The Force (Kool & the Gang album)

The Force is the ninth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1977 on De-Lite Records. The album peaked at No. 33 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Critical reception
The Globe and Mail wrote that "it's strange that to this day, black soul musicians are trying to say it better than Sly [Stone] did a decade ago and failing miserably." The Bay State Banner wrote that the album "lacked the excellent jive vocals, hot horn lines and boogie beat arrangements Kool made famous."

Singles
Slick Superchick peaked at No. 19 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

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
 * Donald 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