Kool & the Gang - The Best of Kool & the Gang 1969-1976

The acid-jazzers of the '90s could learn a thing or five from the pre-"Ladies Night" Kool and the Gang. They were one of the tightest funk acts around, and this best-of finds them leaping from highlight to highlight. While their lyrics are sometimes just (admittedly sage) chants like "Love the Life You Live," the Gang also earn A-plusses for brashness ("Jungle Boogie," "Spirit of the Boogie"), tongue-in-cheek self-aggrandizement ("Hollywood Swinging"), and surreal antiheroin ranting ("Rhyme Tyme People"). --Rickey Wright Amazon.com

"I can't get enough, of those Funky Horns!"

This is my all-time funk group and Kool & the Gang at their best! I love the JT era, but this CD is who Kool & the Gang really are! I can't get enough of those horns! My favorite song on here is "Hollywood Swinging, but the best song on here is "Who's Gonna Take the Weight" Aw man, the Gang was in a zone on that song! Couldn't nobody touch them on the horns! Get this CD now, because it is a real Kool CD! June 14, 2008

Kool jazz by kool & the gang

Great improvization and horn section work. Kool is an underrated bassist, the vocals arent the best but in who's gonna take the weight, summer madness(live) and kg is some of the best music of the era. December 1, 2007

Gets better as the years go by

I bot this after hearing Jungle Boogie on Pulp Fiction. For years, I programmed JB, Summer Madness and Spirit of the Boogie as the rest of the CD only got played minimally.

But now, 13 years after I bot this CD, I would have to say it has reached the maximum peak level for me (so far). Some of the songs don't have the immediacy with respect to hooks as say, Spirit of the Boogie. However, they definitely have a serious groove. The rest of the reviews are spot on with this disc. I am surprised most people seemed to "get it" right away unlike me as this CD does not have obvious melody lines.

But this is really very nice to have playing in the background when you are doing stuff as it certainly lends to a funky upbeat vibe.

It amazes me how progressive and fantastic music was back in those days. I guess Golden Ages don't last forever in any field. September 12, 2007

Those were the days.

Ok, growin up in the nation's capital I remember going to the "Friday night" dance at the local community center and the dj put on "Kool & The Gang" (the first single). All of us were dancing. (jr high shcool dayz). Kool & The gang was puttin out some FONKAY Stuff man. I mean, "Who's gonna take the weight", "Chocolate Buttermilk" "Let the Music take Your Mind". And the drummer George was not bull crappin on those drums man. This is my favorite era of Kool & The Gang. I did not care from them after "Ladies night". Not hating "Celebrate" or the other songs but in my opinion they sounded like that thier funk card had been revoked. Of course "Get Down On It" was a great record, but nothing like the early days. My favorite is "Love The Life You Live". I love the entire song with it's jazz horn line and plusating beat. Those were the days. January 12, 2006

Funky, cool, jazzy...

Essential for the casual Kool and the Gang fan. This CD contains many of their relatively early hits. It makes an excellent complement to their later work as contained in the "Millenium Collection" series. October 10, 2005

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