Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-'60s, 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.
The growing earthiness of soul inspired the Jazziacs to temper their jazz sensibilities 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. 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.
Celebrating a legendary group with dozens of unforgettable songs, here's a combo post of them. enjoy!
Kool and the Gang - Kool and the Gang (1969)
1. Kool & The Gang
2. Breeze & Soul
3. Chocolate Buttermilk
4. Sea Of Tranquility
5. Give It Up
6. Since I Lost My Baby
7. Kool's Back Again
8. The Gang's Back Again
9. Raw Hamburger
10. Let The Music Take Your Mind
Kool and the Gang - Live at the Sex Machine (1971)
1. What Would The World Be Like Without Music/ Let The Music Take Your Mind
2. Walk On By
3. Chocolate Buttermilk
4. Trying To Make A Fool Of Me
5. Who's Gonna Take The Weight
6. Pneumonia
7. Wichita Lineman
8. I Want To Take You Higher
9. Funky Man
10. The Touch Of You
11. Kool It (Here Comes The Fuzz)
Kool and the Gang - Live at PJ's (1971)
1.: Penguin
2.: Rick Sonata
3.: Sombreo Sam
4.: Ronnie's Grove
5.: Ike's Mood/ You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
6 : N.T.
7.: Lucky For Me
8.: Dujii
Kool and the Gang - Music Is the Message (1972)
1. Music Is The Message
2. Electric Frog (Part 1)
3. Electric Frog (Part 2)
4. Soul Vibrations
5. Love The Life You Live (Parts 1 And 2)
6. Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)
7. Blowin' With The Wind
8. Funky Granny
Kool and the Gang - Good Times (1972)
1. Good Times
2. Country Junky
3. Wild Is Love
4. North, East, South, West
5. Making Merry Music
6. I Remember John W. Coltrane
7. Rated X
8. Father, Father
Kool and the Gang - Wild and Peaceful (1973)
1. Funky Stuff
2. More Funky Stuff
3. Jungle Boogie
4. Heaven At Once
5. Hollywood Swinging
6. This Is You, This Is Me
7. Life Is What You Make It
8. Wild And Peaceful
Kool and the Gang - Kool Jazz (1974)
1. Breeze & Soul
2. Sea Of Tranquility
3. Sombrero Sam
4. Lucky For Me
5. Dujii
6. Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) / Blowin' With The Wind
7. North, East, South, West
8. I Remember John W. Coltrane
9. Wild And Peaceful
10. Winter Sadness
11. Summer Madness
12. Universal Sound
13. Messenger Of Wisdom
14. Free
Kool and the Gang - Light of Worlds (1974)
1. Street Corner Symphony
2. Fruitman
3. Rhyme-Tyme People
4. Light Of Worlds
5. Whiting H. & G.
6. You Don't Have To Change
7. Higher Plane
8. Summer Madness
9. Here After
Kool and the Gang - Spirit of the Boogie (1975)
1. Spirit Of The Boogie
2. Ride The Rhythm
3. Jungle Jazz
4. Sunshine And Love
5. Ancestral Ceremony
6. Mother Earth
7. Winter Sadness
8. Caribbean Festival
Kool and the Gang - Love & Understanding (1976)
1. Love & Understanding
2. Sugar
3. Do It Right Now
4. Cosmic Energy
5. Hollywood Swinging
6. Summer Madness
7. Universal Sound
8. Come Together
Kool and the Gang - Open Sesame (1976)
1. "Open Sesame"
2. "Gift of Love"
3. "Little Children"
4. "All Night Long"
5. "Whisper Softly"
6. "Super Band"
7. "L-O-V-E"
8. "Sunshine"
Kool and the Gang - The Force (1978)
1. A Place In Space
2. Slick Superchick
3. Just Be True
4. The Force
5. Mighty, Mighty High
6. Oasis
7. Life's a Song
8. Free
Kool and the Gang - Everybody's Dancin'(1978)
1. Everybody's Dancin'
2. Dancin' Shoes
3. Big Chief Funkum
4. I Like Music
5. You Deserve a Break Today
6. At the Party
7. Stay Awhile
8. It's All You Need
9. Peace to the Universe
Kool and the Gang - Ladies' Night (1979)
1. Ladies Night
2. Got You Into My Life
3. If You Feel Like Dancin
4. Hangin' Out
5. Tonight's The Night
6. Too Hot
Kool and the Gang - Celebrate! (1980)
1. Celebration
2. Jones vs. Jones
3. Take It To The Top
4. Morning Star
5. Love Festival
6. Just Friends
7. Night People
8. Love Affair
Kool and the Gang - Something Special (1981)
1. Steppin' Out
2. Good Time Tonight
3. Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)
