 When J.T. Taylor joined Kool & the Gang, it was a step up
from his former job as an amateur nightclub singer from New Jersey. Taylor was
also no stranger to Kool & The Gang's music.
Together they released the album "Ladies' Night." Taylor's creamy voice gave the
album popularity, the singles "Too Hot" and "Ladies' Night" reaching gold and
platinum status. The group's change to a pop sound was raised by producer Eumir
Deodato, who, starting with Ladies' Night, produced the group's next four
platinum and gold albums, between 1979 and 1982. With the help of Deodato, the
group's next album, "Celebrate," became one of the biggest hits of their career.
Kool & the Gang separated amicably from their producer in
1983 and decided to create their own recordings in-house. The 1983 album "In the
Heart" was produced by Khalis Bayyan (Ronald Bell), Kool & The Gang and engineer
Jim Bonnefond, but in all following albums, Khalis Bayyan became the group's
secret production weapon. From the mid-1980s until the early 1990s Khalis Bayyan
kept the sound established. However rock guitars began to replace horns, and
their sound was transformed under the power of digital technology. Bayyan called
his production set-up the IBMC or Itty Bitty MIDI Committee, using MIDI computer
synthesizers and mixers.
In the 1980s Bayyan produced the double platinum "Emergency" and the gold
"Forever." The biggest change of the 1980s, however, came with the departure of
lead singer J.T. Taylor. The vocalist, who left in 1988, reportedly departed
amicably with plans to make a solo album. The gang then replaced Taylor with
singers/instrumentalists Sonnie "Skip" Martin and Odeen Mays, Jr. They released
two studio albums, "Sweat" (1989) and "Unite" (1998). Taylor released three solo
albums, produced by Khalis Bayyan and J.T. Taylor himself. There was big news in
the summer of 1995, Taylor returned to the band and they released a new album,
"State of Affairs."
The reunion tour with Kool and the Gang started in 1995 and
ended in March 1999. Since that time J.T. has never stopped performing. He put
together his own band and has been touring throughout the United States and
around the World.
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