''Kool and the Gang'' is the debut studio album by funk band
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...
. The album was released in December 1969, and charted on the Billboard R&B album chart at #43.
Singles
Singles "Kool and the Gang" and "Let The Music Take Your Mind" both reached No. 19 on the
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
Hot R&B Songs
Hot R&B Songs is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular R&B songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations, digital download sales and streaming data. It was establish ...
chart.
Track listing
De-Lite Records
De-Lite Records, whose formal name was De-Lite Recorded Sound Corporation, was a record label specializing in R&B music from 1969 to 1985; Island Records now manages the De-Lite catalog.
History
De-Lite Records was founded in 1967 by Fred Vigori ...
– DE-2003:
Personnel
* Dennis "D.T." Thomas –
alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
,
flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
, percussion, vocals
*
Khalis Bayyan
Ronald Nathan Bell (November 1, 1951 – September 9, 2020), also known as Khalis Bayyan, was an American composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, saxophonist and co-founding member of Kool & the Gang. The band recorded nine No. 1 R&B ...
– tenor and soprano saxophones, alto flute, vocals
* Robert "Spike" Mickens – trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals
*
Claydes Smith
Claydes "Charles" Smith (real name ''Claydes Eugene Smith''; September 6, 1948 – June 20, 2006) was an American musician best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of the group Kool & the Gang.
Biography
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, ...
– guitars
* Woody Sparrow – guitars
* Ricky West – keyboards, piano, vocals
*
Robert "Kool" Bell
Robert Earl "Kool" Bell (born October 8, 1950), also known by his Muslim name Muhammad Bayyan, is an American musician, singer & songwriter.
He is one of the founding members of the American R&B, soul, funk and disco band Kool & the Gang.
...
– bass, vocals
* George "Funky" Brown – drums, percussion, vocals
Singles
*"Kool & The Gang"/"Raw Hamburger" (#19 R&B/#59 pop) (1969)
*"The Gang's Back Again"/"Kool's Back Again" (#37/#85) (1969)
*"Let the Music Take Your Mind"/"Chocolate Buttermilk" (#19/#78) (1970)
References
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1969 debut albums
Kool & the Gang albums
De-Lite Records albums