"Ladies’ Night" by Kool & The Gang

Kool & The Gang were one of the few big-name ‘70s R&B/funk bands to become even more popular and successful in the following decade. A number of great R&B/funk ‘70s acts saw their sales and popularity decline considerably once the ‘80s arrived. To prevent this from happening to them, Kool & The Gang reshaped their sound and image. First, they smoothed out the rough edges of their raw funk sound and replaced it with a polished funk-light/disco sound that would be more palatable in the early ‘80s R&B/pop market. Another important part of the band’s makeover was the recruitment of South Carolina-born vocalist James “J.T.” Taylor as their lead singer. It was a shrewd move to bring in a charismatic young frontman to give the band a focal point that would help bring in more young female fans. And he didn’t just have looks and stage presence, he could deliver the goods vocally as well. He was also an invaluable asset on the ballads, bringing a genuine warmth and soul to them.

Some viewed the band’s mainstream-focused overhaul of their sound and image as blatant selling out; others saw it as simply smart business. But whatever one's views are on it, the move was highly successful and made Kool & The Gang one of the biggest R&B bands of the '80s. During that decade, they landed a string of R&B and pop hits and sold tons of records.

“Ladies’ Night” hit the airwaves on September 6, 1979. It was the band’s first offering of their new radio-friendly sound. The dance smash struck the perfect balance: It was just funky enough to please the band’s longtime fans, but also polished and toned down enough to be embraced by a large audience of of pop/disco listeners. The title refers to promotional specials in which bars and clubs offer free admission and other discounts to female patrons. This practice is designed to bring more ladies into the establishment, which would in turn draw more paying male clientele. 

Robert “Kool” Bell’s captivating bass line powers this funky dance groove, which features an irresistible keyboard part, dynamic horns and a scorching beat. Taylor serves up a smooth and assured lead vocal performance, showing that the band made the right decision in selecting him as their frontman. The track also has a rousing chorus and a terrific bridge. Additionally, the soulful female background vocals help bring home the song's theme. 

“Ladies’ Night” was the lead-off single and title track from Kool & The Gang’s eleventh studio album, released in 1979 on De-Lite Records. It was written by George “Funky” Brown and Kool & The Gang. The song was produced by Brazilian pianist/composer/ producer and arranger Eumir Deodato, who also produced the entire album.

“Ladies’ Night” reached the summit of Billboard’s R&B singles chart, where it remained for two weeks, and it peaked at #8 on Billboard’s Hot 100 pop singles chart. It also made the top 10 in the UK (#9), Switzerland (#7), Finland (#5) and Norway (#10). And it charted in the top 20 in several other countries. It was eventually certified gold by the RIAA with 500,000 copies sold. 

The personnel for “Ladies’ Night” was Robert “Kool” Bell (bass, backing vocals), George “Funky” Brown (drums, backing vocals), Claydes Smith (guitar), Dennis “D.T.” Thomas (alto saxophone), Robert Mickens (trumpet), Ronald Bell/aka Khalis Bayyan (tenor saxophone, backing vocals), Clifford Adams (trombone),  James “J.T.” Taylor (lead and backing vocals), Chris Alberts (trumpet), Adam Ippolito  (keyboards) and Jon Faddis (trumpet). The female backing vocals were provided by the vocal group Something Sweet (Cynthia Huggins, Joan Motley, Beverly Owens, Renee Connel, Kelly Barreto).

“Ladies' Night” has been sampled on 37 songs, per WhoSampled.com. It has been featured on several film soundtracks, including Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), Undercover Brother (2002) and 200 Cigarettes (1999). It has also appeared in popular TV series such as The Vampire Diaries (season 6, episode 20, originally aired April 30, 2015) and Love Island (season 5, episode 4, originally aired July 21, 2023). English pop girl group Atomic Kitten recorded a cover of the song in 2003 and turned it into a girl-power anthem. It peaked at #8 on the UK singles chart and #3 in Spain.

Kool & The Gang performing "Ladies' Night" on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert

"Ladies' Night" available at Amazon

Related blog entry: Album Review of Kool & the Gang's Wild and Peaceful

Singer-Guitarist Paolo Fuschi Releasing Funky New Single “This Old World”

Italian singer-guitarist Paolo Fuschi is set to drop his funky new single “This Old World” on October 6. The song is about rediscovering real human connections in a world where people have become increasingly isolated from one another due to a pervasive self-obsessed mindset that's taken hold. “This Old World” stresses the importance of communication and urges people throughout the world to come together and look out for one another, as well as practice mutual kindness and respect. 

Fuschi delivers this positive message through a dynamic Deep Funk groove, which features an irresistible rhythm guitar part, a powerful beat and some wicked bass. The track also boasts a stellar chorus, dope horns and a marvelous guitar solo from Fuschi. He played the solo through a Mini Q-Tron, an envelope filter pedal; this gave it a very funky wah wah-flavored Sly & the Family Stone-type feel.

The full musician lineup for "This Old World" was Fuschi (guitars, bass and vocals), Laurie Agnew (drums and percussion), Bo Lee (bass inspiration), Jack Tinker (trumpet), Andrew Morel (saxophones) and Justin Shearn (keyboards). Shearn also mixed and produced the track, and it was mastered by Stevie Williams. The official name of the band is Paolo Fuschi & The Outsiders.

Fuschi is based in Manchester UK and is heavily involved in the Mancunian soul, funk and blues scene. He has been bringing his potent mix of electric blues, classic soul and vintage funk to appreciative music lovers since 2002. And the musician has been electrifying audiences worldwide with his exciting live performances. 

Fuschi’s music has been featured on national radio stations, including BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6, as well as international networks such as the Italian Rai Radio. “This Old World” has already been featured on Craig Charles Soul & Funk Show on BBC Radio 6. On February 22, 2022, Fuschi released his most recent EP, "The Outsider," which is an excellent collection of soulful original blues tracks. He has collaborated with a number of great music acts in the Manchester area, including the supertight funk outfit Buffalo Brothers. Additionally, he has taught guitar for more than 18 years, both as a freelancer and for local authorities in Greater Manchester.

Fuschi will showcase “This Old World” at Marsden Jazz Festival in collaboration with Sunday Blues Train and Pat Fulgoni on October 7 at 9:00 p.m. Pre-save the single at your favorite digital platform here. To learn more about Fuschi and his music, visit his social media pages, Facebook and Instagram, or his website.

Official video for "This Old World"