Electric Soul Festival: Kool & the Gang

With: Level 42, Heather Small, The Brand New Heavies and Trevor Nelson

Electric Soul Festival

Saturday 7th Sep 2019

location_city The O2 Arena, Greenwich

Kool & the Gang

Successful US jazz-funk/disco-pop band formed in 1964.

The band features founder members, Robert "Kool" Bell on bass and George "Funky" Brown on drums.

Their earlier output is associated more with funk and jazz, often sampled by hip-hop artists and frequently tapped for film soundtracks and 'credible' mix CDs. Key works from this era (up until the 80's) include 'Jungle Boogie', 'Hollywood Swinging', 'Funky Stuff', 'Summer Madness', 'N.T.' and 'Spirit Of The Boogie'.

From the 80s onwards, the band adopted a more fun-filled disco/pop/soul mantle and scored hits with 'Celebration', 'Ladies' Night', 'Big Fun', 'Too Hot', 'Get Down On It' and school-disco closing classic 'Cherish'.

Many of the original members have passed away, including Ricky West, who passed away in 1985, Claydes Charles Smith (2006), Ronald Bell (2020) and Dennis Thomas (2021).