Kool & The Gang as One

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." 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.

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." 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.

"Celebrate!" is the 12th studio album by American band Kool & the Gang. Released on September 29, 1980, the album reached #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 three decades later.

During their eight-year reign as one of the premiere R&B/funk bands, Kool & the Gang, featuring James "J.T." Taylor on lead, had one Top Ten hit after another and quite a few number one hits.

"Spirit of the Boogie" is the highly successful 6th studio album released in 1975 by Kool & the Gang. 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 (saxophone, trumpet and flute). References to earlier works can be noticed ("Ancestral Ceremony" contains the line: "making merry music…", which was the name of a song from their 1972 album, Good Times). "Spirit of the Boogie" features Donal 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 lots of room for improvisation.

"In the Heart" is the 15th studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released on November 21, 1983. The album became a hit and brought a return to the Billboard charts for the band. The hit love song, "Joanna", soared to #2 on the charts in the U.S. and UK, and hit #1 on the U.S. R&B chart. "Straight Ahead" was a Top 20 hit in the UK, while "Tonight" did the same in the U.S.

"Wild and Peaceful" is the 4th studio album, and 6th album of new material released by the funk band Kool & the Gang, and is their commercial breakthrough album. The album was released in 1973 and was hugely successful on the Billboard R&B chart reaching #6 and charting for 36 weeks. It also reached #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 3 Top 10 singles. "Funky Stuff" reached #5 R&B/#29 Pop. The hugely popular track "Jungle Boogie" soared to #2 R&B and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Hollywood Swinging" topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles in June 1974 while reaching #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.

"Wild and Peaceful" is the 4th studio album, and sixth album of new material released by the funk band Kool & the Gang, and is their commercial breakthrough album. The album was released in 1973 and was hugely successful on the Billboard R&B chart reaching #6 and charting for 36 weeks. It also reached #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 3 Top 10 singles. "Funky Stuff" reached #5 R&B/#29 Pop. The hugely popular track "Jungle Boogie" soared to #2 R&B and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Hollywood Swinging" topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles in June 1974 while reaching #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.