Perfect Union

Perfect Union
Studio album by Kool & the Gang
Released	August 20, 2021 (2021-08-20)
Genres	Disco funk
Length	36:12
Label	Omnivore
Producers	Ronald Bell, with several co-producers on select tracks
Kool & the Gang chronology
Kool for the Holidays (2012) Perfect Union (2021) People Just Wanna Have Fun (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

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Pursuit of Happiness"	Walter Anderson Robert "Kool" Bell Ronald Bell Celina Gray Balewa Muhammad Jahqae Muhammad Keith Murray Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas	5:13
2.	"The Weekend"	Anderson Ronald Bell B. Muhammad J. Muhammad	3:08
3.	"Leave It on the Dance Floor"	Anderson Ronald Bell Gabriele Falanga	3:18
4.	"High"	Anderson Ronald Bell	4:46
5.	"Sexy (Where’d You Get Yours)"	Anderson Ronald Bell Alessandro Calemme	2:48
6.	"All to Myself"	Anderson Ronald Bell Calemme	3:34
7.	"R.O.Y.A.L.T.Y." (Kool & the Gang mix)	Anderson Shaun Bass Hakim Bell Ronald Bell Hamza Lee	3:11
8.	"Hold On"	Anderson Robert Bell Ronald Bell	3:35
9.	"Good Time"	Anderson Bass H. Bell Ronald Bell Akene Dunkley Saint	3:21
10.	"Pursuit of Happiness" (rap version)	Anderson Robert Bell Ronald Bell Gray B. Muhammad J. Muhammad Murray thomas	3:18
Total length:			36:12

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

Charts

Chart performance for Perfect Union

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	47

External links

• Perfect Union at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
• Review from mxdwn
• Review from Soultracks