Kool & The Gang [2023] - People Just Wanna Have Fun [Astana Music] (Full Album)

We couldn't remember when Kool & The Gang last released a new album so had to check and of course it wasn't that long ago as they released "Perfect Union" in Aug 2021. Today they release their 34th studio album "People Just Wanna Have Fun".

We are told that this album includes some studio work by two now deceased founding members, horn players Ronald 'Khalis' Bell (d. 2020) and Dennis 'D.T. Thomas (d. 2021).

Their latest single "Let's Party" was released on 11 Jul which did nothing for us as the title says it all really! However, trawling through the album tracks our ears were pricked by "Movie Star" which sounds like Prince meets Parliament/Funkadelic if that sound floats your boat.

We're afraid to say that album didn't really float our boat. It's full of funk and party jams i.e. funky dance music that borders on pop but if that's your bag then perhaps you'll enjoy it. We thought that out of 15 tracks there would perhaps be some we could call remotely soulful but sadly only really one, "That's What I Love About You".

It came close with "Obsession" and "My Weakness" which goes off with some rock style guitar sections. A couple of tracks have a Latin or Caribbean flavour but in general there is not much of real interest to the soul listener apart from "That's What I Love About You" and perhaps the closing track "99 Miles To JC" which has some nice jazzy saxophone solos and a Latin feel but also has some Snoop Dogg style rap by an unnamed rapper who we believe is Ole' just to alert those who are adverse to rap! By the way, we assume JC refers to their home town Jersey City where they were formed in 1964.

Another anomaly on Amazon as it is listed for sale on vinyl and CD with a release date of 21 Jul, but doesn't appear to be available digitally (as yet).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

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Details

Rating:	7.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Funk
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital /CD / Vinyl
Label:	Astana Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/07/2023 / 21/07/2023
Price:	£TBC /£13.31 / £29.22

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Kool & The Gang [1979] - Too Hot [De-Lite #DE-802]

Continuing the 'hot' theme today, Kool & The Gang from "Ladies Night" 1979. Also a version with Lisa Stansfield from "Kool & The Gang and Friends" 2016.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	De-Lite
Cat No:	DE-802
Date:	1979
Key/BPM:	6A/105
Price:	£1 (approx.)

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Lance Ferguson v Skyline v Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness / Sadness

A nice lazy Sunday vibe! That London bus syndrome arises again as Lance Ferguson released another track from his forthcoming "Rare Grooves Spectrum Vol. 2" yesterday (21 Jan 2022)  (album is due next Friday 28 Jan) and as if by magic a group called Skyline also released a version of the same track on the same day, which of course is Kool & the Gang's classic "Summer Madness".

The song has been sampled literally hundred of times by the likes of Snoop Dogg "Doggy Dogg World" (1993), Ice Cube "You Know How We Do It" (1993), Aaliyah "A Girl Like Me" (1996) and, probably most famously, by DJ Jazzy Fresh & Fresh Prince "Summertime" (1991).

I've included some great vintage footage of Kool & the Gang performing the song 'live' on Soul Train back in the day, 'probably' 1975, as it was originally released as a B side to "Spirit Of The Boogie" which was their third #1 US R&B hit and Summer Madness reached #36 so it must have been flipped.

Kool & The Gang [2021] - Perfect Union [Omnivore] (Full Album)

Kool & The Gang released the rap version of "Pursuit Of Happiness" at the beginning of last month as a 'teaser' for their first album of new material since 2007, "Perfect Union", which is released today.

It is tinged with sadness as founding member Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas died earlier this month (7 Aug) and another of the founders, Ronald Bell (Khalis Bayyan), died last year. 

The best tracks on first scan through are "Pursuit Of Happiness", the Latin flavoured "High". It's not a bad album at all without being outstanding as no tracks immediately jump out at me. The 'weakest track in my opinion is "Good Time" as I find it a bit poppy and 'formulaic' in an effort to emulate their hits of the 80s i.e. Celebration et al .. so no doubt (as I've said that) that's the one that will do well!

