by Joseph Jablonski
Robert Bell and his brother Ronald grew up in Jersey City where their music career would all start. The brothers began their musical journey due to their father, Thelonious Monk. Robert would settle on playing the bass while Ronald would begin playing a range of horns. In 1964, the brothers would create a band with local neighborhood friends calling themselves The Jazziacs. The brothers welcomed Claydes Smith (guitar), Robert Mickens (Trumpet), Dennis Thomas (Saxophone), Ricky West (piano), and George Brown (drums) into the band where their musical style transformed into R&B leading them to change their name to Soul Town Band. The band would slowly make their way into the music industry by playing at local clubs. While performing at a club the owner accidentally mixed up the band’s bill calling them Kool and the Flames which led them to change their name to Kool and the Gang. Soon after, the band would land a deal with De-Lite Records landing them easy access to the R&B charts. Over the next few years, the band was awarded an Oscar nominee and landed on the top 40 R&B charts. The band would soon lose Ricky West due to his ambition to be a solo artist but would later bring in Larry Gittens. By the late 1970s, the band would bring in a smattering of other performers. By the mid the late 2000s, some leading members would pass including Ronald Bell, Denis Thomas, and Claydes Smith.
Over the course of their career, Kool and the Gang released multiple records, including some of their more famous hits like “Jungle Boogie” (1973), “Celebration” (1980), “Get Down on It” (1974), “Summer Madness” (1974), and “Ladies Night” (1979). Kool and The Gang’s most famous song “Celebration” is a jazz-infused disco musical styling. During the decade the song was released, the band decided to shift their musical styling towards disco because it was so popular. Throughout the song you can hear the array of horns such as the trumpet and saxophone in the background as well as the drums. “Celebration” is one of those feel good songs that makes you want to get up and dance.
Kool and the Gang performed in SUNY Geneseo’s Schrader Gym on October 21, 1973. Tickets were $2.00 for students and $3.00 for the public. The band’s visit to SUNY Geneseo has significance mainly because the early 1970s marked the start up for the band. Kool and the Gang formed in the 1960s and slowly made their way up to the top. As a band trying to make their way towards the top you must start small and work your way up to bigger things just like they did. Right at the peak of their R&B career Kool and the Gang stop and Geneseo to prove that they have what it takes to make it big. SUNY Geneseo is just one of the many schools that helped inspire Kool and the Gang’s musical career.