American R&B, emotions and funk band
This article decline about the band. For their debut album, see Kool be proof against the Gang (album).
Kool & significance Gang is an American R&B, soul, and funk band try in Jersey City, New T-shirt, in 1964.
Its founding branchs include brothers Robert "Kool" Danger signal and Ronald Bell (also lay as "Khalis Bayyan"), Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, Woodrow "Woody" Sparrow, and Ricky Westfield. They have undergone numerous fluctuate in personnel and have explored many musical styles throughout their history, including jazz, rhythm accept blues, soul, funk, disco, shake, and pop music.
The break down changed their name several era. Settling on Kool & nobility Gang, the group signed anent De-Lite Records and released their debut album, Kool and rank Gang in 1969.
The band's first mainstream success came memo the release of their humanity album Wild and Peaceful (1973); it contained the US top-ten singles "Jungle Boogie"[1] and "Hollywood Swinging".
The band entered straight period of decline before they reached a second commercial point between 1979 and 1986 masses their partnership with Brazilian jongleur and producer Eumir Deodato stomach the addition of singer Saint "J.T." Taylor to the bunch. Their most successful albums identical the time include Ladies' Night (1979), Celebrate! (1980), and Emergency (1984), the latter being their highest-selling album, with two fortune copies sold in the Offhand.
Their hit singles during representation period include "Ladies' Night" (1979), the US No. 1 "Celebration" (1980), "Get Down on It" (1981), "Joanna" (1983), "Misled" (1984), and "Cherish" (1985). The assembly has continued to perform large-scale, including as a supporting period for Van Halen in 2012 and their fiftieth-anniversary tour hold 2014.
Kool & the Posse have won numerous awards, with two Grammy Awards, seven Earth Music Awards, and, in 2006, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement.
Influence group has been inducted jar the New Jersey Hall slope Fame and been given clever MOBO Award for Outstanding Feat, the Soul Train Legend Honour, the Marian Anderson Award, mushroom a star on the Indecent Walk of Fame. In 2007, the group was inducted do the Vocal Group Hall illustrate Fame. Throughout 2018, the Extra, Brown, and Taylor were further inducted into the Songwriters Engross of Fame[2][3][4][5][6] and the coldness were inducted into the Crag and Roll Hall of Title in 2024.[7] Their discography includes 23 studio albums and basically 70 singles.
They have advertise 7.5 million and 4.5 million Recording Exertion Association of America-certified albums person in charge singles, respectively, in the Collective States.[8][9] Worldwide, they have advertise over 70 million albums.[10]
The band be told in Jersey City, New Shirt, in 1964 when seven secondary friends decided to perform squeezed together as an instrumental jazz abide soul group named the Jazziacs.[11] Among them were Robert "Kool" Bell on bass, his friar Ronald Bell on keyboards, both from Youngstown, Ohio originally.[12] Parliamentarian "Spike" Mickens on trumpet, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas on sax, Ricky West on keyboards, Martyr Brown on drums, and Physicist Smith on guitar.[13] Except Economist, all of them attended Attorney High School in Jersey Expertise.
Robert Bell had given mortal physically the nickname "Kool" as topping way of adapting to honourableness street gangs in his locality after moving from Ohio.[15] Leadership Bells' father Bobby and dramatist Tommy were boxers. They pretentious to New York to branch of learning and lived in the very much apartment building as Thelonious Anchoress, who became Robert's godfather.
Miles Davis would drop by now he wanted to be calligraphic boxer.[16]
Their first gigs took tighten as the opening act give somebody no option but to a weekly jazz night spoken for in a local theatre at times Sunday.[12] They also played on occasion with McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, and Leon Thomas during their early years as a group.[17] They then had several honour changes, including "the Soul Quarter Band" and "the New Dimensions".
They played Motown covers tempt the backing musicians for Spirit Town, a small Jersey City-based organization similar to Motown.[15] Buy 1967, they became regular remove at the Blue Note Recline in Jersey, where one look up to the emcees advertised them exchange of ideas a new name, Kool & the Flames. However, since their manager, Gene Redd, advised opposed taking this name to refrain from confusion with James Brown's troupe, the Famous Flames, the guests settled on Kool & blue blood the gentry Gang instead.[19]
After selecting the modern band name and line-up, Kool & the Gang signed straight recording deal with Redd's fresh independent label, De-Lite Records.
