Kool & The Gang's SUMMER MADNESS

[remicks]

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Kool & The Gang have always been a friend to disco . :icon_cool:

Even when disco wasn't quite yet disco , The Gang was already strutting their funky stuff with songs like JUNGLE BOOGIE and HOLLYWOOD SWINGING.

In 1975 they made their initial appearance on the disco charts:

223) SPIRIT OF THE BOOGIE - Kool & The Gang
(De-Lite) E= 28; Total points = 28
2 weeks on the chart (5/17 - 5/23/75); Peak: #15 (2 weeks)

And they've returned to Marky's charts again this week by groovin' with the genie on their vibrantly forceful OPEN SESAME :



:icon_cool:




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--- The following summer , in 1977, The Gang offered up something of a different feel though --- reflective more of their earlier jazz roots; a song appropriately titled: SUMMER MADNESS whose soaring drifting airiness might connote a caravan of camels crossing the sandy dunes ... the summer heat .... a blistering sun ....


SUMMER MADNESS Kool & The Gang
.

The song was released as a disco 12" , but I don't know if it charted or if anyone recalls it getting club play ??:icon_question: ...Seems unlikely .....

Here in the sated heat of August 2008 though ...The Gang's spacey SUMMER MADNESS groove still works its vibe to full effect on me.:icon_cool::icon_biggrin:





Jazzy Kool-ness at its best :icon_biggrin:



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[SandraDee]

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Here in the sated heat of August 2008 though ...The Gang's spacey SUMMER MADNESS groove still works its vibe to full effect on me.:icon_cool::icon_biggrin:


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That's a strange deja vu feeling when I read that - in the sleeve notes of my 'Mastercuts Classic Jazz-Funk 3' CD it says about 'Summer Madness' by Kool & The Gang "...sorta fitted with the UK's unnaturally hot '92 summer..." However, that CD says that the track was from 1974.:icon_confused: Was it from '77? - it does sound more '77 than '74 I must admit.

[remicks]

That's a strange deja vu feeling when I read that - in the sleeve notes of my 'Mastercuts Classic Jazz-Funk 3' CD it says about 'Summer Madness' by Kool & The Gang "...sorta fitted with the UK's unnaturally hot '92 summer..." However, that CD says that the track was from 1974.:icon_confused: Was it from '77? - it does sound more '77 than '74 I must admit.

Very good observation Sandee! :icon_biggrin:

Did some further checking and SUMMER MADNESS was the B side of the 45 release of SPIRIT OF THE BOOGIE in 1975.
A 12" release of it occurred two years later in 1977.

Most interesting .... some of these delayed twelve inch versions that took place .....

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[Giovanni]

Summer madness is still a #1 track in every sunset beach party this summer in Italy.... just to let you know, the 2008 teen agers go crazy for it.
By the way it was released on 12" in UK only.
There'a a 12'' boot reissue from Japan (with a fake DeLite label) that came out around 2002, that is already a sought after record

[Disco Funk]

Summer Madness was originally put on the Light of The Worlds LP from 1974. That was the same LP that had Fruitman, Rhyme Time People, and the title track, which have appeared on various compilations in addition to Summer Madness. A live version of Summer Madness, clocking in at over 8 minutes, was included on the Love & Understanding LP from 1976. But the real reason for it getting released on 12inch in 1977 is probably because of this track on the Rocky Soundtrack from '76:



Apparently Sylvester Stallone was a huge fan of the K&TG track, but I think there were licensing issues, so Bill Conti was commissioned to make a knock-off version for the film.

Disco Funk

[SandraDee]

That's an interesting version Disco Funk, but it doesn't have quite the atmosphere of the original don't u find?

[Disco Funk]

That's an interesting version Disco Funk, but it doesn't have quite the atmosphere of the original don't u find?

There's more synth on the original, while the Bill Conti track is more guitar based. For me, they've both got great qualities. I think Conti wanted to keep the spirit of the original, but not completely ripping it off by imitating it right down to the exact instrument arrangement.

Disco Funk

[SandraDee]

I think Conti wanted to keep the spirit of the original, but not completely ripping it off by imitating it right down to the exact instrument arrangement.

Disco Funk

I can understand that. I'spose it just shows how I'm more of a keyboard fan than a guitar fan.

[Disco Funk]

But you gotta admit Reflections has a nice little bass riff!

Disco Funk

[Disco Funk]

Here are a couple of nice tunes with similar breezy spacey feels: This is a remake of the Herbie Hancock 'Bubbles', which Watson also played on the 75 Hancock Manchild LP (this version isn't a synthy spacey, though): Disco Funk

[remicks]

Summer Madness was originally put on the Light of The Worlds LP from 1974. That was the same LP that had Fruitman, Rhyme Time People, and the title track, which have appeared on various compilations in addition to Summer Madness. A live version of Summer Madness, clocking in at over 8 minutes, was included on the Love & Understanding LP from 1976. But the real reason for it getting released on 12inch in 1977 is probably because of this track on the Rocky Soundtrack from '76:



Apparently Sylvester Stallone was a huge fan of the K&TG track, but I think there were licensing issues, so Bill Conti was commissioned to make a knock-off version for the film.

Disco Funk

Thanks DF ..I'm really enjoying listening to this & I love learning additional stuff like this too :icon_cool: :icon_cool: :icon_cool:. Thanks for adding the info ...

Interesting still that SUMMER MADNESS gets pulled off their earlier album to be the flip of their next single which is off of their newer LP of the same name :

SPIRIT OF THE BOOGIE

Kool & The Gang SPIRIT OF THE BOOGIE


"yee haw !!!" :icon_mrgreen:




Their first disco charter :


Kool & The Gang LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING

get down with the --- cowbell ...... :icon_mrgreen:


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[Disco Funk]

I'm kind of torn about the Kool & The Gang disco years. I'm slowly warming up to it all. I find it not as discoey as I like and not as funky as the earlier years. There are still some gems to be found in the years between the Spirit of The Boogie LP and Ladies Night:

Check out the tracks on this CD compilation that came out of previously unreleased stuff from the '75 to '77 period. You might really like the cut called 'Boogie Band' because it'll sound familiar:

Kool Funk Essentials

Another nice cut from Love & Understanding:



And the title cut to Everybody's Dancin' (sounds a little like the Son of Sesame) from 1978:



The Kay Gees, which were produced by K&TG, had a similar sound and they are worth checking out if you like that late 70s Gang sound.











Disco Funk

[SandraDee]

I like the Kay Gees stuff. I'm not familiar with them so thanks for introducing me!

[Disco Funk]

I like the Kay Gees stuff. I'm not familiar with them so thanks for introducing me!

Cool! Unidisc put out a bunch of their albums onto CD a while ago. I don't know if they're still in print. There are also various best ofs floating around.

Disco Funk