The Force (Kool & the Gang album)

The Force is the ninth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1977.

The Force
Studio album by
Kool & the Gang
Released1977
GenreFunk
Length35:47
LabelDe-Lite[1]
ProducerKool and the Gang
Kool & the Gang chronology
Open Sesame
(1976)		 The Force
(1977)		 Everybody's Dancin'
(1978)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
The New Rolling Stone Record Guide[4]

The album peaked at No. 142 on the Billboard 200.[5]

Critical reception

The Globe and Mail wrote that "it's strange that to this day, black soul musicians are trying to say it better than Sly [Stone] did a decade ago and failing miserably."[6] The Bay State Banner wrote that the album "lacked the excellent jive vocals, hot horn lines and boogie beat arrangements Kool made famous."[7]

Track listing
Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Place in Space"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang4:49
2."Slick Superchick"George Brown, Kool & the Gang4:05
3."Just Be True"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang4:21
4."The Force"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang4:26
Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mighty, Mighty High"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang6:51
2."Oasis"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang6:06
3."Life's a Song"Claydes Smith, Kool & the Gang2:58
4."Free"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang2:11

Personnel
  • Ronald Bell – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, ARP synthesizer, percussion, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto flute
  • Kevin Lassiter – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, Minimoog, percussion
  • George Brown – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, drums, percussion
  • Dennis Thomas – vocals, keyboards, congas, percussion, alto saxophone
  • Claydes Smith – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion
  • Robert "Kool" Bell – vocals, bass guitar, percussion
  • Otha Nash – vocals, valve and slide trombones, tuba, percussion
  • Robert Mickens – vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
Additional Personnel
  • Jimmy J. Jordan – special effects
  • Donal Boyce – voice (1, 4)
  • Cynthia Huggins – lead vocals (6)
  • Female vocals – Renee Connel, Cynthia Huggins, Joan Motley and Beverly Owens
  • Arthur Capehart – trumpet (7)
  • Strings on 6 & 7 – MFSB; arranged by John Davis

Production
  • Producer – K&G Productions
  • Arrangements – Kool and The Gang
  • Co-Producer – George Brown
  • Executive Producers – Ronald Bell and Claydes Smith
  • Engineers – Terry Rosiello and Nils Salminen
  • Mixing – Ronald Bell, Terry Rosiello and Nils Salminen.
  • Recorded at De-Lite Recorded Sound Studio (Philadelphia, PA).
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Cover Painting – DeEs Schwertberger

References
  1. Popoff, Martin (September 8, 2009). "Goldmine Record Album Price Guide". Penguin – via Google Books.
  2. Hamilton, Andrew. "Kool & the Gang: The Force" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 8.
  4. The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1983. p. 283.
  5. "Kool & the Gang". Billboard.
  6. McGrath, Paul (5 Apr 1978). "Kool and the Gang". The Globe and Mail. p. F2.
  7. Wynn, Ron (1 Nov 1979). "Shades of Blue". Bay State Banner. p. 19.




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