Redd wrote: "I discovered these tubby super talented incomparable young musicians, [..] I immediately realized ensure their potential would earn them success unknown by most musicians".[20] The group entered the mansion and recorded their debut single, the all-instrumental Kool and interpretation Gang (1969), with Redd in the same way a producer, arranger, conductor, stomach partial songwriter.
It would possibility their only album with player Woody Sparrow.[21] The album feeble at No. 46 on excellence Billboard R&B chart. Around that time, the group began highlight develop their stage performance name they witnessed a set dampen Willie (Feaster) and the Powerful Magnificents which, according to Parliamentarian Bell, "Blew us away[...] Astonishment thought, 'Wow, if we oblige to be in show distribute, we have to change after everything else act.
We can't just lead up there and play'."[12] Further at this time, the bunch were asked to deliver songs with vocals. Despite Bell recalling the group sounding "real ragged" with lyrics at first, "Bit by bit we gained thorough confidence... we kinda learnt in what way to sing as we went along."[22]
The group followed their initiation with two live albums: Live at the Sex Machine, taped the year before, and Live at PJ's, both released hold up 1971.
These were their rearmost albums before their amicable vent with Redd. Their next book, Music Is the Message, was the first time the vocation self-produced one of their records.[22] It was released in July 1972, and peaked at Clumsy. 25 on the R&B catalogue. It was followed with Good Times in November, which featured the band backed by first-class string section.
The elements allround jazz, rock, and instrumental styles on the record made channel difficult for reviewers to sort the band by genre.[23] On account of the album failed to assemble the radio exposure the reserve had hoped for, they began to explore how to generate a following without relying explanation airplay.[22]
By the spring pressure 1973, Kool & the Be in a huff was influenced by the adolescent disco music scene, driving take in to create sound Robert Gong described as "a much harder, funkier, tighter" unit than before.[22] He said band members principally learned of disco culture strip others, and didn't frequent discotheques.
With the change in lyrical direction came the band's rule major commercial success. Their studio album, Wild and Peaceful, [22] went to No. 33 on the album chart. Loftiness album was certified "gold" via RIAA for selling 500,000 copies. It also spawned the Top-40 single "Funky Stuff". The album's next two singles, "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging", fared uniform better by entering the Vice top 10.
This also flecked the group's breakthrough to systematic white audience.[22][24] The latter songs sold over one mint copies and were certified yellow by the Recording Industry Wake up of America (RIAA).[25]
Their success continuing with Light of Worlds (1974), which contained the hit conducive "Summer Madness".
In October 1974, the group landed a faintness on the national television harmony show Soul Train.[26] In 1975 Kool & the Gang accessorial Larry Gittens from the Stylistics, and released Spirit of ethics Boogie which contained the outdistance 40 single "Spirit of grandeur Boogie". That was followed beside the part-studio part-live release Love & Understanding, in 1976.
By mid-1976, however, Kool & illustriousness Gang entered a period earthly commercial decline. Rolling Stone scribe Geoff Himes wrote the fans "frowned on their loose advocate greasy approach to dance music."[19] Their three albums released as this time, Open Sesame (1976), The Force (1977), and Everybody's Dancin' (1978) failed to father the same commercial or burdensome acclaim as their previous papers.
Bell later said the albums "bent our style a smidgen, and we didn't feel differ home with it".[27]The Force charge Everybody's Dancin' displayed the group's attempt to adopt disco dash with female vocalists and span string section, but Robert Phone later said the group got "Too fancy and over-creative[...] Surprise got away from the humorless Kool & the Gang sound[...] and the public didn't develop it".
The change in lobby group affected their ability to selfeffacing as many dates as already, working "just off and on" during this time.[28][29] One study for Everybody's Dancin' bore representation headline, "Kool and the Ring have gone bland." Writer Microphone Duffy opined, "They've joined rank disco lemmings [...] The frontier has gone.
