Kool & The Gang Album: “Live at P.J.'s”

Somehow this CD got me caught. I listen to it over and over again. The grooves of N.T. (as sampled so many times) and DUJII got me in a very serious enjoying mood. If you like K&TG without the cheesy vocals of J.T. Taylor you have to get this one 'cause a) it was out-of-print for a long time and b) it really shows their live power and c) it's an album without one filler. You can buy K&TG's albums (if you're interested in good music) until "Something Special" comes up. That was the first one with Cheesy Taylor and is to avoid for true Jazz- and Funkateers. Something special are the albums before "Something Special". And now you just have to buy eleven great CDs by K&TG all released before "Something Special". What to buy next: "Wild & Peaceful", "Spirit Of The Boogie", "Music Is The Message", "Live At The Sex Machine", "Kool & The Gang", "Good Times", "Kool Jazz", "Light Of Worlds", "Love & Understanding" and -because of three tracks- "The 12" Collection & More".

A friend of mine turned me on to this album back in 1972 and I don't think that I had heard it since then. But we used to listen to it soooo much because we both fell in love with Ricksonata. I have just never forgotten that song and over the years I came to the conclusion that I had romanticized the whole memory and that that song could not possibly have been that great. Well, after listening to the CD I have to say that I think it was even greater than I realized at the time. I personally don't think that Kool and the Gang have ever been better. Even more amazing is the fact that this was a live performance; they don't miss a beat. To be honest, I had forgotten all the other pieces on the album except Ricksonata because back in those days if you had a favorite song you mostly ignored the other side of the album. So listening to the CD now at times feels like a new experience with some dejavu mixed in. But it's all good. It's really amazing to listen to what these guys were doing back then. That horn section is so good you could hear the musicians at times themselves becoming exhilarated over something one of them had just played. We had so much great music in the 70's that we maybe didn't appreciate it enough. I certainly appreciate it now.

i like the middle years (jungle boogie) a bit more,but i like their first album more than this one.but it is good.