Kool & The Gang

Kool & the Gang created a potent new strain of infectious funk when they marked the arrival of the '80s with their first monster single, "Celebration." No party can be considered complete without at least one Kool tune — "Get Down On It" is a brassy gesture of defiance in the face of wallflowers and die-hard non-dancers.

While much of Kool & the Gang's '70s catalog gives the world an electric jolt of raw funk, the band's mature, chart-friendly '80s phase marks a towering high point. "Take It to the Top" shows a smooth side to their groove while "Hanging Out" is a cast-iron floor-filler.

Two tracks from the remastered Kool Jazz album reveal the glue behind Kool & the Gang's tight-knit bond: "Breeze & Soul" and "North, East, South, West" are the work of a confident jazz ensemble whose excursions into funky R&B highlight the disciplined and instinctive talents of each and every band member.

They started out as a Jersey City high school jazz combo, the Jazziacs, mutated into the masters of horn-blasted funk, paved the way for much of disco, then conquered pop with their feel-good brand of meticulously arranged R&B. With the exception of the monster slow-tempo hits "Cherish" and "Joanna" (last dance, anyone?) every track Kool & the Gang pump out holds the promise of endless good times. No one does the communal "party" vocal like the Gang.