Playlist: Kool for the Weekend

From the early history of Kool And the Gang

Here’s some “Summer Madness” and lockdown groove playing and beautiful early-’70s instrumental sojurns to usher in the unofficial start of summer. The source: The early days of Kool and the Gang, just before the breakout 1973 hit “Jungle Boogie” and well before “Celebration.” Before America knew or cared, this band was carving it up in its trademark loose-and-tight-at-the-same-time way. Nightly. With blazing solos — check the twisting analog-synth excursion on “Summer Madness.”

Much of this playlist is from live records — both Live at the Sex Machine and Live at PJ’s turn on the kind of rhythm section cohesion that was seemingly everywhere in the early 1970s. There’s more to say but it’s all on display in the music.

Enjoy!!