Customer Reviews

Spirit of the Boogie

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm surprized this album doesn't have a gazillion reviews written up on it. Long out of print and almost impossible to get, its been a long sought after gem of DJs, and true hard cored funkateer vinyl collectors alike... in fact, almost their best kept secret, that this little ditty (originally released in August of '75) features some of the hardest hitting funk and dance grooves of the era. (I know its hard to believe... once they hit pay dirt with stuff like Celebration, they wound up setting a legacy not of tripped out Bump music, but rather cheesy pop, but trust me... there was a time when these cats were wild and deep.)

Mixing elements of hard core funk, Jazz, African Consciousness and rhythms, Spirit of The Boogie *IMHO* definitely gives Earth Wind & Fire, who would come to epitomize the Jazz Out Jungle Funk school of dance a heavy run for their money. Though some tracks are better than others, this is definitely a listen straight through album that'll make you get down - - mega bumpin' keyboard and basslines, fired up trumpet blast and lot's of percussion. Ain't nothin' but a party !

If you dig this, check out some Ripple, KAY GEES, Bohannon, Fatback and Brass Construction as well !

Kool & The Gang - for the most people only known as a la-la-la disco combo. On this CD (other good recordings are also available) you can hear Kool & his gang in their purest form as they were without the cream cheese virtuoso J.T. Taylor. This is for listening with all you've got, not only ears. "Spirit Of The Boogie" is next to "Music Is The Message" and "Wild & Peaceful" one of the ultimate K&TG albums. Track no. 3 "Jungle Jazz" is a perfect re-recording of "Jungle Boogie" with a jazzy flute instead of vocals. Buy the a.m. albums and you'll enjoy it !!!!

I have been waiting for this to come on CD for quite awhile now.
I transferred my vynyl LP to CD in order to have it some time ago. It doesn't get any better than this. Now if they would just release the "Open Sesame" album as well, that would make me a happy man. Check out "Light of Worlds", and "Wild and Peaceful"
too.

There is something about discovering Kool And The Gang in your mid twenties, after being brought up on P-funk, Jazz, Soul, Blues, that makes ya realize that life is worth livin! I swear, man, All these Pre J.T cheese albums will blow ya'll away. I have bought all their early out put now and listen dance and sing (hopelessly outta' tune!) all day and night. Everythang is here, just let the music free yo mind, sucka!

"Spirit of the Boogie" reached it's peak popularity during the spring of 1975. "Winter Sadness," "Spirit of the Boogie" and "Caribbean Festival" are the stand-out tracks on this effort. Good overall effort from Kool and the Gang! Four stars!

THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING!!!!Just from the pulsing title cut on this album resonates with everything that made Kool & The Gange so wonderful during this period.The smooth "Sunshine And Love" and "Mother Earth" are slower but still meaningful purposes of intent while "Winter Madness",the title song and the brilliant "Anchestral Ceremony" are supreme examples of what writer Ricky Vincent calls the 'united funk' age-adding a new undercurrent of synthesized backrounds,only sudtley looming in the backround.And the percussive closer "Caribbean Festival" is just GREAT street funk-so everything here sums up what Kool & The Gang were trying to acomplish in their first five years-to deliver meaningful,loose as a goose jazzy funk grooves with a great rhythm and a spontaneus attitude-all while holding down a certain identification with the person on the street.An amazing achievment that,sadly,had become difficult to locate.But if you can find it and get YOU WILL be 100% satisfied!!!!!!