Customer Reviews

Wild & Peaceful

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I was in the 3rd grade in the fall of 1973, this was THE album to own in Black American communities. Before J.T. Taylor arrived and the group became "dull and the bland" to their original core of fans, this album topped the soul charts with back-to-back raw, jazzy and funky hits like "Hollywood Swinging,"" Funky Stuff," "More Funky Stuff" (check the guitar solo), and "Jungle Boogie." An additional treat is the beautiful "Heaven At Once," where Kool Bell has a heart-to-heart talk with his younger brother Wahid to a lovely jazz background. Get this, "Live at the Sex Machine," and their self-titled debut "Kool & The Gang" and you'll see why the orginal version of this group were "Scientists of sound who were mathematically putting it down!"

Parliament, James Brown, and even Prince earn the headlines for greatest funkateers of all the time, but old testatment Kool and the Gang, pre JT Taylor, was the greatest band of all time. Their horns are tight and reveal the chops that lie underneath the riffs. "Jungle Boogie"'s horn lick is one of the best funk riffs ever. This was the first time they put it all together for an album that has no weaknesses. "Jungle Boogie", "Hollywood Swinging", and "Funky Stuff" are all classic cuts, but I like some of the lesser known tunes as well. "Wild and Peaceful" has a nice jazzy vibe and "Heaven at Once" has one of my favorite lines, "we're scientists of sound, matheamatically putting it down."

Classic funk from a very underappreciated band. The Godfather, James Brown, called Kool and the Gang is second favorite funk band [after his own of course]. Kool and the Gang has a positive message, stellar musicians, and no holds barred thrown it down funk.

Give this a listen and see the best of classic funk.

5 stars [classic album!]

--sd

This album was the one that broke Kool and the Gang through to the mainstream. Unfortuantely it also marked the shift in their style and (in my opinion) the beginning of their decline. Prior to this album they had released a number of "Kool jazz" records that were mostly instrumental but were excellent. Wild and Peaceful was their first really commercial funk records that de-emphasized the jazz element in their sound. Don't get me wrong. I think this is their best album song-for-song. And they did have a string of good records afterward, but I miss the early K&G sound. If you are a fan of K&G today, this is the record that defined their sound going forward. If you'd like to hear how they sounded in the early days check out some of their stuff from the late 60s to 1972.

With a whistle blow, the Wild & Peaceful album begins with "Funky Stuff", and if you didn't get enough, theres "More Funky Stuff" for you. One thing this record does not lack in is funk. Classic funk cuts like "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging", which are essential, are included here. "Heaven at once" is a little slower but continues the groove and Kool mentions two important needs "peace and un-i-ty...for you and me." Next is "This is you, this is me" and "Life is what you make it", both which rock and funk at that same time. The title track, "Wild & Peaceful", takes us out of the record and out of this world where Kool and the Gang lay down Jazz for our minds to explore. This is an essential album in the Kool and the gang collection and of music in general. Kool says it best, "We are scientists of sound, we're mathematically puttin' it down."

Having grown up in the 70s this album was one of my favorites. Has the great strong base lines and dance beats that brought Kool and the Gang into main stream R&B. Funky stuff parts 1 & 2, Jungle Boogie, and Hollywood Swinging are funk classics. I like this much better than Kool's later stuff like Fresh, Slick Super Chick and Too Hot.

wow! Kool&the Gang before they got all Predictable.this is a Funky Outing.Horns,Grooves&Arrangements are on the One.among some of the Baddest Funkest Jams put out back in the day.you still see the Smoke coming from this Classic.it's a Must for Rocking to.

Kool and the Gang had a number of good albums during their 'jazz period' of the late 60's and early 70's (one of my favorites is "Live at The Sex Machine"). But in 1973, they released a GREAT album in "Wild and Peaceful"!

EVERY cut on this album is deep. Start off with the whistles and cadence of 'Funky Stuff' and keep tripping to 'Hollywood Swinging'. One of their most overlooked masterpieces in my opinion, is 'Heaven at Once', where Kool has a dialogue with a young boy about who Kool and the Gang is and happiness. The musical interludes between the conversation are beautiful!

Check out the "Ultimate Party Band" before the got James Taylor and went 'commercial'.

"Some people listen to remember, some people listen to forget".

a jazz-funk classic overlooked like all their early hits,heaven at once is my favorite, love the melody, the beat, classic ghetto jazz kool saying what we need to do to make these better,and funky stuff the classic and for those who can't get enough there is mo funky stuff, which will put your andrenaline in overdrive.

This album was the one that broke Kool and the Gang through to the mainstream. Unfortuantely it also marked the shift in their style and (in my opinion) the beginning of their decline. Prior to this album they had released a number of "Kool jazz" records that were mostly instrumental but were excellent. Wild and Peaceful was their first really commercial funk records that de-emphasized the jazz element in their sound. Don't get me wrong. I think this is their best album song-for-song. And they did have a string of good records afterward, but I miss the early K&G sound. If you are a fan of K&G today, this is the record that defined their sound going forward. If you'd like to hear how they sounded in the early days check out some of their stuff from the late 60s to 1972.

I remember being 9 years old riding in the back seat of my father's car listening to this on his 8 track player! We (my younger brother and a childhood friend) would ask to play 'Funky Stuff', 'Jungle Boogie', and 'Hollywood Swinging' over and over. Good memories!

Before crossing over to disco and adding J.T. Taylor who BORED me with their later 'hits', (Celebration, Ladies Night, Get Down On It, etc.), this was the Kool & The Gang I grew up loving, FUNK sprinkled with Jazz. But I digress because I understand working musicians have to put food on the table, and you have to go with the times to do just that. I'm just a huge fan of Funk music.

All over Black communities this album was being blasted. I'm happy to listen to a re-mastered recording of this funky masterpiece. So much music Black music back then needs to be re-mastered and rediscovered. James Brown inspired so many young groups back then to keep it 'tight', 'funky' and in the 'pocket'. These musicians did just that and in their own way! Kool's bass playing is the bomb! Horns are on point! Guitar is funky and tight! The drums kicks! This is a joy to listen to again.