Perfect Union Explained

Perfect Union
Type:	studio
Artist:	Kool & the Gang
Cover:	Kool & the Gang - Perfect Union.jpeg
Alt:	A graphic of a tree with multi-colored hands instead of leaves
Genre:	Disco, funk
Language:	English
Label:	Omnivore
Producer:	Ronald Bell, with several co-producers on select tracks
Prev Title:	Kool for the Holidays
Prev Year:	2012
Next Title:	People Just Wanna Have Fun
Next Year:	2023

Perfect Union is a 2021 studio album by American disco and funk band Kool & the Gang. The album was the first new music from the group in over a decade and was last to feature founding member Ronald Bell before his death.

Reception

Editors at AllMusic rated this album 2.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Mark Deming writing that the band's music suffered from the loss of Ronald Bell, but also writing that "the interplay among the musicians is lively".

Singles

"Sexy" peaked at No. 16 on the US Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart in October 2016.

Track listing

1. "Pursuit of Happiness" (Walter Anderson, Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, Celina Gray, Balewa Muhammad, Jahqae Muhammad, Keith Murray, and Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas) – 5:13 ^[1]
2. "The Weekend" (Anderson, Ronald Bell, B. Muhammad, and J. Muhammad) – 3:08
3. "Leave It on the Dance Floor" (Anderson, Ronald Bell, and Gabriele Falanga) – 3:18
4. "High" (Anderson and Ronald Bell) – 4:46
5. "Sexy (Where’d You Get Yours)" (Anderson, Ronald Bell, and Alessandro Calemme) – 2:48
6. "All to Myself" (Anderson, Ronald Bell, and Calemme) – 3:34
7. "R.O.Y.A.L.T.Y." (Kool & the Gang mix) (Anderson, Shaun Bass, Hakim Bell, Ronald Bell, and Hamza Lee) – 3:11
8. "Hold On" (Anderson, Robert "Kool" Bell, and Ronald Bell) – 3:35
9. "Good Time" (Anderson, Bass, H. Bell, Ronald Bell, Akene Dunkley, and Saint) – 3:21
10. "Pursuit of Happiness" (rap version) (Walter, Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, Gray, B. Muhammad, J. Muhammad, Murray, and Thomas) – 3:18

Personnel

Kool & the Gang

• Robert "Kool" Bell – bass guitar, drums, electric guitar, keyboard, tenor saxophone, backing vocals
• Ronald Bell – mixing, production, executive production
• George "Funky" Brown – percussion
• Timothy Horton – drums, percussion
• Shawn McQuiller – vocals
• Michael Ray – trumpet, vocals
• Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas – alto saxophone

Additional personnel

• Eddie Allen – trumpet
• Greg Allen – project assistance
• Walt Anderson – vocals, vocal arrangement, production on "Sexy (Where'd You Get Yours)"
• Shaun Bass – bass guitar
• Amir Bayyan – electric guitar
• Royal Bayyan – electric guitar
• Hakim Bell – production on "R.O.Y.A.L.T.Y." (Kool & the Gang Mix)
• Ravi Best – trumpet
• Audrey Bilger – project assistance
• Mark Bowers – electric guitar
• Jermaine Bryson – trombone
• Alessandro Calemme – bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, organ, production on "All to Myself" and "Sexy (Where'd You Get Yours)"
• Dutch Cramblitt – project assistance
• Akene Dunkley – guitar, keyboards, production on "Good Time"
• Lavell Evans – backing vocals
• Chris Gehringer – mastering
• Joy Graves – project assistance
• Gabri Hell – production on "Leave It On the Dancefloor"
• Steve Lavell – vocals
• Diego Leanza – bass guitar, electric guitar
• Hamza Lee – production on "R.O.Y.A.L.T.Y." (Kool & the Gang Mix)
• Lee Lodyga – project assistance
• Balewa Muhammad – vocals
• Rashad Muhammad – engineering, mixing
• Keith Murray – rapping on "Pursuit of Happiness" (rap version)
• Cheryl Pawelski – project assistance
• Jacqueline Reilly – backing vocals
• Brad Rosenberger – project assistance
• Saint – guitar, keyboards, production
• Mark Smith – production on "Good Time"
• Robert Stringer – trombone
• Kendal Stubbs – engineering, mixing

See also

• List of 2021 albums

External links

• • • Review from mxdwn
• Review from Soultracks

Notes and References

1. Web site: Blistein . Jon . 2021-07-06 . Kool & the Gang Preview New Album 'Perfect Union' With 'Pursuit of Happiness' . 2024-08-22 . Rolling Stone . en-US.