Their catalogue is so huge I don't know what to pick. Hell, I can't even find a good compilation by them.

Mind to give a sista some clues?

Here's the compilation I have:


This one is cool for people who dig the 80's stuff. I was born in '75, so i grew up on stuff like "Too Hot" and "Ladies' Night"

Here's a tracklisting:

1. Celebration

2. Get Down On It

3. Fresh

4. Too Hot

5. Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)

6. Let's Go Dancin' (Ooh La, La, La)

7. Misled

8. Cherish - (12" mix)

9. Ladies Night

10. Steppin' Out

11. Joanna

12. In The Heart

13. Take It To The Top

14. Tonight - (12" mix)

15. No Show

16. Straight Ahead

17. Stone Love

The other compilation precedes that one:



This is for fans of the older stuff.

1. Funky Stuff
2. Who's Gonna Take The Weight, Pts. I & II
3. Rhyme Tyme People
4. Hollywood Swinging
5. Love The Life You Live, Pts. I & II
6. Give It Up
7. Chocolate Buttermilk
8. Jungle Boogie
9. Let The Music Take Your Mind (Extended Version)
10. Open Sesame, Pt. II
11. Kool It (Here Comes The Fuzz)
12. Summer Madness (Live)
13. N.T., Pts. I & II
14. Pneumonia
15. Love & Understanding (Come Together)
16. Spirit Of The Boogie

Enjoy!
P.S. Kool & The Gang was my first concert.
Ohio State Fair, 198-somethin'.

Thats what I'm talking about

What about their albums? Whats the best one?

I feel kinda guilty for not knowing their shit quite well.

Harlepolis said:

Don't feel guilty, 'cause I really don't know much more than what I posted.
Hopefully, some of the "true funk soldiers" up in here will step up.

"Wild and Peaceful" is an early album before JT Taylor joined and made them disco, just "funky stuff" (my favorite tune on this album)

"Good Times" is another early one that is in regular rotation for it's funkiness.

trufunk solider reporting for duty

Slave2daGroove said:

That's the tiniest avatar I've ever seen.

OdysseyMiles said:

Oh, yeah. *This'll* be the one I'll pick up. I never could get into them after JT joined the band.

Damn right!!! Give me that good ol' FUNKY STUFF! Their 80's music never did it for me.

The later JT Kool & The Gang is okay if you like lite-pop-funk. (I personally can't stand it.)

summer madness is the ultimate r&b instrumental ever!!!!

Harle, pick up the compilation with the older stuff. It's more 'you'.

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

I co-sign TOFKA on this.
This is all the pre-JT/pre-POP stuff when they were seriously throwing down.

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

U should get this 1:

Gangthology
This 2cd set is so awsome cuz it features some of their rare jazzier stuff
from the early days.Also it includes the studioversion of Summer madness
Pleeeeease follow my advise on this 1 Harle,just this once!!!
/peace Manki

OdysseyMiles said:

Good calls!

1969-1976 is my favorite. They got pretty mainstream when JT joined the Gang. They've got a Spanish version of "Celebration" but I don't own it.
[Edited 10/1/04 19:44pm]

manki said:

you beat me to it. This is the best compilation of theirs I've seen.

manki said:

I always do, baby

But hell yeah, I might go with this one along with that 69-76 compilation. Dug their lata stuff but not enough to listen SERIOUSLY!

You guys are the va va voom bomb diggity for the nice feedback, thanx ya'll

Harlepolis said:

Good decision.

The Gangthology comp fills the holes left from the The Best of Kool & the Gang 1969-1976 disc.
(It's just got too much J.T. for my taste.)

Breeze & Soul
Sea of Tranquility
More Funky Stuff
Street Corner Symphony
Electric Frog
Lucky For Me
I Remember John W. Coltrane
Heaven at Once
Sugar
Whiting H.&G.
Winter Sadness
You Don't Have To Change
Messenger of Wisdom
Free
Wild & Peaceful


Kool and the Gang (1st album)

These bangin' tunes from their 1st album should have been on one of those comps.
Kool's Back Again
The Gang's Back Again
Raw Hamburger



Music Is The Message (4th album)

This is a killer record, if you can find it, containing many tunes you can't get anywhere else.
Music Is The Message
Soul Vibrations (can be found on the Hollywood Swinging comp on Rebound)
Blowin' With the Wind
Funky Granny
The Penguin (can be found on the Hollywood Swinging comp on Rebound)

Other groovin' cuts:
North, East, South, West (from Good Times)
Rated X (from Good Times)
Light of Worlds (from Light of Worlds)
Caribbean Festival (from Spirit of the Boogie)

When it comes to down-to-earth raw funk grooves, after James Brown, this early time period of Kool & the Gang is the very next on my list.

A few more edit:
from Live at P.J.'s:
Ricksonata
Ronnie's Groove
Dujii

from Live at the Sex Machine:
Funky Man
What Would the World Be Like Without Music/Let The Music Take Your Mind

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm
[Edited 10/2/04 14:05pm]

theAudience said:

DAYMN ah well,,,here goes my wasted rent money next month but I don't mind one least bit

You know you're the shit, Audience

Good lookin' out.

uPtoWnNY said:

yeah the old shit is the good shit. and summer madness studio or live is my favorite.

My favorite Kool & The Gang album is "Ladies Night".

manki said:[quote]






Mannki,where can I get this set? i haven't seen it at any local record stores and last I checked,it wasn't at Amazon either
[Edited 10/4/04 3:13am]

DavidEye said:

Looks like allmusic has it: BUY IT

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

theAudience said:

Barnes & Noble,,,,thats the place.

Harlepolis said:

Just tryin' to help where I can.
Don't want you to do nothin' wrong

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm