The Albums Vol. 1: 1970-1978

With a cannon of more than 20 albums, Kool & The Gang are one of the most sampled bands in music history. From their roots in the mid-late '60s, the band has explored many musical styles from jazz and soul, funk and rock, R&B/Pop, with Gene Redd at the helm for their first handful of albums. Formed by brothers Robert 'Kool' Bell (Muhammad Bayyan) and Ronald Bell (Khalis Bayyan) and five close friends, Kool & The Gang signed to De-Lite Records in 1969, releasing their eponymous debut album, 'Kool and The Gang' worldwide the following year, having reached the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart with the title track. In 1973, Kool & The Gang reached the Billboard Top 30 for the first time with 'Funky Stuff', which was swiftly followed by 'Jungle Boogie' and 'Hollywood Swinging', which both reached the US Top 10. These are two of their most instantly recognisable earlier recordings, due to them being sampled and featured in present day TV commercials. More hits followed, including 1975's 'Summer Madness', again instantly recognisable from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's (aka Will Smith) global hit 'Summertime' in 1991. However, it was the inclusion of their 1976 track 'Open Sesame' on the 50 million selling units 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack, that they really gained worldwide commercial popularity and recognition. 'The Albums Vol. 1: 1970-1978' is the first of two box sets that cover the band's first 20 years. The set contains 119 tracks across 13 CDs, from the band's 12 studio and live albums, released worldwide from 1970's debut 'Kool & The Gang' and 1978's 'Everybody's Dancin'', as well as a bonus 'Singles Selection' disc, containing singles edits and non-LP tracks.

Disc 1
1: Kool & the Gang
2: Breeze & Soul
3: Chocolate Buttermilk
4: Sea of Tranquility
5: Give It Up
6: Since I Lost My Baby
7: Kool's Back Again
8: The Gang's Back Again
9: Raw Hamburger

Disc 2
1: What Would the World Be Like Without Music/Let the Music Take Your Mind
2: Walk On By
3: Chocolate Buttermilk
4: Trying to Make a Fool of Me
5: Who's Gonna Take the Weight Part 1 & 2
6: Pneumonia
7: Wichita Lineman
8: I Want to Take You Higher
9: Funky Man
10: The Touch of You

Disc 3
1: N.T.
2: Ricksonata
3: Sombrero Sam
4: Ronnie's Groove
5: Ike's Mood/You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
6: Lucky for Me
7: Dujii

Disc 4
1: Music Is the Message
2: Electric Frog (Part 1)
3: El Máximo Solar
4: Soul Vibrations
5: Love the Life You Live (Part 1)/Love the Life You Live (Part 2)
6: Stop, Look & Listen
7: Blowing With the Wind
8: Funky Granny

Disc 5
1: Good Times
2: Country Junky
3: Wild Is Love
4: North, East, South, West
5: Making Merry Music
6: I Remember John W. Coltrane
7: Rated X
8: Father, Father

Disc 6
1: Funky Stuff
2: More Funky Stuff
3: Jungle Boogie
4: Heaven at Once
5: Hollywood Swinging
6: This Is You, This Is Me
7: Life Is What You Make It
8: Wild and Peaceful

Disc 7
1: Street Corner Symphony
2: Fruitman
3: Rhyme Tyme People
4: Light of Worlds
5: Whiting H. & G.
6: You Don't Have to Change
7: Higher Plane
8: Summer Madness
9: Here After

Disc 8
1: Spirit of the Boogie
2: Ride the Rhythm
3: Jungle Jazz
4: Sunshine and Love
5: Ancestry Ceremony
6: Mother Earth
7: Winter Sadness
8: Caribbean Festival

Disc 9
1: Love & Understanding
2: Sugar
3: Do It Right Now
4: Cosmic Energy
5: Hollywood Swinging
6: Summer Madness
7: Universal Sound
8: Come Together

Disc 10
1: Open Sesame
2: Gift of Love
3: Little Children
4: All Night Long
5: Whisper Softly
6: Super Band
7: L-O-V-E
8: Sunshine

Disc 11
1: A Place in Space
2: Slick Superchick
3: Just Be True
4: The Force
5: Mighty Mighty High
6: Oasis
7: Life's a Song
8: Free

Disc 12
1: Everybody's Dancin'
2: Dancin' Shoes
3: Big Chief Funkum
4: I Like Music
5: You Deserve a Break Today
6: At the Party
7: Stay a While
8: It's All You Need
9: Peace to the Universe

Disc 13
1: Raw Hamburger
2: Let the Music Take Your Mind
3: Can't Stop (Doing It to You)
4: Kool It (Here Comes the Fuzz)
5: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
6: Who's Gonna Take the Weight (Part One)
7: Pneumonia
8: The Penguins
9: Higher Plane
10: Spirit of the Boogie
11: Caribbean Festival
12: Caribbean Festival (Disco Version)
13: Get Down With the Boogie
14: Open Sesame (Groove With the Genie)
15: Love & Understanding (Come Together)
16: Super Band
17: Slick Superchick
18: Everybody's Dancin'

Number of Discs: 13

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