Number 49 - Wild and Peaceful by Kool & the Gang

Number 49: Wild and Peaceful by Kool & the Gang

"You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?"

Release: September 1973
Genre: Funk
Favorite Tracks: Hollywood Swinging, Heaven at Once, Wild and Peaceful

 

Where I heard it: 

Out of the plethora of genres that I listen to in my spare time, I find that funk is featured in my rotation on a regular basis. It wasn't always that way for me, though. In fact, funk wasn't even on my musical radar until late 2018, when I began listening to legendary performers like Marvin Gaye and James Brown. I was interested in listening to the origin songs of notable samples from hip-hop, and discovered the genre's deep roots in funk and R&B that inspired countless esteemed rap artists. I stumbled upon Wild and Peaceful during my education of funk's essential catalog, only being familiar with the album's most popular track Jungle Boogie through its appearance in the opening credits of Quentin Tarantino's cult classic Pulp Fiction. Beforehand, I had only associated Kool & the Gang with their disco-centric hits like Get Down On It and Celebration that I heard on the radio at work frequently. I had no idea what to expect in preparation for my first run through Wild and Peaceful in early 2019. Even in my wildest imagination, my wildest imagination, my expectations couldn't predict the amount of variety Kool & the Gang showcase across only eight songs.

 Well you see, we are scientists of sound
We're mathematically putting it down
And you know, we're tryin' to find the key to the light

You see, from the darkness came the light
We need that light to find peace and unity
Because there's so much illusion and confusion
So much destruction, so much corruption
~ Heaven at Once

 

What to expect:

Kool & the Gang has seen many iterations of itself throughout their decades long career that began in the late 60's as a jazz troupe. Formed by several childhood friends, the gang is fronted by bassist Robert "Kool" Bell and consists of a diverse musical lineup that includes a pianist, an auxiliary percussionist, a flutist, two saxophones, and a trumpeter. Wild and Peaceful literally utilizes all the bells and whistles in the group's arsenal, best showcased through the album's first two tracks Funky Stuff and More Funky Stuff. The assortment of instruments paired with the eclectic studio energy make for a playground of sound that runs rampant with little consequence across two entire songs. Despite their obviously hierarchal band name, Kool & the Gang's decentralized approach to its membership breeds natural creativity that clearly comes through in the music. While funk dominates the earlier selections of Wild and Peaceful, the slower ballad types like the album's title track channel the band's jazz upbringing and deliver odysseys that once again take advantage of the gang's multi-instrumentalism. The massive conglomerate of talent within Kool & the Gang is given the proper spotlight during these moments, such as Spike Mickens' trumpet solo on Heaven at Once or Dennis Thomas' flute solo on Wild and Peaceful. The connection between jazz and funk is prevalent among most songs, but there do exist wild cards like This Is You, This Is Me that offer a taste of the disco influence which would later completely reinvent the sound of Kool & the Gang. This unique blend of genres keeps the track list fresh while preserving the heart and soul of the groove, flaunting the versatility of the band through their strength in numbers. I never would have thought Wild and Peaceful to be the album that helped gravitate my tastes towards funk, but its fun-loving spirit makes it impossible to resist the boogie within.

Think about what it means to live
The time to live and love your life is now yours
The time to learn to love yourself is now yours
To live and find yourself your love is all right yours
When you learn to do the things, you're on your way
~ Life Is What You Make It

 

Why it's my favorite: 

Admittedly, my exposure to quintessential funk is still within its infancy. I've listened to staples like Funkadelic's Maggot Brain and Parliament's Mothership Connection, but they still don't impact me quite like the way that Wild and Peaceful has left an impression upon me to this day. Although the album is classified as a funk record, there consists a wonderful mix of similar genres like R&B and jazz that integrate seamlessly into the material. I might go as far as to say the non-funk songs are the most surprising and enjoyable parts of the album. None of the tracks seem out of place, and many remain timeless pieces that struck a particular chord with listeners through the ages like Hollywood Swinging and of course Jungle Boogie. It's disappointing that Kool & the Gang strayed further away from what Wild and Peaceful was able to accomplish, but I do find it fascinating that this album signified an important crossroads in the band's sound. There's reflections of the group's jazz upbringing right alongside visions of what was to come during the band's later success in the early 80's. Kool & the Gang appropriately achieve a perfect balance of wild funk tunes and peaceful jazz jams on Wild and Peaceful that keeps me coming back again and again.