4. Be My Lady
5. Get Down On It
6. Pass It On
7. Stand Up And Sing
8. No Show
9. Stop!
Kool and the Gang - As One (1982)
1. Street Kids - 5:50
2. Big Fun - 5:00
3. As One - 4:41
4. Hi De Hi, Hi De Ho - 4:22
5. Let's Go Dancing - 6:40
6. Pretty Baby - 4:43
7. Think It Over - 4:35
Kool and the Gang - In The Heart (1983)
1. In the Heart
2. Joanna
3. Tonight
4. Rollin'
5. Place for Us
6. Straight Ahead
7. Home Is Where the Heart Is
8. You Can Do It
9. September Love
Kool and the Gang - Emergency (1984)
1. Emergency
2. Fresh
3. Misled
4. Cherish
5. Surrender
6. Bad Woman
7. You Are The One
Kool and the Gang - Forever (1986)
1. Victory
2. IBMC
3. Stone Love
4. Forever
5. Holiday
6. Peace Maker
7. Broadway
8. Special Way
9. God's Country
Kool and the Gang - Sweat (1989)
1. I Sweat
2. This Is What a Love Can Do
3. Never Give Up
4. You Got My Heart on Fire
5. Someday
6. Raindrops
7. In Your Company
8. I'll Follow You Anywhere
9. All She Wants to Do Is Dance
10. How Can I Get Close to You
11. You Are the Meaning of Friend
Kool and the Gang - Still Kool (2007)
1. Dave
2. Steppin' Into Love
3. America
4. What's Happening Brother
5. It Is What It Is
6. Everything's Gonna Change
7. Too Low For Zero
8. Bang Bang With The Gang
9. Made For Love
10. Give It Up
11. Trust Me
12. Miracles
13. Livin' In The 21
14. Sorry
15. Someone Like You
16. Sailing (Instrumental)
17. Party People
18. Medley – Celebration, Ladies night, Get Down On it
Kool and the Gang - Celebration: The Best Of 1979 - 1987 (1996)
01 Celebration
02 Get Down on It
03 Fresh
04 Too Hot
05 Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)
06 Let's Go Dancin' (Ooh, la, la, La)
07 Misled
08 Cherish
09 Ladies Night
10 Steppin' Out
11 Joanna
12 In the Heart
13 Take It to the Top
14 Tonight
15 No Show
16 Straight Ahead
17 Stone Love
Kool and the Gang - Gold (2005)
CD 1
1. Kool & The Gang
2. Kools Back Again
3. Let The Music Take Your Mind
4. Funky Man
5. Who's Gonna Take The Weight
6. Love The Life You Live
7. Funky Stuff
8. Jungle Boogie
9. Hollywood Swinging
10. Higher Plane
11. Rhyme-Tyme People
12. Summer Madness
13. Spirit Of The Boogie
14. Caribbean Festival
15. Love & Understanding (Come Together)
16. Open Sesame
CD 2
1. Ladies Night
2. Too Hot
3. Celebration
4. Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)
5. Get Down On It
6. Big Fun
7. Let's Go Dancin' (Ohh La, La La)
8. Joanna
9. Tonight
10. Misled
11. Fresh
12. Cherish
13. Emergency
14. Victory
15. Stone Love
Kool and the Gang - Number 1s (2007)
01. Ladies Night
02. Hollywood Swinging
03. Celebration
04. Take It To The Top
05. Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)
06. Get Down On It
07. Joanna
08. Cherish
09. Fresh
10. Higher Plane
11. Spirit Of The Boogie
12. Jungle Boogie
13. Misled
14. Too Hot
15. Victory
Kool and the Gang & VA - The Hits:Reloaded (2004)
CD 1
01. Ladies Night feat. Atomic Kitten
02. Get Down On It feat. Blue & Lil' Kim
03. Fresh feat. Liberty X
04. Cherish feat. Ashanti
05. Celebration feat. Lulu & London Community Gospel Choir
06. Joanna feat. Blazin' Squad
07. Too Hot feat. Lisa Stansfield
08. Ooh La La Let's Go Dancin' feat. Jimmy Cliff & Bounty Killer
09. Straight Ahead feat. Jamelia
10. Steppin' Out feat. Beverley Knight
11. Hollywood Swingin' feat. Jamiroquai
12. Stressin'
13. Jones Vs Jones feat. Angie Stone
14. Summer Madness feat. Youssou N'Dour & Lauryn Hill
CD 2
01. Jungle Boogie feat. Redman
02. Funky Stuff feat. Big Brovaz
03. Take My Heart feat. Blu Cantrell
04. Ladies Night feat. Sean Paul & Spanner Banner
05. Where Da Boogie At feat. ROC & Da Prince Hakim
06. In The Heart feat. D-Side
07. No Shadow feat. Blackstreet
08. Big Thangs feat. Da Prince Hakim
09. Jazziacs At The Kool Jazz Cafe
10. Jungle In My House feat. FM & Rachid
11. Misled feat. Tony Hadley
12. Tonight feat. Indi Gregg
13. Cherish feat. Natural
14. Serious (Too Hot) feat. Mousse T & Xavier Naidooa
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