 2:48 |
| 4. | "The Gang's Back Again" | Gene Redd, Jimmy Crosby & Kool and the Gang | 2:46 |
| 5. | "Raw Hamburger" | Gene Redd | 3:36 |
| Total length: | 32:12 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Let The Music Take Your Mind" | Gene Redd & Kool and the Gang | 2:58 |
| Total length: | 35:10 | ||
Technical
Design
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, Sir Earl Toon, Woodrow "Woody" Sparrow, and Ricky Westfield. 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. The group changed their name several times. Settling on Kool & the Gang, the group signed to De-Lite Records and released their debut album, Kool and the Gang in 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.
Live at the Sex Machine is the first live album released by the funk band Kool and the Gang. The album was released in 1971, and reached No. 6 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart. Not only was it a Top 10 album, it stayed on the chart for 33 weeks; an impressive time span compared to most albums of the era. Although the band's huge success would not come until a few albums later, this release was popular with the R&B market. Like most of their early catalog, it was sampled by several artists during hip-hop's "Golden Era" of the 1980s and early 1990s. The track "Funky Man" was sampled in "Smack My Bitch Up" by the Prodigy.
Music Is the Message is the second studio album, and the fourth overall album, by the funk band Kool & the Gang. It was released in 1972.
Good Times is the third studio album, and fifth album of new material released by the funk band Kool & the Gang. The album was released in November 1972, but did not make the Billboard R&B album chart until March 1973; peaking at number 34 during a 6 week run.
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.
Light of Worlds is the fifth studio album, and seventh album of new material by the American R&B group Kool & the Gang. Released in 1974, it was later remastered by Polygram and was a second success for the band, reaching number 16 in the R&B chart and number 63 in the pop chart. It was a landmark in the funk/jazz fusion genre of the 1970s.
Open Sesame is the eighth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1976 on Mercury Records. The album reached No. 9 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 33 on the US Billboard Top Jazz LPs chart.
Love & Understanding is the seventh studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1976. The album had mild success. Three tracks, "Hollywood Swinging", "Summer Madness" and "Universal Sound" were recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England.
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.
Celebrate! is the twelfth studio album by American band Kool & the Gang. Released on September 29, 1980, the album reached No. 1 on the US R&B chart and #10 on the Billboard 200. The album produced perhaps Kool & the Gang's most recognizable hit song, the #1 chart-topper, "Celebration", which still receives heavy play today over four decades later.
Something Special is the thirteenth studio album by American band Kool & the Gang, released in 1981. It was the group's third consecutive Platinum-certified album.
As One is the fourteenth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1982. "Let's Go Dancin'" peaked at No. 7 on the U.S. R&B chart and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. "Big Fun" also became an international hit.
In the Heart is the fifteenth studio album by the funk/R&B band Kool & the Gang, released on November 21, 1983. Four singles were released from the album, with two singles becoming major hits on the US Hot 100. The first single, "Straight Ahead", failed to chart on the Hot 100, but the second single, "Joanna", soared to number two on the charts in the US and UK, and hit number one on the US R&B chart as well. The third single, "Tonight", brought another major hit as it peaked at #13 on the US Hot 100. The fourth single "(When You Say You Love Somebody) In the Heart" did not chart on the Hot 100, but became a moderate hit on the US R&B chart.
Emergency is the sixteenth studio album by the American band Kool & the Gang, released in 1984. It ultimately became the group's biggest selling career album, earning Double Platinum status in America, Platinum in Canada, and Silver in the UK.
Forever is the seventeenth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1986. The album included two major hits on the US Hot 100 Chart: "Victory" and "Stone Love". Three additional singles charted, "Holiday" reached the top ten on the R&B Chart, "Special Way" reached #6 on the Adult Contemporary chart. and "Peacemaker" was released in international markets and charted at #20 in New Zealand.
"Spirit of the Boogie" is a funk/soul song recorded by Kool & the Gang as the title track for their 1975 album.
New and Improved is the fifth album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in December 1974 on the Atlantic label. Like the Spinners' two previous Atlantic albums, New and Improved was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
"Funky Stuff" is a funk song written, produced, and recorded by Kool & the Gang for their 1973 album Wild and Peaceful. Released as a single, the song reached No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 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.