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Omnivore
Cat No:	None
Date:	20/08/2021
Value:	£7.99

Kool & The Gang [2021] - Pursuit Of Happiness (Rap Version) [Omnivore]

The lead single "Pursuit Of Happiness (Rap Version)" from  a new Kool & The Gang album titled "Perfect Reunion" scheduled for release on 20 Aug 2021. Don't despair as the album will contain a non-rap version of the single which sounds to me like something R. Kelly could have recorded. Both were originally scheduled for release in Apr. I believe that this will be their first album of new material since "Still Kool" in 2007.

The song was written in 2012 by, the now late, Ronald Bell (aka Khalis Bayyan) as a song of hope during president Obama's re-election campaign.

I can only find it on YT currently, it is not on any of the DSP's, so I imagine that this is a 'teaser' for the forthcoming album rather than an official release?

UPDATE: It was released today (9 Jul 2021) and is available on the usual DSP's.

Kool & The Gang should need little introduction. They were formed by brothers Robert and Ronald Bell along with five of their school friends from New Jersey in 1964 as a jazz band called the Jazziacs Several name changes ensued including The Soul Town Band and The New Dimensions and they started playing Motown covers. By 1967 they decided to form their own identity and renamed themselves Kool & The Flames. later changed to Kool & The Gang in 1969 under advice of their manager Gene Redd to avoid conflict with James Brown & The Famous Flames.

They released their first single as the first release on Gene Redd's Red Coach label (most famous to rare soul followers for being the label The Carstairs "It Really Hurts Me Girl" was discovered on), and was a funky instrumental with the same title as the band's name, with another funk instrumental on the flip "Raw Hamburger". Redd became a producer on a new label De-Lite who then signed Kool & The Gang and released the Red Coach 45 on the new label.

Robert Bell witnessed the stage performance of another New Jersey group, Willie (Feaster) & The Mighty Magnificents (signed to All Platinum who released the funk masterpiece "Funky (8) Corners", sampled, and speeded up, by WMCA DJ Frankie 'Love Man' Crocker for "Ton Of Dynamite" on All Platinum subsidiary Turbo the same year which became a popular tune on the Northern Soul scene years later) and realised that they had to up their game if they wanted to be stage performers. 

They had some success in the mid 70s with their 70s street funk sound "Funky Stuff" (#29), "Jungle Boogie"(#4) and "Hollywood Swinging" (#8) being their biggest hits, along with minor hits for "Summer Madness" (#35) featured in "Rocky" movie and "Open Sesame" (#55) featuring in Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and the only track I'm aware of played on the Northern Soul scene by them. 

It was the early 80s under the production of Eumir Deodato and the addition of lead singer James "J.T." Taylor, when they began to hit pay dirt again with a string of hits including ten US top 10 hits between 1979-86: "Ladies Night", "Too Hot", "Celebration", "Get Down On It", "Joanna", "Fresh", "Misled", "Cherish", "Victory" and "Stone Love".

I've also embedded a video interview with Robert 'Kool' Bell from earlier this year which covers a little of their history.

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Album
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	Omivore
Year:	20/08/2021
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£?

Paprika Soul ... once again!

I've come across another couple of Paprika Soul cover versions.  These guys are currently in the UK Soul Chart with Standing Right There, but last year released their version of Kool & The Gang's classic Summer Madness (sampled by Will Smith's altar ego DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince - Summertime in 1991).

Paprika Soul [2019] - Summer Madness EP [Alan Barnes Productions # ABP PR22]

Paprika Soul [1991] - Paprika Soul [Baseline #BASL005CD]

Cover version of Lowrell (Simon) jazz funk classic Mellow Mellow Right On which first came out on their debut self-titled album in 1991, which was reissued in 2001 and is also on Song Birds promo CD from 2018.