Few bands dominated the R&B charts in the 70s and 80s like Kool & the Gang. The group emerged from jazz beginnings in Jersey City in the 60s to become one of the heaviest and most successful funk bands on the planet, scoring massive hits like “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” and “Higher Plane” that relied mostly on fat horn riffs, deep grooves, and the ingenious bass lines of group leader Robert “Kool” Bell. The band was essentially instrumental at the time, employing little more than chants and soulful exhortations. Working with the Brazilian producer Eumir Deodato in 1979, the band brought in a real singer in James “J.T.” Taylor and reinvigorated itself for another decade of hits, including the all-time wedding party anthem “Celebration.” Kool is interviewed by Wayne Montana, whose nimble, complex bass patterns form the musical backbone of the Eternals. He also leads and plays guitar in I Kong Kult. —Peter Margasak
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That riff of all time, the “Jungle Boogie” riff, has been in my mind since I was a little kid. How did that happen? Let me give you a little, quick story. Our record company at the time wanted us to get with a producer—the guy that was responsible for Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango. We said, “Hey, we can do our own thing. Why do we have to have a producer?” We went to a rehearsal hall that evening and started jamming. That night we wrote “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” and “Funky Stuff.” After that the record company didn’t give us any pressure anymore.
So you guys feel like you’ve been treated fairly? Yeah, it lends creativity to some of these artists, like Will Smith with “Summertime,” using “Summer Madness.” I think that’s his biggest record to date. And you have Diddy, at that time Puffy, with “Hollywood Swinging,” Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Madonna. Janet took a little part of this here and there.
