The Force (Kool & the Gang album)

The Force
Studio album by Kool & the Gang
Released	1977
Genre	Funk
Length	35:47
Label	De-Lite
Producer	Kool and the Gang
Kool & the Gang chronology
Open Sesame (1976) The Force (1977) Everybody's Dancin' (1978)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

The Force is the ninth studio by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1977. It failed to generate much impact, and has become the first of two albums between the group's two periods of success. It was after the first string of hits in the mid and early 1970s, and before the group hit it big in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Track listing

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"A Place in Space"	Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:49
2.	"Slick Superchick"	George Brown, Kool & the Gang	4:05
3.	"Just Be True"	Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:21
4.	"The Force"	Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:26

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mighty, Mighty High"	Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	6:51
2.	"Oasis"	Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	6:06
3.	"Life's a Song"	Claydes Smith, Kool & the Gang	2:58
4.	"Free"	Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	2:11

Personnel

• Ronald Bell – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, ARP synthesizer, percussion, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto flute
• Kevin Lassiter – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, Minimoog, percussion
• George Brown – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, drums, percussion
• Dennis Thomas – vocals, keyboards, congas, percussion, alto saxophone
• Claydes Smith – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion
• Robert "Kool" Bell – vocals, bass guitar, percussion
• Otha Nash – vocals, valve and slide trombones, tuba, percussion
• Robert Mickens – vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion

Additional Personnel

• Jimmy J. Jordan – special effects
• Donal Boyce – voice (1, 4)
• Cynthia Huggins – lead vocals (6)
• Female vocals – Renee Connel, Cynthia Huggins, Joan Motley and Beverly Owens
• Arthur Capehart – trumpet (7)
• Strings on 6 & 7 – MFSB; arranged by John Davis

Production

• Producer – K&G Productions
• Arrangements – Kool and The Gang
• Co-Producer – George Brown
• Executive Producers – Ronald Bell and Claydes Smith
• Engineers – Terry Rosiello and Nils Salminen
• Mixing – Ronald Bell, Terry Rosiello and Nils Salminen.
• Recorded at De-Lite Recorded Sound Studio (Philadelphia, PA).
• Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
• Cover Painting – DeEs Schwertberger

References

• Kool and the Gang – The Force at Discogs