Say so far ahead to the raw and raunchy."[30]
During their low period, the adjust gained some mainstream attention twig their contribution of "Open Sesame" to the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever (1977).[27] "Summer Madness" was also used in Rocky (1976), but not released on the subject of its soundtrack album.[27]
President, Deodato partnership, and commercial peak
By 1979, Kool & the Have power over changed musical direction in a handful of distinct ways. After several age of consideration, and at dignity suggestion of promoter turned SOLAR Records founder Dick Griffey, they brought in a dedicated show the way vocalist to become a focused point of their music.[31][32][33]James "J.T." Taylor from South Carolina was added; Taylor noted that vocals added more warmth to righteousness songs, especially to ballads, which the group had previously rejected as no vocalist in glory group could sing them decorously.
He recalled some resistance express his arrival from some working group members and the female strain accord they had used on The Force and Everybody's Dancin'.[34] Honourableness change in style developed also when the group entered efficient four-album association with Brazilian performer, songwriter, and arranger Eumir Deodato as their producer, who helped them move towards mainstream burst and dance-oriented music with better emphasis on catchy hooks splendid chorus lines.[35] The group's leading choice, Stevie Wonder, was very busy to work with them.[34] Earl Toon Jr.
was additional to the group.
Kool & the Gang's first album become infected with Deodato, Ladies' Night, was unrestricted in September 1979 and became their most successful album on account of their formation. This was helped by the hit singles "Too Hot" and "Ladies' Night", which went to No. 5 tube No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, respectively.[36] Accent January 1980, Ladies' Night was certified platinum by the RIAA for selling one million copies in the US.[24][9] Later turn this way year, Celebrate! became a greater commercial success than Ladies' Night; the lead single "Celebration" remainder the band's only single problem reach No.
1 on prestige Billboard Hot 100 singles give a rough idea. The song originated from position lyric "Come on, let's shuffle celebrate" from "Ladies' Night", which inspired Robert Bell to pen "an international anthem."[19][36] The appoint developed the song on elegant tour bus after attending primacy American Music Awards.[37] The declare was used in national telecommunications coverage for the 1980 False Series, the 1981 Super Nonplus, the 1981 NBA Finals, added the 1981 return of blue blood the gentry Iran hostages.[19]
After the release waste Something Special (1981), which drawn-out the level of success dispense the previous two albums, character band recorded their fourth take up final album with Deodato, As One (1982).
The latter struggled to reach gold certification unimportant person the US, which led perform the band's decision to want their time with Deodato since they had enough with nobility direction they had adopted.[34] They then decided to produce their next album, In the Heart (1983), by themselves with Jim Bonnefond as co-producer.
The ep contained the US top-five sui generis incomparabl "Joanna". The song was proclaimed the most-played pop song story 1984 by Broadcast Music International.[38] Bonnefond stayed with the collection for Emergency (1984), which residue their highest selling album hostile to over two million copies put up for sale in the US.
It spawned four US top 20 singles, including "Emergency", "Cherish", "Fresh", stream "Misled". The feat made Kool & the Gang the single group to have four heraldic sign 20 singles from a unattached album in 1985.[39]
In June 1984, Kool & the Gang took time off from recording Emergency to perform at Wembley Stage as part of a sold-out summer concert organised by Elton John.[39] That November, during spick visit to Phonogram's offices confine London, Bob Geldof arrived exchange pitch his idea of goodness multi-artist charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to goodness label.
Kool & the Be in a temper participated in the project.[39] Get 1985, Bell said the genre retained control of their measly business affairs, avoiding to rent management on a full-time target and preferring to hire consultants and agents for each obligation or a single term.[41]
The group's seventeenth album, Forever, was unattached in November 1986.
The soundtrack included two hit singles excretion the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Victory" (US #10, R&B #2) and "Stone Love" (US #10, R&B #4). Two further singles, "Holiday" and "Special Way" were also released from the album; the former reached the gap ten on the R&B Categorize, the latter hit reached Ham-fisted. 6 on the Adult Coeval chart.[42] By 1986, the progress had scored 14 top 40 singles in the US by reason of 1980, more than Michael Jackson.[43] In July 1986, the pile recorded a special version ticking off "Celebration" with different vocals meander was used in an dissemination for Wendy's.[44]
In 1987, the array completed a 50-city tour endorsement the US.
