Kool and the Gang

Listen/Download – Kool and the Gang – Funky Stuff

 

Greetings all.

I hope the new week finds you all well, not overly warm, and righteously funky.

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Before we commence with the week’s festivities, I threw the names of all the donors to the Funky16Corners 2015 Allnighter/Pledge Drive into a hat (donors who gave more than once went into the hat as many times as they donated) and the following folks won the following things, courtesy of the fine folks at Secret Stash and one prize from Fantastic Voyage:

Linda Ferguson –  2 2LP sets of the Mar-V-Lus and One-Derful labels

David Beasley  – 2 2LP sets of the Mar-V-Lus and One-Derful labels

Robert Gorney –  2 Valdons reissue 45s 

Randy Sherman  – 2 Valdons reissue 45s

Tony Crampton –  3CD set Jump Blues Jamaica Way: Jamaican Sound System Classics 1945-1960

Thanks to all of you that took the time to donate! Everything will go into the mail this week!

 

 

 

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It is in that spirit that I relate to you a brief tale of father/son musical bonding, combined with just a touch of home team rooting.

Whilst out motoring some place or other, with the radio cranked to a suitable volume, who should pop up on the playlist but the mighty Kool and the Gang.

I took the opportunity to let my son know, that if he were ever asked to provide evidence of homegrown (New Jersey) musical greatness, he need go no further than Jersey City’s own, Kool and the Gang.

I have spoken in this space previously about how Kool and the Gang were the purveyors of some of the first funk I ever really dug (listening on the lunchroom record player back in the 5th grade in Milford Brook School, when I was the same age my son is now), with the big hits from 1973’s ‘Wild and Peaceful’, ‘Jungle Boogie’ and ‘Hollywood Swinging’ (which is what was playing on the car radio…).

Though they are best known to a younger audience for their smoother stuff (‘Joanna’) and the ne plus ultra of wedding staples ‘Celebration’, Kool and the Gang got their start as purveyors of straight up funk, with jazz on the side (good jazz, too).

They had their first R&B Top 40 hit in 1969 with the eponymous ‘Kool and the Gang’, but it would take six more stabs at the charts before they entered the R&B Top 10 with today’s selection, ‘Funky Stuff’ in 1973.

‘Funky Stuff’ is – like most of the best Kool ish – filled with blazing horns, thumping bass and drums (listen to the depth of the kick drum) and tasty guitar.

The record made it into the Pop Top 30, also a first for the group, which would blow the f*ck up with ‘Jungle Boogie’ in December of ’73, making it to Number 1 R&B and Number 4 Pop.

This is first-rate, hip-bumping party music, straight outta the Garden State.

So dig it, and I’ll see you all on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

 

 

 

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).

 

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

2 Responses to “Kool and the Gang – Funky Stuff”

1. chekovsky says:

   July 13, 2015 at 11:15 am

   I love that early Kool & The Gang Stuff. I saw them two days ago at a city festival here in germany. I was pleased that they still did some early KG-stuff (“Funky Stuff” for example but I looked it up on youtube to check the live-setlist before, because I do not like their pop stuff). Too bad the brass section was not quite in tune and not on the one.

2. Randy says:

   July 14, 2015 at 5:50 am

   1969-1975 is the real Kool and the Gang. I especially love the first album and how dirty those drums sound.