いままでのアルバムからクールなジャズを集めた作品。COOLなJAZZではなく、KOOLなJAZZです。『WILD AND PEACEFUL』のあとに出すあたりは、「俺たちはJAZZを忘れたわけじゃないぜ」と言っているかのようです。クールたちはジャズ・ミュージシャンとも親交があったりして、あのマイルス・デイビスからも「奴等は凄いぜ」と言われていたり・・・あのクルセイダーズも「俺たちのライバル・バンドはKOOL & THE GANGだ！」と言われたり・・・オリジナル盤は若干、曲の構成が違います。（→は再発CDのクレジットです）
Original LP version
Side A
I Remember John W. Coltrane
Sombrero Sam
Blowin' With The Wind
Dujii
Side B
Lucky For Me
North, East, South, West
Breeze & Soul
Wild Is Love
Sea Of Tranquility
KOOL JAZZ（1973）
1. BREEZE & SOUL - 5:28 (Kool & The Gang-G.Redd)
2. SEA OF TRANQUILITY - 3:32 (Kool & The Gang-G.Redd)
3. SOMBRERO SAM - 6:39 (Charles Lloyd)
4. LUCKY FOR ME - 3:03 (Charles Smith)
5. DUJII - 5:59 (Ricky West)
6. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN (TO YOUR HEART)/
BLOWIN' WITH THE WIND, PTS.1*&2
- 8:17 (Thom Bell-Linda Creed)/(Kool & The Gang)
7. NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, WEST - 3:38 (Ricky West)
8. I REMEMBER JOHN W. COLTRANE - 4:01 (Khalis Bayyan)
9. WILD AND PEACEFUL - 9:29 (Khalis Bayyan-Kool & The Gang)
10. WINTER SADNESS - 5:04 (Charles Smith-Khalis Bayyan-Kool & The Gang)
11. SUMMER MADNESS (LIVE)
- 7:59 (Robert Mickens-Alton Taylor-Kool & The Gang)
12. UNIVERSAL SOUND - 4:01 (Khalis Bayyan-Kool & The Gang)
13. MESSENGER OF WISDOM - 5:43 (Khalis Bayyan-Kool & The Gang)
14. FREE - 2:06 (Khalis Bayyan-Kool & The Gang)
Produced and Arranged by Kool & The Gang
Published by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI),except:
"Sombrero Sam" published by Forest Form Music (BMI)
and "Messenger Of Wisdom" copyright control
Tracks #1-5, a portion of #6, and #7-8 were included on the original
"Kool Jazz" compilation, released on vinyl only as De-Lite DEP-4001 in 1973.
Compilation Produced by Harry Weinger
Special Thanks to Cleveland Brown
Executive Producer: Bill Levenson
Digitally remastered by Gary N. Mayo at PolyGram Studios
Package Design by Smay Vision
Original LP cover design by Frank Daniel
#1&2 from Kool & The Gang (1970)
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion);
Khalis Bayyan (tenor & soprano saxophones, alto flute, vibes);
Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute, percussion);
Ricky West (piano); Charles Smith, Woodrow Sparrow (Guitars);
Robert "Kool" Bell (bass); George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion)
#3-5 from Live at PJ's (1971)
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet, bongos);
Khalis Bayyan (tenor & soprano saxophones, percussion);
Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute, congas);
Ricky West (electric piano, organ, tambourine); Charles Smith (Guitar);
Robert "Kool" Bell (bass); George "Funky" Brown" (drums)
#6 originally appeared on Music Is The Message (1972)
as separate tracks and without the flute solo ("Blowin' With The Wind, Pt. 1")
Previously Unreleased complete version
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet); Khalis Bayyan (soprano saxophones);
Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute); Ricky West (electric piano);
Charles Smith (Guitar);Robert "Kool" Bell (bass);
George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion)
#7&8 from Good Times (1972): same as except add
"North, East, South, West" Ricky West (electric piano); Charles Smith (Guitar);
Robert "Kool" Bell (bass); George "Funky" Brown" (drums)
"I Remember John W. Coltrane":
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion);
Khalis Bayyan (tenor & soprano saxophones);
Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute, percussion);
#9 from Wild And Peaceful (1973)
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet); Khalis Bayyan (tenor & soprano saxophones, percussion); Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute, percussion);
Ricky West (Fender Rhodes); Charles Smith (Guitar);
Robert "Kool" Bell (Fender bass); George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion)
#10 from Spirit Of The Boogie (1975)
Arranged by Charles Smith
Khalis Bayyan (electric piano, Arp, Moog, alto flute); Charles Smith (Guitar);
Robert "Kool" Bell (bass); George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion);
Dennis "D.T." Thomas (vocals, percussion);
#11&12 from Love & Understanding (1976)
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet); Larry Gittens (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals);
Otha Nash (trombone, vocals); Khalis Bayyan (tenor & soprano saxophones, alto
flute, Arp Synthesizer, vocals); Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute,
percussion, vocals); Ricky West (keyboards); Charles Smith (Guitar);
Robert "Kool" Bell (bass, vocals); George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion, vocals);
Something Sweet: Renee Conley, Cynthia Huggins, Joan (Simiyah) Motley, Bevery Owens
(vocals, "Summer Madness")
#13 recorded and mixed for Light Of Worlds (1974)
Previously Unreleased
Robert "Spike" Mickens (trumpet); Khalis Bayyan (tenor & soprano saxophones);
Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, percussion); Ricky West (keyboards);
Charles Smith (Guitar); Robert "Kool" Bell (bass);
George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion); Noel Pointer Strings (strings)
#14 from The Force (1978)
Khalis Bayyan (tenor saxophones, alto flute, piano); Dennis "D.T." Thomas (alto saxophones, flute, percussion); Ricky West (keyboards); Robert "Kool" Bell (bass, percussion); George "Funky" Brown" (drums, percussion, keyboads); Something Sweet: Cynthia Huggins (featured on lead vocal), Kelly Barretto, Renee Conley, Joan (Simiyah) Motley, Bevery Owens
(vocals, "Summer Madness")