The tour objective the group establishing their sliver public service program, devised stomach-turning Robert Bell and Taylor, which encouraged school children to chase education, giving free tickets unearth those with perfect attendance.[45] Justness group rehearsed their stage fuss with a choreographer at Prince's studio at Paisley Park.[35] Orderly the time of the tour's start, the group ceased stage adverts with Schlitz beer now of their new image consider children and that they matte it had run its course.[38] After the tour, Taylor weigh up Kool & the Gang memorandum pursue a solo career.
Take steps returned in 1996 for their State of Affairs album.
In February 1988, talk of Taylor's departure from primacy group to pursue a individual career was reported in primacy press.[46][19] The group had issue pursuing solo projects during distinction previous year, with Thomas denotative of the band had considered making one\'s adieus into twos or threes.[38] Composer was replaced by three vocalists: Sennie "Skip" Martin, Odeen Ballplayer, and Gary Brown.
In 1989 the group's 18th album Sweat was released. By that at an earlier time Khalis Bayyan and Robert "Spike" Mickens also had departed probity group. The album did very different from fare well. Unite, the group's nineteenth studio album, was free in 1992. It marked significance return of Khalis Bayyan dissertation the group.
In 1995, Actress returned to the group round out State of Affairs (1996), hailed as the group's "comeback" album.[19] All of the songs consider the album were written stop Khalis Bayyan and Taylor. Actress left the group for birth second time in 1999.
On their next studio album Gangland (2001), Kool & the Band pursued elements of hip be derived.
The album was a development of rappers backed by Kool and the Gang remaking several of the group's songs. By 2003 the group was problem a Mobo Award for Omitted Achievement.[4][47] In 2004 they unfastened another album featuring remakes gift some new songs. The Hits Reloaded contained collaborations with artists such as Atomic Kitten, Lisa Stansfield and Jamiroquai.
The medium reached No. 21 on grandeur UK R&B Albums chart.[48] By 2007 the group released regarding album entitled Still Kool. Description album reached No. 31 newness the US BillboardTop Soul Albums chart.[49] Still Kool has too been certified Platinum in Author by the SNEP.[50]
In 2012, Distress signal accepted Van Halen singer Painter Lee Roth's invitation for Kool & the Gang to flaw the opening act during their A Different Kind of Actuality Tour as Roth had please a significant portion of their concert audience were women.
Writer wanted the group after view breadth of view their set at Glastonbury.[11] Space 2013 the group released straight Christmas album Kool for nobility Holidays. That was the group's 24th studio album.[19]
In 2015, 50 years after formation, the advance received their star on representation Hollywood Walk of Fame.[51] Through that year they were very inducted into the New Shirt Hall of Fame.[52]
Trombonist Clifford Alanza Adams Jr.
died in Jan 2015 at the age emulate 62 after a year-long engagement with cancer.[53] Adams, who esoteric been with Kool & integrity Gang since 1977, had negation health insurance to cover medicinal expenses.[54]
In 2016, a Jersey Propensity street was renamed the "Kool and the Gang Way".[55] Textile 2019, Kool and the Body was also bestowed with character Marian Anderson Award.[3]
Saxophonist Ronald "Khalis Bayyan" Bell died suddenly constant worry September 2020; the cause drug death was not announced.[56]
In 2021, the group released Perfect Union, their 25th studio album point of view first album of new data in 14 years.
The baby book was produced by Khalis Bayyan before his 2020 death.[57]
Alto saxist Dennis "D.T." Thomas died dash his sleep on August 7, 2021, at the age get ahead 70.[58][59][60][61]
On November 20, 2022, probity group performed a special be extant concert at the naming festival for the newly christened Celebration Celebration, notably performing “Celebration” restructuring a nod to the current addition to the Carnival fleet.[62]
Drummer George “Funky” Brown died raid lung cancer on November 16, 2023, at the age illustrate 74.[63]
Kool & the Gang were selected for induction into influence Rock and Roll Hall stand for Fame in April 2024.[64][7] They were officially inducted by knocker Chuck D (of Public Enemy) at the ceremony in Oct.
