1.Kool & The Gang - 2:54 (Kool & The Gang)
2.Breeze & Soul - 5:29 (Gene Redd-Kool & The Gang)
3.Chocolate Buttermilk - 2:14 (Gene Redd-Kool & The Gang)
4.Sea Of Tranquility - 3:34 (Gene Redd-Kool & The Gang)
5.Give It Up - 3:40 (Gene Redd-Kool & The Gang)
6.Since I Lost My Baby - 2:08 (William Robinson-Warren Moore)
7.Kool's Back Again - 2:48 (Gene Redd-Jimmy Crosby)
8.The Gang's Back Again - 2:46 (Gene Redd-Kool & The Gang)
9.Raw Hamburger - 3:36 (Gene Redd)
10.Let The Music Take Your Mind - 2:50 (Gene Redd-Kool & The Gang)
Released on De-Lite Records in November, 1969 (or January or June, 1970) this LP was the band's first attempt at the big time and although it didn't chart incredibly highly at the time ( or maybe it did, #43 R&B may or may not be considered a high chart position) anyone who calls themselves a "Ganghead" (the expression from the 1993 compilation "Celebration:- The Best Of Kool & The Gang (1979 - 1987") liner notes and presumably a common expression through out their early career) will have heard and enjoyed (probably) this unique release.
The album is unique for two reasons the first of which is that this is the only album that consists of nothing but instrumental (or semi-instrumental) studio tracks (vocal track "Let The Music Take Your Mind" was added to the second pressing of the album released in January or June, 1970) as the next two albums were both compiled from live performances.
The second more tragic reason is that this is the only album with Woody Sparrow due to his departure due to ill health (and subsequently death) prior to the recording of the next album.
The tracks released from this album were "Kool & The Gang" (B-side was "Raw Hamburgers") released September 1969 "The Gang's Back Again"/"Kool's Back Again" a double A-side released January 1970 and maybe some others if you know of any tell me A and B-sides please.
Later (January/June, 1970) "Let The Music Take Your Mind" was released with "Chocolate Buttermilk" as the B-side and it's success resulted in it being included on a second pressing of this album. "Kool It (Here Comes The Fuzz)" was probably released around this time with "Can't Stop (Doing It To You)" as the B-side I don't know any other information.
Most Kool & The Gang fans will no doubt notice that the tracks on this album are fairly short by Kool & The Gang's 8-12+ Minute standards (the longest is not even 6 minutes) so at the moment I am convinced that that these tracks are some of the bands most edited work and there may well be other tracks that continue from them or are continuations of them ("Breeze & Soul" and "Sea Of Tranquility" may well be the same track and "Kool's Back Again" and "The Gang's Back Again" certainly is).
I will tell new fans more of this later.
Finally most Kool & The Gang albums of this time always had a very obvious start and finish (definition elsewhere) however this album does not seem to have either of these but this fact does not to spoil the album.
Any fan should have this and if not why (I'm sure you have a good reason)?
Robert "Kool" Bell - Bass/Vocals
Ronald "Captain" Bell - Tenor Saxophone/Soprano Saxophone/Alto Flute/Vocals
Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas - Alto Saxophone/Flute/Percussion/Vocals
Robert "Spike" Mickens - Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Percussion/Vocals
Claydes "X-Man" Smith - Guitar
Woodrow "Natural" Sparrow - Guitar
Richard Westfield (Ricky "Hollywood Rick" West) - Piano/Vocals
George "Funky" Brown" - Drums/Percussion/Vocals
Now continue to (...) Live At The Sex Machine