Kool and the Gang is an American group formed in 1964 in Jersey City by 2 brothers, Robert and Ronald Bell.
Originally the band was more Jazzy oriented and called "The Jazziacs".
It was renamed some time later "The Monikers", then "Soul town Review" (when the group accompanied the Temptations or the Four Tops), then "The new Dimensions", then "Kool and the flames".
Influenced by jazz but also by soul, they develop a unique style which they themselves call jazz-funk.
It was in 1969 that they took the name of Kool and the Gang, a name born from a confusion in a club when the announcer presented them as such.
The group enjoyed its first notorious success in 1973 with the release of the album "Wild and peaceful" which notably included the single "Jungle boogie".
In 1978, the arrival of a new singer, JT Taylor will completely change the deal and give a new breath to the group which will then chain tube on tube and this until 1986.
We will notably remember "Ladies night" in 1979, "Celebration" in 1980 which sells more than 2,000,000 million copies in the United States alone, "Get down on it" in 1981, "Let's go dancing" in 1982, "Joanna" in 1983… and a few others.
The story will end in 1987 with the departure of Taylor. Or so we think, but the group will come back later and continue to produce titles of certain quality...
To sum up, this group will have been a veritable tube factory, will have made millions of people dance on the planet as rarely before them and will go down in history as one of the greatest of the Funk epic in the USA.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
• The gangs back again 1969
• Who's gonna take the weight 1971
• Love the life you live 1972
• Funky stuff 1973
• Jungle boogie 1973
• Hollywood swinging 1974
• Spirit of the boogie 1975
• Open sesame 1976
• Slick superchick 1978
• Ladies’ night 1979
• Too hot 1979
• Hanging out 1980
• Celebration 1980
• Take it to the top 1981
• Jones Vs Jones 1981
• Take my heart (You can have it if you want it) 1981
• Steppin' out 1981
• Get down on it 1981
• Big fun 1982
• Let’s go dancing 1982
• Hi de hi, Hi de ho 1982
• Straight ahead 1983
• Joanna 1983
• Tonight 1984
• Fresh 1984
• Misled 1984
• Cherish 1985
• Emergency 1985
• Victory 1986
• Stone love 1987
• Holiday 1987
• Rags to riches 1988
• Raindrops 1989
• (Jump up on the) Rhythm and ride 1992
• Salute to the ladies 1996
• In the hood 1996
• Life in the 90's 1996
• Steppin' into love 2006
• Everything's gonna change 2007
• Someone like you 2007
• Sexy (Where'd you get yours) 2016
• Pursuit of happiness 2021
• High 2021
• Good time 2021
Clips :
1969 ... how to imagine with this first title the incredible destiny that awaits this group in the years to come. And yet, it is the same who will smash everything for the next 20 years ...
1971 ... for now, mainly the instrumental sprinkled with a hint of lyrics. Difficult to make a mega hit under these conditions but it still works a minimum
1972 ... an adventure which is struggling to take off for the moment but which is slowly but surely gaining momentum. Let them have time ...
1973 ... the style is structured and the results in the Charts are affected. Rather auspicious for the continuation of the events ...
1973 ... a style which pleases more and more and which allows them especially to obtain their first planetary hit. The hardest step has just been passed, they just have to unfold !
1974 ... well, it is clear that for the moment, it will unfold quietly. This will remain the case until almost the end of the decade. A decade 70 which will especially be used for the group to break in ...
1975 ... there will not be many evolutions in the style of the group until the end of the decade from where a certain stagnation in the Charts ...
1976 ... the least we can say is that it grooves serious. The general trend is given from the start : it will be Dance, Dance, Dance !
1978 ... evolution is slow but certain. There's not much missing to see them reach the big leagues. Something that can not delay ...
1979 ... then comes THIS title ! The hit that will change everything and reveal them to the eyes of the whole world. They simply sign here one of the biggest Dance hits of the 70s. MAS-TER-FUL !
1979 ... in Serial Lovers mode. And it works ! After an almost uninterrupted surge of Dances titles, they are suddenly in Intimist mode, an area in which they will also do wonders ...
