Kool & The Gang - one of music's most influential bands. Picture Supplied
Kool & The Gang isn’t just a band with a string of hits. They’re a soundtrack for generations.
With a career spanning six decades, two Grammy Awards, 25 top ten R&B hits, and an incredible influence as the most sampled R&B band of all time, they’ve created music that’s as familiar as a longtime lover.
Their songs have been present at celebrations worldwide, from weddings and reunions to late-night boogies.
In November the band is touring South Africa along with the Earth Wind and Fire Experience in Gauteng and Cape Town.
“We’re definitely looking forward to coming to South Africa,” said founding member and bass player Robert “Kool” Bell. “You’ll hear the hits of the 70s and 80s, the songs people still dance to – from Jungle Boogie and Ladies Night to Get Down on It and, of course, Celebration,” he said.
It all started in 1964 with a group of jazz-loving teens in New Jersey who first called themselves The Jazziacs. Together, they developed a sound that combined jazz, funk and soul in a way that had never been heard before.
“We went by a few names in the early days,” Bell shared. “We were first The Jazziacs, then Kool & The Flames, but because James Brown had ‘The Famous Flames’, we didn’t want any trouble with The Godfather.”
So, they eventually settled on Kool & The Gang. In 1969, officially launched what would become one of the most timeless bands in music history.
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Four years after becoming Kool & The Gang, the 1973 album Wild & Peaceful spawned the hits Hollywood Swinging and Jungle Boogie”.
From those chart moments onward, they were unstoppable, and their influence in music only grew. It was hit after hit and award after award.
Yet, according to Bell the one bit of recognition that they had always wanted only came earlier this year with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“We played with everyone, from Elton John to Van Halen, and we always wondered – when would we get a little love? Finally, that came around, and it felt great.”
Despite the honour, he noted the absence of several founding members who have since passed. “It’s bittersweet because we all wanted to be in the Hall of Fame together, but it means a lot, especially for my brother and me, since we’re from Ohio, where the Hall of Fame is.”
Accolades aside, being sampled or highly influential musically is probably the highest compliment anyone can pay an artist. Kool & The Gang’s influence goes beyond their own hits. They are one of the most sampled bands in hip-hop, with their beats and horn riffs influencing today’s music. Their undertones can be heard in the tracks of artists like Jay-Z, Madonna, Janet Jackson, and the Beastie Boys. Bell sees it as a high compliment.
“Hip-hop just celebrated 50 years, and our music is all over it. It’s great to hear how our sounds are still influencing artists today,” he said. “It’s amazing to think that people keep falling in love with it, generation after generation.”
Versatility was very much a part of the band’s staying power and chart ability. “We can play jazz, we can play funk, we can play soul, and we can even play with symphonies,” Bell said. “Our range has been a gift, and it presented us with many opportunities. That’s why we’re still here.”
Yet these days producers often hold the cards because computers make the music. Bell said he was concerned that technology might eclipse the artistry of live musicianship. “It’s not just about guitars and drums anymore. Technology has changed things so much that there’s a risk of losing the musician,” he said. “When we play live, we play that sound and that’s what Kool & The Gang is about. We bring real music to audiences around the world.”
Throughout their career, the band has also used their influence to make a difference. A performance that remains unforgettable for Bell is a benefit concert in Nigeria for AIDS awareness, where they performed alongside African music legends like Miriam Makeba before a massive crowd. “We drew half a million people to spread a message: ‘No glove, no love’,” he shared. The event became part of a larger effort to raise awareness, especially for younger audiences, across Africa. It’s something that Bell still feels passionate about.
Bell is looking forward to reconnecting with fans in South Africa on 28 November at Grand West Arena in Cape Town and 30 November at Sunbet Arena in Pretoria. “It’s going to be a party, and we can’t wait to bring it to South Africa,” Bell said.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
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