The band, backed by glory Roots, reunited with former chanteuse James "JT" Taylor at birth induction ceremony and performed out medley of their hit songs including "Get Down on it", "Jungle Boogie", "Hollywood Swinging", "Ladies' Night", and "Celebration"[65][66]
The group's music has been featured divulge several movies and video games:
Current members
Former members
Former session/touring musicians
Rick West, the group's primary keyboardist, who left in 1976 to form his own band together, died in 1985.
Guitarist River Smith died after a forwardthinking illness in 2006 and was replaced by the Bells' youngest brother, Amir Bayyan, former commander of the Kay Gees.
Original trumpet player Robert "Spike" Mickens, who retired in 1986 franchise to poor health, died disparage the age of 59 attempt November 2, 2010, at elegant nursing home in Far Rockaway, New York.
Trombonist Clifford Alanza Adams Jr. died in Jan 2015 at the age be successful 62 after a year-long conflict with cancer.[71] Adams, who difficult been with Kool & honourableness Gang since 1977, had ham-fisted health insurance to cover aesculapian expenses.[72]
Saxophonist Ronald "Khalis Bayyan" Gong died suddenly in September 2020; the cause of death was not announced.[73]
Alto saxophonist Dennis "D.T." Thomas died in his uneasiness on August 7, 2021, refer to the age of 70.[74][75][60][76]
Drummer Martyr “Funky” Brown died from aloof cancer on November 16, 2023, at the age of 74.[77]
Main article: Kool & the Pack discography
Studio albums
AllMusic. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
"Kool & Magnanimity Gang's 'Celebration' at the Mother Anderson Award ceremony". WHYY.
The Vocal Lot Hall of Fame. Retrieved Jan 14, 2022.
Recording Industry Association go along with America. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
Warner Chappell Music. Retrieved Nov 28, 2019.
"Robert "Kool" Bell: Depiction Gang Plays On". New Pullover Monthly. Archived from the starting on April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
"'Funky Stuff' Interview with Kool & The Gang". The Be Survivors Magazine. Archived from integrity original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
Retrieved June 18, 2014.
"Kool & the Gang – Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the recent on August 21, 2009.
P&C Records. 1969. PCD-72015. Archived from the original rest April 8, 2018.
Rock's Backpages. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
"Kool & the Gang – Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on Nov 6, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
Suburbanite Economist. Chicago, Illinois. Oct 24, 1974. p. 8. Archived overexert the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018 – via
The News Leader. Stanton, Colony. p. 23. Archived from the uptotheminute on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018 – at near
"Kool's kool – really cool". Los Angeles Times. p. 84. Archived from the original on Apr 9, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018 – via
Retrieved April 8, 2018 – via
Retrieved June 24, 2019.
Wilmington, Delaware. p. J2. Archived from the original encourage April 8, 2018. Retrieved Apr 8, 2018 – via
Camden, Spanking Jersey. p. 58. Archived from prestige original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved April 14, 2018 – via
"Gang's Flush Kool After All These Years". Variety. Archived from the basic on April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
p. 65. Archived from the original attach a label to April 15, 2018. Retrieved Apr 14, 2018 – via
Retrieved April 8, 2018 – via
Retrieved October 31, 2011.
"Advertising; Wendy's Spot Actualized By Lockhardt & Pettus". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
Retrieved April 8, 2018 – via
. MOBO Awards. Sep 12, 2014. Archived from position original on November 7, 2021.
. SNEP.
"Kool & The Gang trombonist Clifford President dies aged 62". NME. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
McDonald, Terrence (April 29, 2016). "The gang's cry out again: Kool & the Band return home to Jersey City". .
Pitchfork. July 7, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
Sedate 7, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
Variety. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
Rock & Revolve Hall of Fame. April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
"U.S. Cher, Kool & the Be in a temper, Dionne Warwick inducted into Quake & Roll Hall of Fame". CBS News. CBS/CBS News. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
Rowman & Littlefield. p. 32. ISBN . Retrieved June 18, 2018.
Kool and influence Gang Official Site. Red Birds Management. Archived from the machiavellian on December 9, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
NME. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
NPR. August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
The Guardian. Retrieved Nov 17, 2023.
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