Kool & The Gang

Profile:
Formed by Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Ronald Bell and a bunch of their New Jersey teenage friends in the mid-60s (then called the Jazziacs), Kool & the Gang played traditional jazz in regional venues for several years, slowly morphing their style to incorporate emerging funk sounds of Sly and the Family Stone and James Brown. They were signed by the De-Lite label in the early '70s and gathered a small but loyal national following (in particular for their 1971 release Live at the Sex Machine). The group's fortunes exploded in 1974 with Wild and Peaceful, an infectiously raw album that spawned three smash hits, "Funky Stuff," "Hollywood Swinging," and "Jungle Boogie," all featuring great instrumentation and lyrics virtually shouted by the group. However, as quickly as they rode to fame, Kool & the Gang faded, their rough sound appearing out of place against the slick, dance-oriented sounds that began to dominate popular radio in the late '70s.

Kool & the Gang was an afterthought in the music world in 1979, when they brought in the honey-sounding lead James J.T. Taylor and pop/jazz producer Eumir Deodato for one last gasp, a shiny dance album called Ladies Night. Deodato simplified and sweetened the group's jazz stylings in a heavily produced package, fronted by Taylor's irresistible tenor voice. It was an across-the-board smash, leading to two top hits, the title cut and the midtempo "Too Hot." It was also the beginning of a nearly unprecedented string of top-10 pop and soul hits for the group that would make Kool & the Gang the top-selling soul group of the '80s. Ladies Night was followed by the even bigger Celebration, the joyous title cut of which becoming the theme song of countless sports teams in the '80s and one of the most-played songs of the past 25 years. The next five years brought hit after hit, including chart toppers "Misled," "Cherish," "Take My Heart," "Joanna," "Fresh," and "Let's Go Dancin'." The infectious innocuousness of their music sometimes went to a silly extreme ("Get Down On It"), but the group clearly created a catalogue of enjoyable, well-performed cuts, both during Deodato's tenure as producer and after they took over the production of their albums in 1983 -- songs that have generally aged well. Their 1987 album, Forever, was another smash, but also provided warning sign that the fresh sounds Kool and the Gang introduced in 1979 had run their course and had begun to sound formulaic.

In 1987, Taylor left the group to pursue a modestly successful solo career (he had one major hit with "All I Want Is Forever," a duet with Regina Belle), and the group continued on but never had another chart hit. They spent the next decade on the oldies circuit before Taylor rejoined for a 1996 reunion tour and the album State of Affairs, an extremely enjoyable disc (and the group's strongest lyrically) that was ignored by both Pop and Soul radio.

Now a quintet consisting of brothers Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell (Khalis Bayyan), George Brown, Dennis Thomas, and Charles Smith (all original group members), the group tours internationally, and has a particularly large following in Asia. J.T. Taylor has continued his solo career, with limited success.
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Albums

DE-2003 Kool And The Gang — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Kool And The Gang (Album) De-Lite Records DE-2003 US 1969 Sell This Version
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2347-001 Live At P.J.'s — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Live At P.J.'s (Album) De-Lite Records 2347-001 UK 1971 Sell This Version
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DE 2008 Live At The Sex Machine — Kool & The Gang Kool And The Gang* Live At The Sex Machine (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DE 2008 US 1971 Sell This Version
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DEP-2012, DEP 2012 Good Times — Kool & The Gang Kool And The Gang* Good Times (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DEP-2012, DEP 2012 US 1972 Sell This Version
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DE-P-2011 Music Is The Message — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Music Is The Message (Album) De-Lite Records DE-P-2011 US 1972 Sell This Version
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3100-244, 3100 244 Wild And Peaceful — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Wild And Peaceful (Album) De-Lite Records 3100-244, 3100 244 UK 1973 Sell This Version
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LITE (L) 5001 Light Of Worlds — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Light Of Worlds (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records LITE (L) 5001 South Africa 1974 Sell This Version
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CH 60037 The First Annual Benefit Concert For The Congressional Black Caucus — Kool & The Gang War / Curtis Mayfield / Kool And The Gang* / Gladys Knight And The Pips / Jimmy Witherspoon War / Curtis Mayfield / Kool And The Gang* / Gladys Knight And The Pips / Jimmy Witherspoon - The First Annual Benefit Concert For The Congressional Black Caucus (Album) Chess CH 60037 US 1975 Sell This Version
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DEP-2016 Spirit Of The Boogie — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Spirit Of The Boogie (Album) De-Lite Records DEP-2016 US 1975 Sell This Version
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DE 2023 Open Sesame — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Open Sesame (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DE 2023 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DEP 2018, 0698 Love & Understanding — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Love & Understanding (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DEP 2018, 0698 US 1976 Sell This Version
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940 558 The Force — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang The Force (Album) De-Lite Records 940 558 France 1977 Sell This Version
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DSR-9509 Everybody's Dancin' — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Everybody's Dancin' (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DSR-9509 US 1978 Sell This Version
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MK-48 History Of Kool & The Gang — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang History Of Kool & The Gang(LP, Album, Promo) De-Lite Records MK-48 US 1978 Sell This Version
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0060.282 Ladies' Night — Kool & The Gang Kool And The Gang* Ladies' Night (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records 0060.282 Germany 1979 Sell This Version
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5502 Celebrate! — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Celebrate! (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records 5502 Venezuela 1980 Sell This Version
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DCR4 8502 Something Special — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Something Special (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DCR4 8502 US 1981 Sell This Version
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SWB-812-3 Kool & The Gang The Robert W. Morgan Special Of The Week(LP, Transcription) Watermark (3) SWB-812-3 1981 Sell This Version
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BC 81-11 Budweiser Concert of The Month — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Budweiser Concert of The Month(LP, Transcription) Westwood One BC 81-11 US 1981 Sell This Version
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SE-81-48-A Special Edition with Sid McCoy — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Special Edition with Sid McCoy(LP, Transcription) Westwood One SE-81-48-A US 1981 Sell This Version
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TH 1195, 6399 377 As One — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang As One (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records TH 1195, 6399 377 Colombia 1982 Sell This Version
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CN 3945/S In Concert-271 — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang In Concert-271(LP, Transcription) BBC Transcription Services CN 3945/S UK 1982 Sell This Version
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DSR-8505 In The Heart — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang In The Heart (Album) De-Lite Records DSR-8505 US 1983 Sell This Version
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823 823-1, 823 823-1ME Emergency — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Emergency (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records 823 823-1, 823 823-1ME Germany 1984 Sell This Version
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none Kool & The Gang - Spotlight Specials — Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang - Spotlight Specials(2xLP, Promo, Transcription) ABC Watermark none US 1984 Sell This Version

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Acoustician

Acoustician

November 21, 2021
the best write up I have seen on any discogs artist page
pasqualemusicalino16

pasqualemusicalino16

January 30, 2014
beatiful album ciao
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