1980 ... the 'Kool and the Gang' style is now fully operational and just waiting to show what he can do. And we will quickly realize that he is capable of the best !
1980 ... back to Dance. And not just any ! This mega hit literally set fire to all Dancefloor on the planet and will undoubtedly remain as one of their biggest record hits. MAS-TER-FUL !
1981 ... a unique and inimitable style which becomes their trademark and which they will keep until the end
1981 ... they now alternate Dance and Intimist with obvious mastery. Versatility that shows the full extent of truly extraordinary talent
1981 ... a foolish year which saw them align mega hit with mega hit. A surge that nothing and no one can stop now
1981 ... they will produce no less than 5 mega hits that year, just that. Unquestionably one of the major groups of the moment at the planetary level
1981 ... but it is without counting on this title there which remains to this day one of the titles among the most emblematic of this end of the XXth century. A monument of Dance all by itself ! A-MA-ZING !
1982 ... 1981 was an exceptional year for the group. The year 1982 will more or less approach it. Yes Yes, it's possible !
1982 ... once again the proof with this title. The group is then at its peak and literally flies to a stratospheric attitude !
1982 ... a style that hardly changes. And which clearly sets them apart from the competition, a competition to which they leave only crumbs ...
1983 ... a unique dance touch that works every time. How did they find the magic recipe ? Only they know the answer ...
1983 ... not bad the little guys on the ballad side. Back in Serial Lovers mode and it succeeds rather well, to say the least
1984 ... the years pass and the hits accumulate, accumulate, accumulate ... An inspiration without limit and that does not weaken by an Iota !
1984 ... the ultimate consecration with this title which will surely remain as their biggest Dance hit. All Dancefloor on the planet still remember it. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1984 ... one could say that at some point, production will weaken and that they cannot continue at such a rate. What a denial. They can do it !
1985 ... the WONDER ! A beautiful Ultimate Slow that shows the full extent of their talent. And talent, they have everything to spare. MA-GIC !
1985 ... contract largely fulfilled for the year : Intimist mega hit followed by a Dance mega hit. The total !
1986 ... we might have thought that they gave everything this time ... Still not, they still have the little guys under the pedal !
1987 ... well, this time, it is beginning to feel the end. 7 years of non-stop mega planetary hits, who says better ?
1987 ... the last notorious hit. An exceptional adventure that ends quietly but surely ...
1988 ... the group still produces some major titles but without common measure compared to what they have done so far in terms of quality
1989 ... the end clap. A decade which is ending, just like the dazzling career of a group which will remain as one of the biggest Dance groups of this end of the XXth century !
1992 ... come on, it's not quite over yet. They will try to move on to the next decade, but when it does not want anymore, it does not want anymore. This time, it is indeed the end ...
1996 ... at least the end of the large-scale success in the Charts because the group will continue its adventure no matter what. And given what they continue to offer, they would be wrong to deny it ...
1996 ... it is clear that the group will never again find the incredible level of success encountered during the 1980s, but he has nothing to be ashamed of what he now offers, that's for sure ...
1996 ... too bad that the general public went to look elsewhere because the group would have deserved a little more recognition during this decade 90. Hard law of the trade ...
2006 ... then much more interesting for almost 10 years. Here they are back in the 2000s in a form that we will qualify as certain. Certain, but not sufficient to return to the front of the stage for a long time ...
2007 ... the years may pass, just like the decades, their qualitative level in the Intimist register, it, does not weaken by an Iota. Beautiful feat !
2007 ... this one is not bad in the same genre either. A little more than 35 years after their debut, the group continues to ensure, to say the least !
2016 ... a new 10 years air hole and here they are back in this decade of 2010. They do not let go and continue to believe in it even a little. Right after, wrongly or rightly, that's something else ...
2021 ... they disappear as fast as they reappear now. It's not easy to build customer loyalty under these conditions, that's for sure ...
2021 ... what is still impressive is that 40 years after starting the adventure, the little guys are still there. Exceptional longevity ...
2021 ... so, last title or not ? Knowing that with them nothing is ever finished, there is a good chance that they will be found later ...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :