Founder of the famous funk band Kool and the Gang, drummer George Brown died of lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles this Thursday (11/16), aged 74. The information was released by his record label, Universal Music.
Known in the band by the nickname “Funky”, Brown was one of seven high school friends from Jersey City, New Jersey, who banded together in 1964 as an instrumental jazz and soul group calling themselves the Jazziacs. Other members included Robert “Kool” Bell on bass, brother Ronald Bell on keyboards and Charles Smith on guitar.
The band went through several name changes, including New Dimensions, Soul Town Band, and Kool & the Flames before settling on Kool & the Gang, which would make them famous throughout the world. They signed with De-Lite Records and released a first all-instrumental album in 1970.
Success came three years later, when they began to mix jazz and funk, including their first vocal on the song “Jungle Boogie”, which became a hit and highly influential funk for later generations, of the acid jazz era. They repeated the dose in 1974, with “Hollywood Swinging”, and after a hiatus in search of their musical identity, they returned to 100% funk in 1979 with “Ladies Night”, one of their biggest hits, surpassed only by the 1980 hit ” Celebration”. Other popular songs from the band include “Funky Stuff,” “Get Down on It,” “Fresh,” “Cherish” and “Too Hot.”
The drummer’s signature rhythm on early Kool & the Gang recordings was widely sampled by artists such as the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cypress Hill, P. Diddy and The Killers. He said he was “totally honored” by the frequency with which his music has been reused by artists of the new generations.
When asked to describe his musical style, Brown — who this year released a memoir titled “Too Hot: Kool & the Gang and Me” — often responded, “It’s the sound of happiness.”
Recall some of Kool and the Gang’s greatest hits below
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
